MtpαKO homozygous larvae exhibit a large progenitor pool at the expense of differentiated cells in the lymph gland primary lobe.
The mean lifespan of mutant male flies (37.6 +/- 0.5 days) is significantly shorter than that of control males (49.6 +/- 0.5 days).
Mutant adults show significantly slower climbing ability than control flies at 3, 10 and 20 days after eclosion.
Mutant females lay approximately 40% fewer eggs compared to wild type.
Mutant adults are susceptible to starvation, the mean survival period under starvation conditions in 29.5 +/- 1.6 hours (compared to 44.6 +/- 1.0 hours in wild-type controls).
Fat body cells of fed mutant flies contain larger lipid droplets compared to cells from wild-type control flies and the mutant flies have higher overall triacylglyceride levels than wild type. The size of the lipid droplets, and the overall triacylglyceride levels are not reduced by starvation in the mutant flies, in contrast to wild type.