Chronobiology
Author: Briana Liset | Email: alanisliset@gmail.com
Briana Liset1°, M. Fernanda Ceriani2°, Jose M. Duhart1°2°
1° Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes
2° Fundación Instituto Leloir – Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires – CONICET
The circadian clock controls a wide variety of physiological functions which timed daily organization is required for sustaining health. An increasing body of evidence suggests a correlation between alterations in the circadian rhythm and the process of ageing. Dietary restriction widely improves lifespan and healthspan, with recent studies indicating that some of these benefits may be mediated by the circadian system. However, the precise interaction between dietary restriction, ageing and the brain circadian clock is still elusive. We propose Drosophila as a suitable model for studying this interaction, given its short lifespan, the well-characterized components of the circadian network and ample resources for genetic manipulation.
As a first approach, we monitored locomotor activity of individual flies throughout their lifespan, providing access to food with increasing yeast content, the main source of protein in fly laboratory diet. Surprisingly, both high and very low yeast content shortened lifespan, with 2% yeast being the optimal composition in terms of survival. Preliminary analysis indicates that while certain circadian and sleep quality parameters may be associated with longevity, the age-related changes in these behavioural traits appear to be relatively unaffected by dietary patterns. The findings indicate the existence of a complex interplay between lifespan, dietary habits and the behavioural correlates of the circadian clock.