Figure 2. Essential amino acids cause the DR effect.
(a) Adding essential amino acids (EAA), but not non-essential amino acids (N-EAA), increased fecundity to the level with all amino acids (All AA) and fully-fed. (DR+EAA v Fully-fed, P=0.393; DR+EAA v DR+All AA, P=1). (b) Adding EAA or All AA to DR caused lifespan to decrease to the same extent as fully-fed (P>0.102). In contrast, N-EAA addition to DR shortened lifespan much less (P=0.011). Egg laying: mean ± s.e.m.; n=10; compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Survivorship: starting n=100 per treatment; compared using the log rank test.