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. 2014 Jun 26;10(6):e1004437. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004437

Figure 6. Age-related impairments of attraction behavior and neural transmission are restored by caspase inhibition in corresponding ORNs.

Figure 6

(A) Performance index of flies bearing the Or42b-Gal4, Or92a-Gal4, and UAS-p35 transgenes in response to apple cider vinegar vapor in 3 or 30-day-old flies. The performance index (P.I.) to apple cider vinegar between groups was not significantly different at 3 days of age. The P.I. in w(CS10) was significantly lower in 30-day-old flies than in 3-day-old flies. The 30-day-old flies carrying the Or42b-Gal4 and Or92a-Gal4 drivers and the UAS-p35 transgene had an enhanced P.I. compared to flies of w(CS10) or flies bearing only the UAS-p35 transgene at 30 days of age. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test was performed on P.I. values from flies of 3 or 30-day-old flies. n ≧ 7 for all groups. *p<0.05. All error bars indicate the SEM. (B–E) Two-photon imaging of PN calcium response in flies with or without expression of p35 in Or42b neurons. GH146-positive PNs express the calcium sensor GCaMP. Response to apple cider vinegar stimulation in 2–5-day-old flies (B, C) and 45–50-day-old flies (D, E). Grayscale images show the structure of the AL. Pseudo-colored images show the response to apple cider vinegar at 0.8% SV (saturated vapor pressure) (B) and 3.2% SV (D). DM1 peak fluorescence change ΔF/F is plotted against odor concentration for 2–5-day-old flies (C) and 45–50-day-old flies (E). n = 6–10. Error bars show SEM. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Only male flies were used. All flies contain GH146-LexA and LexAop-GCaMP1.3-ires-GCaMP1.3. Flies with p35 expression also have Or42b-Gal4 and UAS-p35.