Age-dependent expression profiles of two adaptogenic systems and thermotolerance in Drosophila melanogaster

Here, we monitored the expression of three genes ( hsp70 , hsp22 , and hsf1 ) involved in heat shock response in Drosophila melanogaster in males and females of different age. Also, we investigated age- and sex-dependent expression of three major genes participating in the production of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) ( cse , cbs , and mst ), implicated in stress resistance and aging. In addition to the control strain, we monitored the expression of all of these genes in a cbs knockout strain ( cbs −/−) generated using the CRISPR technique. The tested strains differ in the induction capacities of the studied genes. Relative to the control strain, under normal conditions, the cbs −/− strain expresses all of the studied genes more abundantly, especially hsp22 . In the control strain, aging leads to a dramatic increase in hsp22 synthesis, whereas in the cbs −/− strain, hsp22 induction is not pronounced. Furthermore, in 30-day-old cbs −/− flies, the constitutive expression of hsp70 and mst is decreased . Surprisingly, in the cbs −/− strain, we detected an upregulation of hsf1 transcription in the 30-day-old females. After heat shock in the control strain, hsp 70 and hsp22 induction decreased with age in males and hsp22 decreased in females, while in the cbs −/− strain, a pronounced drop in the induction capacity of both hsp genes was seen in 30-day-old males and females. However, in most cases, the expression levels of hsf1 and H 2 S-producing genes do not exhibit pronounced changes depending on sex, age, or heat shock. Flies of control and cbs −/− strain exhibited strong reduction in basal thermotolerance with age. Our data suggest a cross-talk between the two studied ancient and universal adaptive systems.