MATERNAL AGE EFFECT ASSOCIATED WITH YELLOW PIGMENT IN MALPIGHIAN TUBES OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract

Using chromatographic and fluorometric methods a maternal age effect was demonstrated which involves yellow pigment accumulation in the Malpighian tubes of light (lt) flies. As age of females (lt+/lt and lt/lt) increases, yellow pigment accumulation in lt/lt offspring increases. The influence of maternal age is most dramatic in young females aged 1 to 5 days prior to mating. In addition, fertility decreases as maternal age increases. A medium effect was noted whereby females reared on fresh medium produce lt/lt offspring with slightly more yellow pigment in their Malpighian tubes than offspring of females reared on "worked" medium. The opposite effect was observed for fertility. Results are discussed in terms of accumulation of pteridines (and closely related compounds) as females age and changes in RNA and DNA content in the eggs of aging females.