With the help of his little assistants, Morgan discovered the role of chromosomes in heredity and evolution 3. Morgan who turned fruit flies into research celebrities. However, it was fellow scientist Thomas H. They were the first to suggest that fruit flies could be used to study genes, specifically how characteristics were passed from parent to offspring. Castle started breeding the little creatures in their labs. melanogaster as a model organism began in 1901 at Harvard University, where American scientists Charles W. Some of the most used model organisms in research are Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), Caenorhabditis elegans (nematode worm), Arabidopsis thaliana (plant), Danio rerio ( zebrafish), Mus musculus (mouse), and of course, Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) 2. They are chosen based on their similarity to a certain process, suitability for genetic manipulation, cost and availability, etc. In fact, hundreds of model organisms are currently being studied, each with their own niche. You might be wondering, how can the tiny fruit fly be compared to a rat, let alone the human body? Well, it can’t directly, but it does a good job representing biological phenomena that are similar in humans (for example, in early development). Theories and data gathered from these organisms should ideally be applicable to other organisms, especially to more complex ones such as humans 1.Īs such, model organisms are selected based on their suitability for experimentation and their degree of similarity to more complex animals. Model organisms are non-human species used in research to understand biological systems. To understand their importance, we must first define what a ‘model organism’ is. A crew fruit flies even became astronauts in 2015, sent to the International Space Station to study the effects of microgravity on organisms. Thousands of papers scientific journal involve their use, from fields as varied as neuroscience, genetics, cancer research nutrition, sleep, development and evolution. They serve as one of the most widely used model organisms in labs all over the world.Īt the time of writing, there have been six Nobel Prizes in Physiology in Medicine awarded to works where Drosophila was used ( 1933, 1946, 1995, 2004, 2011, 2017). Although unwanted guests at home, fruit flies are incredibly important allies in science research. You may have already encountered it during summer, buzzing around fruit bowls. Meet the fruit fly, known among its closest friends as Drosophila melanogaster. Advancing Science and Medicine with Drosophila.What Makes Fruit Flies Great Study Buddies?.

Drosophila fly lab