pus ▁all atum . ▁ ▁D . ▁mel an og aster ▁is ▁often ▁used ▁for ▁life ▁extension ▁studies , ▁such ▁as ▁to ▁identify ▁gen es ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁increase ▁lif es pan ▁when ▁mut ated . ▁D . ▁mel an og aster ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁in ▁studies ▁of ▁ag ing . ▁Werner ▁synd rome ▁is ▁a ▁condition ▁in ▁humans ▁character ized ▁by ▁acceler ated ▁ag ing . ▁It ▁is ▁caused ▁by ▁mut ations ▁in ▁the ▁gene ▁W R N ▁that ▁enc odes ▁a ▁protein ▁with ▁essential ▁roles ▁in ▁repair ▁of ▁DNA ▁damage . ▁Mut ations ▁in ▁the ▁D . ▁mel an og aster ▁hom olog ▁of ▁W R N ▁also ▁cause ▁increased ▁phys i olog ic ▁signs ▁of ▁ag ing , ▁such ▁as ▁shorter ▁lif es pan , ▁higher ▁tum or ▁inc idence , ▁mus cle ▁deg ener ation , ▁reduced ▁clim bing ▁ability , ▁alter ed ▁behavior ▁and ▁reduced ▁locomot or ▁activity . ▁ ▁Fem ales ▁▁ ▁Fem ales ▁become ▁re cept ive ▁to ▁cour ting ▁males ▁about ▁ 8 – 1 2 ▁hours ▁after ▁emer gence . ▁Specific ▁neur on ▁groups ▁in ▁females ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁to ▁affect ▁cop ulation ▁behavior ▁and ▁mate ▁choice . ▁One ▁such ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁ab dom inal ▁n erve ▁cord ▁allows ▁the ▁female ▁fly ▁to ▁pause ▁her ▁body ▁movements ▁to ▁cop ulate . ▁Activ ation ▁of ▁these ▁neur ons ▁indu ces ▁the ▁female ▁to ▁ce ase ▁movement ▁and ▁orient ▁herself ▁towards ▁the ▁male ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁mount ing . ▁If ▁the ▁group ▁is ▁in