Glycogen storage in normal and wing-mutant strains of Drosophila melanogaster

Total body weight, total glycogen content and the percentage of body weight attributable to stored glycogen were measured in wild-type and two wing-mutant strains of 0-2-day-old (immature) and 5-7-day-old (mature) Drosophila melanogaster. Wild-type and wing mutant strains did not differ significantly in any of the measured parameters at 0-2 days of age. By 5-7 days of age, significant increases in glycogen content and glycogen percent had occurred in both wild-type and wing-mutant strains. Likewise, by 5-7 days of age, total body weight had increased significantly in the mature wild-type and vestigial strains but not in apterous flies. Mature wild-type flies displayed significantly greater total body glycogen content and glycogen percent when compared with the mature apterous and vestigial wing-mutant strains.