a) Lifespan using mutant strains for adr-1;adr-2 in the context of dsRNA mediated gene inactivation of daf-2. Synchronized worms at the larval stage 4 (L4) were sterilized with FudR and allowed to feed on bacterial lawns that contained dsRNA for daf-2. Note: adr-1; adr-2 double mutant (red solid), adr-1; adr-2 double mutant with dsRNA for daf-2 (red hatched), N2 wild type (blue solid), N2 with dsRNA for daf-2 (blue hatched). Note decline in lifespan due to adr-1; adr-2 compared with N2 wildtype. Also note increases in lifespan of both N2 and adr-1; adr-2 in the presence of dsRNA for daf-2. The 50% survival time in the adr-1; adr-2 mutant animals was 10 days (95% limits 9 and 12 days) compared with 20 days (95% limits 18 and 20 days) for N2 wild-type control worms. RNAi to daf-2 increases lifespan to 34 days (95% limits 32 and 40 days), compared with 20 days for the wild type (N2 worms fed empty vector (RNAi)). daf-2 gene inactivation, in the background of the adr-1 and adr-2 null mutations also restored lifespan to 18 days (95% limits 16 and 20 days), compared with 10 days for the adr-1;adr-2 double mutant strain. b) Lifespan using mutant strains for adr-1;adr-2 (solid red), N2 wildtype (solid blue), rde-1 (grey hatched), adr-1; adr-2; rde-1 (grey solid) demonstrate declines in lifespan using mutant strains and full rescue of lifespan in an RNAi defective (rde-1) background. The adr-1; adr-2 mutant was again about half as long lived as wild-type (median survival time 9 days for adr-1;adr-2 strain (95% limits 9 and 11 days), and median survival time 21 days (95% limits 18 and 21 days), for N2 wild-type worms. The survival distribution of the triple mutant adr-1;adr-2; rde-1 is median lifespan 21 days (95% limits 18 and 21 days), which is significantly different from adr-1;adr-2, with a median lifespan of 9 days (95% limits 9 and 11 days). The lifespan of rde-1 was modestly reduced compared with the wild-type N2, as was reported previously29. Inset boxes displays 50% survival (days) for each condition and demonstrates that daf-2 gene inactivation increases lifespan, in both wild type and in adr-1;adr-2 mutant strains (a) and that RNAi knockout (rde-1) restores lifespan.