The expression of the EF1 alpha genes of Drosophila is not associated with the extended longevity phenotype in a selected long-lived strain.

A quantitative dot blot analysis was performed to determine whether the expression of the EF-1 alpha genes of Drosophila melanogaster are associated with the extended longevity phenotype characteristic of our genetically selected long-lived strain. These data were compared to that obtained from two normal-lived strains and from two iso-chromosomal strains with an intermediate life span. The relative mRNA levels of both EF-1 alpha genes (EF-1 alpha F1 and EF-1 alpha F2) for all five strains were measured through the larval, pupal, and early adult stages, and statistically analyzed. Our findings from these studies indicate that the F2 mRNA tracks with the extended longevity; however, the F1 mRNA is the major component and, thus, the relative total expression of these genes at the mRNA level is approximately equivalent for all five strains. These conclusions suggest that the expression of the EF-1 alpha genes is not associated with the extended longevity phenotype.