The expression of Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav-C155 leads to the neuromuscular junctions of third instar larval muscles 6/7 exhibiting a decrease in the number of synaptic branches, and severe decreases in the size and number of terminal boutons, which present interrupted microtubule structures, as compared to controls.

Expression of Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^GMR.PF does not cause any changes in external eye morphology upon fly ageing.

Knockdown of Hsc70-5 through expression of Hsc70-5^GD13957 in DA neurons using Scer\GAL4^Ddc.PL or Scer\GAL4^ple.PF, but not in sensory neurons, results in lethality during the larval or pupal stages.

Pan-neuronal expression of Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav-C155, at 18[o]C, gives a 2 day reduction in median lifespan compared to controls. Most flies die within 10 days of eclosion (control flies are still alive at this stage). Pan-neuronal knockdown strongly affects body posture and locomotion, with a substantial impairment of motor capacities in 1-day old Hsc70-5^GD13957 knockdown flies. This locomotor disability worsened upon ageing, suggesting rapid progressive degeneration, leading to 5-day old flies generally neither moving nor climbing.

Body posture defects observed upon Hsc70-5^GD13957 knockdown, under the control of Scer\GAL4^GMR.PF, include abnormal wing posture: one or both wings are downturned or held erect. The abnormally down-turned poster of one wing is the most commonly observed phenotype in 1-day-old female flies.

Neuromuscular junctions and synaptic boutons do not differ in size, number, or shape in flies expressing Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav-C155, compared to controls. However, there a significant reductions in mitochondrial number, density and size at the neuromuscular junctions of Scer\GAL4^elav-C155>Hsc70-5^GD13957 flies. There is also a significant increase in the percentage of round mitochondria.

Pan-neuronal knockdown of Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav-C155 does not cause an obvious increase in Atg8a^{Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP} (a marker of autophagy) in the larval central nervous system. However, there is a significant increase in autophagy in neuromuscular junctions and this appears to colocalise with mitochondria, indicating an increase in mitophagy at neuromuscular junctions.

Adults expressing Hsc70-5^GD13957 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.

Expression of Hsc70-5^GD13957 under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PLu (in the presence of Dcr-2^Scer\UAS.cDa to increase the efficiency of RNAi) results in viable flies or partial lethality, depending on the particular P{GD13957} insertion line used.

Expression under the control of Scer\GAL4^Mef2.PR results in early larval lethality.

Expression under the control of Scer\GAL4^Mef2.PR results in grossly normal larval body wall muscles.

Expression under the control of Scer\GAL4^Mef2.PR results in wild-type sarcomeres in the larval body wall muscles.