Figure 2.

Phototaxis defects in Df(4)dCORL adults display age-dependent plasticity attributable to dCORL but are not due to faulty photoreceptors. A) Phototaxis assay of 5 day and 10 day old males and females from 8 strains. Graphs report the percent of flies of each genotype that move toward light when given a binary choice. Numerical data in Table S3. Phototaxis assays reveal an effect of age on performance similar to that seen with climbing. 10 day old Df(4)dCORL flies are significantly improved compared to 5 day olds. For the other strains no obvious pattern is visible with some strains improved with age while others decreased. The distinction between Df(4)dCORL and all other strains at both ages was highly significant. B) Detailed results from the assay of 5 day old males. Of fifteen trials with Df(4)dCORL, six had no Df(4)dCORL flies move toward the light. In contrast males of the same age in all other lines show strongly phototactic responses in all trials. C) Electroretinograms from Df(4)dCORL and Glu-RA-control males. Receptor potential (measured in millivolts) in Df(4)dCORL flies is significantly more robust than in the Glu-RA-control. The contrast between Df(4)dCORL and Glu-RA-control in the phototaxis (Df(4)dCORL worse) and retinogram assays (Df(4)dCORL better) indicates that the phototaxis defect in Df(4)dCORL is not due to a photoreceptor deficit.