Transposable Element Activation in Somatic Tissues Impacts Drosophila Physiology and LifespanJones, Brian CcreatorHelfand, StephenAdvisorReenan, RobertReaderLarschan, EricaReaderNeretti, NicolaReaderDubnau, JoshuaReaderBrown University. Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistrysponsor2017xvii, 109 p.born digitalThesis (Ph. D.)--Brown University, 2017thesesTransposable elements (TEs) are parasitic mobile sequences of DNA that make up large percentages of their host genomes. Because of their ability to move about the genome, TEs are a significant source of genomic damage. Their reactivation and mobilization can cause insertional mutagenesis, double strand DNA breaks, and even apoptosis. Thankfully, host genomes have evolved multiple suppressive molecular mechanisms to silence TEs. These include RNA interference (RNAi) pathways such as the short interfering RNA (siRNA) and Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathways as well as the establishment of repressive heterochromatin. Loss of these repressive mechanisms results in TE reactivation, genomic damage, cellular dysfunction, and compromised tissue function. This thesis examines the role of these repressive mechanisms in maintaining TE silencing in somatic tissues and the impact of their loss on organismal physiology and lifespan.Molecular biologyMetabolismLipids--MetabolismDrosophila melanogasterTransposonsSmall interfering RNANon-coding RNAAdipose tissuesfat bodyRNA interferenceRNAiPiwi genespiwiEnglishRPB2017061610.7301/Z0X065HHIn CopyrightCollection is open for research.dissertations