Bromodomain containing proteins (BCPs) play important roles in transcriptional regulation and chromatin remodelling. The inhibition of these proteins affects the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by macrophages, suggesting they play an important role in the regulation of immunity and inflammation. The main aims of this project were to identify how tissue specific knockdown of BCPs in D. melanogaster affects survival, the production of antimicrobial peptides and metabolic function. RNAi was used to specifically knock down each of the BCPs in the Drosophila genome in the fat body, an organ which plays important roles in the humoral immune response and metabolism. Following the RNAi screen one gene of interest was identified, Female sterile (1) homeotic (Fs(1)h). Fs(1)h has been shown to be critical for proper patterning of the early embryo, but its functions in the adult fly are essentially unknown. Flies with Fs(1)h knocked down in the fat body alone show reduced lifespan, increased expression of immune-response genes known as antimicrobial peptides, and strong metabolic changes. These metabolic changes include increased triglyceride levels and reduced free sugar and glycogen, and are accompanied by a severe reduction in phosphorylated AKT (pAKT), an important downstream effector of PI3 kinase. Remarkably, reduction of foxo in Fs(1)h knockdowns completely abolishes their short-lived phenotype. Furthermore, reduced foxo dosage also eliminated overexpression of antimicrobial peptides in uninfected Fs(1)h knockdowns; the effect on antimicrobial peptide expression after infection was heterogeneous. In conclusion, Fs(1)h is required in fat body for normal lifespan, metabolism and immune function; its effects on lifespan and uninfected immune activity are mediated by a requirement for Fs(1)h in regulation of Akt activity.