Analysis of a cellular structure observed in the compound eyes of Drosophila white; yata mutants and white mutants

We previously identified the mutant, which showed phenotypes including progressive vacuolization of the white-coloured compound eye, progressive shrinkage of the brain and a shortened lifespan. The gene was shown to be involved in controlling intracellular trafficking of the Amyloid precursor protein-like protein, which is an orthologue of Amyloid precursor protein, which is a causative molecule of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we examined the phenotype of the compound eye of the mutant using electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. We found that abnormal cellular structures that seemed to originate from bleb-like structures and contained vesicles and organelles, such as multivesicular bodies and autophagosomes, were observed in aged mutants and aged mutants. These structures were not observed in newly eclosed flies and the presence of the structures was suppressed in flies grown under constant dark conditions after eclosion. The structures were not observed in newly eclosed red-eyed mutants or wild-type flies, but were observed in very aged red-eyed wild-type flies. Thus, our data suggest that the observed structures are formed as a result of changes associated with exposure to light after eclosion in mutants, mutants and aged flies.