Description

In this activity, students will analyze raw data obtained from an experiment that explores the effect of overexpressing the Snakeskin (Ssk) protein on the lifespan of a population of fruit flies. This tight junction equivalent protein is expressed at higher levels than normal specifically in the gut and throughout the entire lifespan of the flies.  Because aging guts are accompanied by both a mislocalization and a decrease in the expression levels of junctional proteins, including Ssk, it was hypothesized that overexpressing Ssk may lead to a healthier fly with a longer lifespan.  This data will be analyzed in order to determine if there is a significant difference between the control flies in which no overexpression occurs and the experimental group in which Ssk is overexpressed. In this module, students will use Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel to perform the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis on the data. Two groups of fruit flies, the Control Group, where there is no overexpression of Ssk, and the Treatment Group, where the fruit flies are treated with a drug leading to an overexpression of Ssk, will be compared and analyzed. The goal is to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the survival curves of the two groups. This activity involves both statistical analysis and concepts from calculus, displaying the usefulness of mathematical concepts for biological data analysis. The raw data used in this module are obtained in the laboratory of Dr. Salazar’s from her research on overexpressing the Ssk protein and its effect on longevity.

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