Glycogen storage in normal and wing-mutant strains of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Total body weight, total glycogen content and the percentage of body weight attributable to stored glycogen were measured in wild-type and two wing-mutant strains of 0–2-day-old (immature) and 5–7-day-old (mature) Drosophila melanogaster. Wild-type and wing mutant strains did not differ significantly in any of the measured parameters at 0–2 days of age. By 5–7 days of age, significant increases in glycogen content and glycogen percent had occurred in both wild-type and wing-mutant strains. Likewise, by 5–7 days of age, total body weight had increased significantly in the mature wild-type and vestigial strains but not in apterous flies. Mature wild-type flies displayed significantly greater total body glycogen content and glycogen percent when compared with the mature apterous and vestigial wing-mutant strains.