Tissue-Specific Fluorescent Protein Turnover in Free-Moving Flies

Conditional transgenic systems and multi-copy target transgenes were used to produce transient fluorescent protein expression in adult Drosophila melanogaster, with the goal of developing an in vivo assay of protein turnover. Free-moving flies were assayed at multiple time points using video, and decay in fluorescence was used to calculate protein half-life. Additional experiments involved image capture of anesthetized flies. The half-life of eGFP was increased by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, both in vivo and in vitro, indicating proteasomal degradation of eGFP. The accumulation of eGFP in vivo was decreased by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, without affecting half-life. The half-lives of several fluorescent proteins were determined, using both tissue-general and tissue-specific expression, in flies of both sexes and varying ages. Typical half-life values varied by fluorescent protein. DsRED showed a greater half-life than eGFP, and little if any degradation was detected for mCherry. Half-life also varied by tissue, with greater eGFP half-life observed in muscle relative to other tissues. Increased half-life with age was detected for DsRED but not for eGFP. Limited effects were observed for sex and female mating status. Taken together, the data indicate the in vivo assays are promising tools for the study of protein degradation regulated by protein sequence, subcellular compartment, tissue and small molecules.