Sex, not yeast or atrazine concentration, affects virgin adult Drosophila melanogaster longevity

In Drosophila melanogaster , the herbicide atrazine is known to alter longevity, accelerate development time, and cause modifications in protein production and gene expression related to oxidative stress. A low protein diet can affect fecundity and increase lifespan in flies. The present study investigated if and how different concentrations of dietary yeast, the main protein source for lab-reared flies, affect the lifespan of D. melanogaster exposed to atrazine. Atrazine exposure and yeast concentration did not affect adult longevity; however, there was a strong sex effect in that males displayed greater survival than females.