Fig. 2. Hecw mutants display neurodegenerative phenotype.
a, b Survival curve of the indicated genotypes. Percentage of survivals was calculated over 200 animals/genotype. HecwCI (CI) (a) and HecwKO (KO) flies (b) show a significant decrease in their lifespan compared with their control lines. ****P < 0.0001 by log-rank (Mantel–Cox) test. c Motor function ability measured at the indicated time points by negative geotaxis assay. Results are expressed as climbing index mean ± s.e.m. (n = 120 animals/8 independent groups at 30 days, n = 90 animals/6 groups for the other time points), *P < 0.0273, ***P < 0.0009, ****P < 0.0001 by unpaired two-tailed t-test, comparing the indicated mutant with wild-type. d Frontal sections of 30-day-old fly brains of the indicated genotypes stained with H&E and examined by bright-field microscopy. Scale bar, 100 µm. Right, magnification of the central brain regions is highlighted. e Quantification of the vacuoles with diameter >2 µm in 30-day-old fly brains of the indicated genotypes. Results are expressed as mean ± s.e.m. of three biological replicates (n = 5 animals/genotype/replicate), ***P = 0.0003, *P = 0.0167, ns by unpaired two-tailed t-test. The rescue line HecwKO;;DC504/+ was generated by crossing Hecw mutant flies with Dp(1;3)DC504 animals which contain a duplication of CG42797 locus on the third chromosome to analyse animals that are homozygous for HecwKO and heterozygous for Dp(1;3)DC504. f TUNEL staining of 30-day-old fly brains of the indicated genotypes. Right, quantification expressed as percentage of positive cells. 200–500 cells were counted for each fly (n = 5 animals/genotype). Results are expressed as mean ± SD ****P < 0.0001 by two-tailed t-test. g Negative geotaxis assay performed as in (c), on 20-day-old flies of the indicated genotypes. Results are expressed as climbing index mean ± s.e.m. (n = 48 animals/6 independent groups). Ns, not significant by unpaired two-tailed t-test.