Reduced Reproductivity and Larval Locomotion in the Absence of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase in Drosophila

The inevitable aging process can be partially attributed to the accumulation of
oxidative damage that results from the action of free radicals. Methionine sulfoxide
reductases (Msr) are a class of enzymes that repair oxidized methionine residues. The
two known forms of Msr are MsrA and MsrB which reduce the R- and S- enantiomers of
methionine sulfoxide, respectively. Our lab has created the first genetic animal model
that is fully deficient for any Msr activity. Previously our lab showed that these animals
exhibit a 20 hour delay in development of the third instar larvae (unpublished data). My
studies have further shown that the prolonged third-instar stage is due to a reduced
growth rate associated with slower food intake and a markedly slower motility. These
Msr-deficient animals also exhibit decreased egg-laying that can be attributed to a lack of
female receptivity to mating.