A mini-screen to identify the role of microRNAs in the Drosophila Insulin-Producing cells regulating lifespan

Various genetic, molecular and environmental factors influence the lifespan of an organism, which includes the highly conserved insulin signaling pathway. In Drosophila , Insulin-Producing cells (IPCs) present in the fly brain, analogous to vertebrate pancreas, control growth, metabolism and lifespan. Regulation of gene expression by microRNAs is strongly believed to be crucial in determining adult lifespan, however, no systematic approach has been conducted so far to study the role of microRNAs in the IPCs in the aging process. Most of the current work has been focused on deciphering the roles of microRNAs in the IPCs during developmental stages. Here, we report the results of a mini-screen performed to identify microRNAs that function in the adult IPCs in regulating lifespan and neuronal integrity.