Ubiquitous overexpression of fa2h^VDRC.cUa under the control of Scer\GAL4^αTub84B.PL decreases the proportion of sphingolipids with hydroxylated fatty acids in sterol-depleted animals.

Ubiquitous overexpression of fa2h^VDRC.cUa under the control of Scer\GAL4^αTub84B.PL causes death in sterol-depleted animals on average 20 to 44 hours earlier than sterol-depleted control animals. Expression has no effect on survival, developmental timing or body size of larvae fed yeast-containing medium.

Tissue-specific expression of fa2h^VDRC.cUa (under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PLu in the nervous system; Scer\GAL4^Adh.PF in the fat body, oenocytes, and anterior midgut; Scer\GAL4^Rfabg.PB in the fat body; or Scer\GAL4^Npc1b.PV in the posterior and anterior midgut) does not reduce survival on sterol-depleted food. Knockdown in the nervous system (Scer\GAL4^elav.PLu) does reduce viability in some experiments; although the effect is of marginal significance.