Figure 1.

Heterozygous loss of jeb extends lifespan. (a) The original stock (BL10576) containing the jeb^k05644 mutation contained two insertions of P{lacW} that became apparent upon back‐crossing. Primers designed as shown amplified either P{lacW} independent of its insertion site (Set 1) or P{lacW} in the annotated insertion site in the jeb gene (Set 2). PCR from genomic DNA using these primers confirmed the presence of the jeb^k05644 insertion or the secondary extra insertion in each back‐crossed stock. (b) qPCR from whole‐fly RNA showed reduced jeb mRNA levels in female w^Dah;jeb^k05644/+; flies compared to w^Dah;+/+; flies, with increased jeb mRNA levels in w^Dah;extra‐insertion/+; flies compared to w^Dah;+/+; flies. n = 6 biological replicates of three whole flies per replicate for each genotype; p values are from Dunnett's multiple comparison tests between the indicated groups. (c) Survival curves showed extended lifespan for female w^Dah;jeb^k05644/+; flies compared to their w^Dah;+/+; siblings. (d) Survival curves showed no significant change in lifespan for female w^Dah;extra‐insertion/+; flies compared to their w^Dah;+/+; siblings. For all survival experiments, n > 145 deaths counted per condition; p values are from log‐rank tests vs. the wild‐type condition