Fig. 5: Loss of homochirality reduces lifespan.

a Premature death of Pimtⁿ¹ knock-out null mutant animals is rescued by Pimt knock-in wild type (Pimt^wt) but not by Pimt knock-in S60Q (catalytic dead, CD, Pimt^S60Q) construct. Median survivals in days are: control: 34, Pimtⁿ¹: 20, Pimt^wt: 33, Pimt^S60Q: 20. Experiments were repeated at least three independent times, n number of animals. Comparison of age-specific survival curves was done with Log-rank (Mantel–Cox) test. Chi-square values are: Pimtⁿ¹ to control (red): 140.6 (****p); Pimt^wt to Pimtⁿ¹ (light blue): 109 (****p); Pimt^wt to control: 0.9881 (p:0.3202); Pimt^S60Q to Pimtⁿ¹: 0.9543 (p:0.3286). Values are presented as average ±standard deviation (S.D.). b Bright field (BF) and confocal images represent protein aggregates in tissues of dissected heterochiral (Pimt-RNAi, right) and homochiral control animals (left). Experiments were repeated three independent times. c Control animals (left) and animals in which the chirality-regulating enzyme-encoding Pimt gene is downregulated, develop large melanotic masses (Pimt-RNAi, right). Percentage of animals developing melanotic tumour masses. N number of independent experiments, n number of animals. Values are presented as average ± standard deviation (S.D.). P-values from two-sided Mann–Whitney U-test are ****p < 0.0001, ***p = 0.0003 and **p = 0.0011. Source data are provided as a Source Data file for a and c.