Different animals use the same set of key genes. It is not the number of
genes, but how you use them that produces the great diversity of animal
life. Why are fruit flies such good laboratory animals?
The fruit fly has been one of the favorite organisms in scientific research.
After more than 100 years of in-depth analysis carried out on this small
insect, it was possible to determine that most of the biological and
genetic processes that determine the control of development and
survival are maintained throughout the evolutionary line of all beings
that inhabit the planet earth including humans. This means that much of
the genetics of the fruit fly is easily comparable with human genetics
and this is advantageous for the knowledge of our operation in depth.
The fruit fly has a smaller genome with respect to that of humans, which
is why it is easier to carry out genetic manipulation analyzes in these
insects, unlike the work with the human genome, which is much more
complex and would require longer analysis times. In addition, the fruit fly
has characteristics that make it a good biological model animal to work
in the laboratory and that is that it has short life cycles, reproduces very
quickly and generates a high volume of descent and is quite economical
and easy to care for and maintain.
What is different between the two types of fruit flies? (In terms of
smudging and dancing?) They both have the brush gene, so what's the
difference?
Although both species have the same genetic code and share a gene
called brush, in Drosophila biarmipes a mutation allowed a portion of
DNA called switch to activate the expression of the brush gene so that it
shows spots on the wings and D. melanogaster lacks these . In other
words, the switches can cause the brush gene to be expressed
differently in both species. In addition, regulators or switches are not
only responsible for activating or deactivating the expression of genes
responsible for the coloration of flies, but other traits or mechanisms of
internal functioning can be affected by these portions of DNA. For this
reason, it is observable that even when both species have the same
genome, Drosophila biarmipes shows a more dynamic and totally
different dance pattern than D. melanogaster.
genes, but how you use them that produces the great diversity of animal
life. Why are fruit flies such good laboratory animals?
The fruit fly has been one of the favorite organisms in scientific research.
After more than 100 years of in-depth analysis carried out on this small
insect, it was possible to determine that most of the biological and
genetic processes that determine the control of development and
survival are maintained throughout the evolutionary line of all beings
that inhabit the planet earth including humans. This means that much of
the genetics of the fruit fly is easily comparable with human genetics
and this is advantageous for the knowledge of our operation in depth.
The fruit fly has a smaller genome with respect to that of humans, which
is why it is easier to carry out genetic manipulation analyzes in these
insects, unlike the work with the human genome, which is much more
complex and would require longer analysis times. In addition, the fruit fly
has characteristics that make it a good biological model animal to work
in the laboratory and that is that it has short life cycles, reproduces very
quickly and generates a high volume of descent and is quite economical
and easy to care for and maintain.
What is different between the two types of fruit flies? (In terms of
smudging and dancing?) They both have the brush gene, so what's the
difference?
Although both species have the same genetic code and share a gene
called brush, in Drosophila biarmipes a mutation allowed a portion of
DNA called switch to activate the expression of the brush gene so that it
shows spots on the wings and D. melanogaster lacks these . In other
words, the switches can cause the brush gene to be expressed
differently in both species. In addition, regulators or switches are not
only responsible for activating or deactivating the expression of genes
responsible for the coloration of flies, but other traits or mechanisms of
internal functioning can be affected by these portions of DNA. For this
reason, it is observable that even when both species have the same
genome, Drosophila biarmipes shows a more dynamic and totally
different dance pattern than D. melanogaster.
