The Effect of Overnutrition on Mediated Collagen in Drosophila Melanogaster Physiology

Abstract

Obesity affects approximately 13% of the adult population, resulting in excessive fat cell deposition and metabolic dysfunction. Collagen, a protein that supports skin regeneration, muscle building, and pain relief, is studied in Drosophila melanogaster under different diet conditions. This experiment aims to test whether overnutrition affects physiology and collagen due to any anatomical changes in Drosophila Melanogaster, more commonly known as fruit flies. The research conducted over several weeks utilizes two diets: an obesity-inducing diet containing excessive glucose and coconut oil and a traditional diet of blue food medium, yeast, and water. The study groups include a wild-type, collagen-mutated, and obesity-mutated group, with multiple assays measuring how the obesity-inducing diet affects each population and their collagen levels. The results reveal that the obese group experienced higher food consumption levels but had lower locomotive ability than the other test groups. Hydroxyproline, the building amino acid for collagen, and collagen levels were higher in the obesity mutant than in the wild-type and collagen mutated group. The study shows that anatomical changes in organisms are influenced by both diet and movement. The obesity group, on an obesity-inducing diet, experienced decreased movement related to increased food intake and decreased neural activity. The high-fat and high-sugar diet suppressed neuronal autophagy, created inaccurate hunger and satiety perceptions, and increased collagen deposition. Anatomical changes were observed in collagen-heavy tissue areas, whereas decreased neural activity and increased feeding rates were behavioral changes. The study emphasized the importance of a healthy diet and exercise in promoting overall health.