Figure 7. Dietary restriction delays age-related loss of gene silencing. BL2 flies fed on a high (H) or low (L) calorie diet were stained at various ages, and HS-LacZ expression was quantified for Malpighian tubules (A) oenocytes (B) and thoracic bristle roots (C). Each data point in (A) and (B) represents 5 biologically independent experiments from different cohorts (25 or more flies for each time point; at least 300 flies (≥33,000 cells) total were scored for oenocytes, and at least 250 flies (≥ 95,000 cells) total were scored for Malpighian tubules); error bars represent SEM, *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. For thoracic bristle roots, BL2 flies fed on a high (H) or low (L) calorie diet were heat shocked, stained at Day 10 and Day 30 with X-gal, and HS-LacZ expression was quantified for the cells at the base of 10 thoracic bristles. Three independent biological replicates of 15 flies for each time point representing 60 flies (> 600 bristle roots) total were counted. Error bars represent SD, *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.