Meeting Abstract
Long-term selection for starvation resistance in Drosophila melanogaster has resulted in populations that accumulate high lipid levels during an extended larval developmental period. These lipids are used to survive 14 days without food each generation. Flies that do survive must then re-accumulate resources for reproduction. We measured lipid content in starvation-selected (S) and fed control (F) flies subjected to severe starvation stress (10 days for S flies, 3 days for F flies). We also performed a larval starvation experiment. When F larvae stopped feeding and began wandering for a pupation site, S larvae were removed from their media to prevent them from acquiring additional lipids. In both cases, S and F flies regained their lipid content over a period of several days. Our data suggest that S flies have evolved a higher lipid storage set point than controls, and this set point is not affected by changes in caloric intake as larvae or as adults. Supported by the AANAPISI Scholars Institute at UNLV and NSF awards IOS-1355210 and DBI REU 1358896.
