Division of Biology 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
Department of Biology, BioSciences Complex, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
Department of Behavioral Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
We researched the lifespan of Drosophila under axenic conditions, compared with customary procedure. The experiments revealed that the presence of bacteria during the first week of adult life can enhance lifespan, despite unchanged food intake. Later in life, the presence of bacteria can reduce lifespan. Certain long-lived mutants react in different ways, indicating an interplay between bacteria and longevity-enhancing genes.