Fruit Flies (Drosophila Melanogaster)
Drosophila melanogaster is a species of fly (the taxonomic order Diptera) in the family Drosophilidae. The species is often referred to as the fruit fly or lesser fruit fly. Starting with Charles W. Woodworth's 1901 proposal of the use of this species as a model organism,[1][2] D. melanogaster continues to be widely used for biological research in genetics, physiology, microbial pathogenesis, and life history evolution. As of 2017, six Nobel Prizes have been awarded to drosophilists for their work using the insect.[3][4]
D. melanogaster is typically used in research owing to its rapid life cycle, relatively simple genetics with only four pairs of chromosomes, and large number of offspring per generation.[5] It was originally an African species, with all non-African lineages having a common origin.[6] Its geographic range includes all continents, including islands.[7] D. melanogaster is a common pest in homes, restaurants, and other places where food is served.[8]
See Also
References
- ↑ T.H. Morgan's Nobel Prize biography mentioning C. W. Woodworth
- ↑ Holden B; "Charles W. Woodworth: The Remarkable Life of U.C.'s First Entomologist" , ISBN: 9780986410536
- ↑ Nobel Prizes, https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/oct/07/fruit-fly-fascination-nobel-prizes-genetics
- ↑ FruitFly-ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321176879
- ↑ Sang JH, Reeve EC (June 23, 2001). "Drosophila melanogaster: The Fruit Fly". Encyclopedia of genetics. USA: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, I. p. 157. ISBN 978-1-884964-34-3. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
- ↑
- ↑ Markow TA: The secret lives of Drosophila flies. Elife 2015. (PMID 26041333) [PubMed] [DOI] [Full text] Flies of the genus Drosophila, and particularly those of the species Drosophila melanogaster, are best known as laboratory organisms. As with all model organisms, they were domesticated for empirical studies, but they also continue to exist as wild populations. Decades of research on these flies in the laboratory have produced astounding and important insights into basic biological processes, but we have only scratched the surface of what they have to offer as research organisms. An outstanding challenge now is to build on this knowledge and explore how natural history has shaped D. melanogaster in order to advance our understanding of biology more generally.
- ↑ Vinegar Flies, Drosophila species, Family: Drosophilidae, http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/vinegar-flies
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