Genetically obese Drosophila has been developed by selecting for starvation resistance. This project will investigate hormonal mechanisms that cause Drosophila to accumulate excess lipids. Genomic methods will be used to identify the genetic basis for lipid storage.

Public Health Relevance

This study uses genetically obese fruit flies as a model to understand genetic factors contributing to human obesity. The goal is to identify genes and hormonal pathways that cause cells and animals to accumulate fat.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA) (R15)
Project #
1R15GM100395-01
Application #
8232912
Study Section
Development - 1 Study Section (DEV1)
Program Officer
Gaillard, Shawn R
Project Start
2012-05-01
Project End
2015-04-30
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2015-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$285,893
Indirect Cost
$85,893
Name
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
098377336
City
Las Vegas
State
NV
Country
United States
Zip Code
89154
Rajpurohit, Subhash; Gefen, Eran; Bergland, Alan O et al. (2018) Spatiotemporal dynamics and genome-wide association genome-wide association analysis of desiccation tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Ecol 27:3525-3540
Hardy, Christopher M; Burke, Molly K; Everett, Logan J et al. (2018) Genome-Wide Analysis of Starvation-Selected Drosophila melanogaster-A Genetic Model of Obesity. Mol Biol Evol 35:50-65
Hardy, Christopher M; Birse, Ryan T; Wolf, Matthew J et al. (2015) Obesity-associated cardiac dysfunction in starvation-selected Drosophila melanogaster. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 309:R658-67
Slocumb, Melissa E; Regalado, Josue M; Yoshizawa, Masato et al. (2015) Enhanced Sleep Is an Evolutionarily Adaptive Response to Starvation Stress in Drosophila. PLoS One 10:e0131275
Masek, Pavel; Reynolds, Lauren A; Bollinger, Wesley L et al. (2014) Altered regulation of sleep and feeding contributes to starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster. J Exp Biol 217:3122-32