Drosophila
Drosophila has been proved to be a favorite model organism of many researchers beginning from the days when Thomas Hunt Morgan introduced it as a model organism till today, when it completes 100 years in the field of research. Many discoveries were possible with drosophila by taking advantage of its small size, ease of culturing, high fecundity, short life cycle, small chromosome number, wealth of spontaneous and induced mutations, and its giant salivary gland chromosomes. Techniques like Microarray, Proteomics, and continuous advances in Gal4 UAS system and now availability of RNAi lines for 90% of genes makes it even more advantageous to work.
The life cycle of Drosophila usually takes around 15 days @ 25°c, during which the embryo first transforms into larvae in about 24 hours of time. The larval form has three phases (first instar, second and third instars) before it forms pupae. Now it is in this pupal case that larval form undergoes metamorphosis and forms an adult fly.
For more information on various drosophila genetic techniques refer this review appeared in 2002.
A Nice review by Daniel St Johnston in nature review genetics,Vol 3 ,2002.The art and design of genetic screens:Drosophila melanogaster
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