5-week old flies expressing ND-SGDH^GD3876 under the control of Scer\GAL4^Hand.PU and subjected to ad libitum feeding (ARF) have improved cardiac physiology compared to controls.

Adults expressing ND-SGDH^GD3876 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PLu (in the presence of Dcr-2^Scer\UAS.cDa to increase the efficiency of RNAi) do not show a significant defect in avoidance of noxious temperature (46[o]C) compared to control flies.

Ubiquitous expression using Scer\GAL4^Switch.tub, induced during larval development and adulthood, prolongs life span in female flies and has variable effects on male life span. Female fertility is reduced. Flies also show improved tolerance to paraquat poisoning, but do not show improved starvation resistance. Developmental time, climbing ability, adult size and mass are all unaffected.

Ubiquitous expression using Scer\GAL4^Switch.tub from the onset of adulthood only also increases female life span and has variable effects on males. Female fertility is also reduced.

Constitutive or adult only neuronal expression using Scer\GAL4^{elav.Switch.PO} increases mean life span in females and has variable effects in males. Adult only neuronal expression does not significantly affect female fertility.

Under rich nutritional conditions the lifespan of l(3)neo18^GD3876 knockdown flies (under the control of Scer\GAL4^{Act5C.Switch.PR} and RU486) is indistinguishable from control flies. However, upon dietary restriction, knockdown diminishes lifespan extension in both male and female flies compared to their respective controls.