Progress in research on the relationship between aging, circadian rhythm and sleep in Drosophila
Author of the article:Lü Peng-Fei ZHAO Zhang-Wu DU Juan
Author's Workplace：MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China；MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China；MOA Key Laboratory of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Key Words：Drosophila; circadian rhythm; sleep; aging; clock genes
Abstract：
Both Drosophila and humans have a conservative circadian system. Research on the effects of
aging on the circadian rhythm and sleep in Drosophila may aid understanding similar effects of aging in humans. The circadian clock
is mainly comprised of an input system, core clock system and output system.
Sleep is a kind of spontaneous, periodic and reversible resting state that is
found in both simple and complex organisms. Circadian rhythm and sleep
gradually weaken with age in Drosophila.
Early in vivo and in vitro studies have found that the weakening of the
circadian rhythm system with age in Drosophila is related to significant reduction in expression of the clock
gene in peripheral neurons. However, the effects of aging on the expression of
core circadian genes remains unclear. This paper reviews recent progress in
research on the effects of aging on circadian rhythm and sleep in Drosophila.