Dietary Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster Fed with Genetically-Modified Corn or Roundup®

With the rise in concern about GMOs and pesticides on human health, we have utilized Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for understanding the effects of Roundup-Ready® GMO diets on health. We recorded dietary behavior during and after exposure to a medium containing GMO or non-GMO corn, Roundup® in organic corn medium, and sucrose with or without one of the two Roundup® formulations. No differences in behavior were observed when Drosophila were exposed to a medium containing Roundup-Ready® GMO or non-GMO corn. Drosophila can detect and refrain from eating sucrose containing one Roundup® formulation, Ready-to-Use, which contains pelargonic acid in addition to glyphosate as an active ingredient. Drosophila exhibited dose-dependent increased consumption of sucrose alone after exposure to a medium containing either Roundup® formulation. This may indicate that flies eating a medium with Roundup® eat less and were thus hungrier when then given sucrose solution; that a medium with Roundup® is more difficult to digest; or that a medium with Roundup® is less nutritious, as would be the case if nutritionally important microbes grew on control medium, but not one containing Roundup®.

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Reply to ‘Use of genetically modified microbes for human health’

Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease ◽

10.3402/mehd.v18i2.7690 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Joe Cummins ◽

Mae-Wan Ho

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Genetically Modified

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FlyBase: updates to the Drosophila melanogaster knowledge base

Nucleic Acids Research ◽

10.1093/nar/gkaa1026 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (D1) ◽

pp. D899-D907 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aoife Larkin ◽

Steven J Marygold ◽

Giulia Antonazzo ◽

Helen Attrill ◽

Gilberto dos Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Knowledge Base ◽

Fast Track ◽

Model Organism ◽

Disease Models ◽

Online Database ◽

Experimental Tool

Abstract FlyBase (flybase.org) is an essential online database for researchers using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, facilitating access to a diverse array of information that includes genetic, molecular, genomic and reagent resources. Here, we describe the introduction of several new features at FlyBase, including Pathway Reports, paralog information, disease models based on orthology, customizable tables within reports and overview displays (‘ribbons’) of expression and disease data. We also describe a variety of recent important updates, including incorporation of a developmental proteome, upgrades to the GAL4 search tab, additional Experimental Tool Reports, migration to JBrowse for genome browsing and improvements to batch queries/downloads and the Fast-Track Your Paper tool.

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Applicability of Honey on Silkworms (Bombyx mori) and Quality Improvement of Its Biomaterials

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11104613 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 4613

Author(s):

Gabriela-Maria Baci ◽

Alexandra-Antonia Cucu ◽

Adela Ramona Moise ◽

Daniel Severus Dezmirean

Keyword(s):

Quality Improvement ◽

Bombyx Mori ◽

Human Health ◽

Recombinant Proteins ◽

Therapeutic Agent ◽

Life Sciences ◽

Model Organism ◽

Medical Field ◽

Wide Range ◽

Ancient Times

Since ancient times, honey has been considered one of the most illustrious and esteemed natural products. Honey plays two key roles; specifically, it is an appreciated nutritional product, and also exhibits a wide range of beneficial properties for human health as a therapeutic agent. Furthermore, it has been shown that honey has valuable effects on the biological and physiological features of mulberry silkworms (Bombyx mori). Bombyx mori exhibits importance not only for the economy, but it also serves as an important biotechnological bioreactor for the production of recombinant proteins that have a great impact in the medical field and beyond. It also represents an important model organism for life sciences. In view of the fact that silk fibroin serves as a natural biopolymer that displays high biocompatibility with human organisms and due to honey’s various and remarkable properties for human health, the two elements are currently used together in order to develop ideal biomaterials for a wide range of purposes. In this review, by discussing the applicability of honey on Bombyx mori and beyond, the importance of honey for life sciences and related fields is spotlighted.

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Influence of Dopamine on Fluorescent Advanced Glycation End Products Formation Using Drosophila melanogaster

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11030453 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 453

Author(s):

Ana Filošević Vujnović ◽

Katarina Jović ◽

Emanuel Pištan ◽

Rozi Andretić Waldowski

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Advanced Glycation End Products ◽

Model Organism ◽

Covalent Modification ◽

Advanced Glycation ◽

Biomarkers Of Aging ◽

Glycation End Products ◽

End Products

Non-enzymatic glycation and covalent modification of proteins leads to Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs). AGEs are biomarkers of aging and neurodegenerative disease, and can be induced by impaired neuronal signaling. The objective of this study was to investigate if manipulation of dopamine (DA) in vitro using the model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and in vivo using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, influences fluorescent AGEs (fAGEs) formation as an indicator of dopamine-induced oxidation events. DA inhibited fAGEs-BSA synthesis in vitro, suggesting an anti-oxidative effect, which was not observed when flies were fed DA. Feeding flies cocaine and methamphetamine led to increased fAGEs formation. Mutants lacking the dopaminergic transporter or the D1-type showed further elevation of fAGEs accumulation, indicating that the long-term perturbation in DA function leads to higher production of fAGEs. To confirm that DA has oxidative properties in vivo, we fed flies antioxidant quercetin (QUE) together with methamphetamine. QUE significantly decreased methamphetamine-induced fAGEs formation suggesting that the perturbation of DA function in vivo leads to increased oxidation. These findings present arguments for the use of fAGEs as a biomarker of DA-associated neurodegenerative changes and for assessment of antioxidant interventions such as QUE treatment.

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Quantitative investigation reveals distinct phases in Drosophila sleep

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-01883-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xiaochan Xu ◽

Wei Yang ◽

Binghui Tian ◽

Xiuwen Sui ◽

Weilai Chi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

General Pattern ◽

Model Organism ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Genetic Dissection ◽

Power Law Distribution ◽

Quantitative Investigation ◽

Waking Up ◽

Set Up

AbstractThe fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used as a model organism for the molecular and genetic dissection of sleeping behaviors. However, most previous studies were based on qualitative or semi-quantitative characterizations. Here we quantified sleep in flies. We set up an assay to continuously track the activity of flies using infrared camera, which monitored the movement of tens of flies simultaneously with high spatial and temporal resolution. We obtained accurate statistics regarding the rest and sleep patterns of single flies. Analysis of our data has revealed a general pattern of rest and sleep: the rest statistics obeyed a power law distribution and the sleep statistics obeyed an exponential distribution. Thus, a resting fly would start to move again with a probability that decreased with the time it has rested, whereas a sleeping fly would wake up with a probability independent of how long it had slept. Resting transits to sleeping at time scales of minutes. Our method allows quantitative investigations of resting and sleeping behaviors and our results provide insights for mechanisms of falling into and waking up from sleep.

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Repeated stress exposure results in a survival–reproduction trade-off in Drosophila melanogaster

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2009.1807 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 277 (1683) ◽

pp. 963-969 ◽

Cited By ~ 135

Author(s):

Katie E. Marshall ◽

Brent J. Sinclair

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Model Organism ◽

Intrinsic Rate ◽

Intrinsic Rate Of Increase ◽

Stress Exposure ◽

Trade Off ◽

Repeated Stress ◽

Rate Of Increase ◽

In The Wild ◽

Future Reproduction

While insect cold tolerance has been well studied, the vast majority of work has focused on the effects of a single cold exposure. However, many abiotic environmental stresses, including temperature, fluctuate within an organism's lifespan. Given that organisms may trade-off survival at the cost of future reproduction, we investigated the effects of multiple cold exposures on survival and fertility in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster . We found that multiple cold exposures significantly decreased mortality compared with the same length of exposure in a single sustained bout, but significantly decreased fecundity (as measured by r , the intrinsic rate of increase) as well, owing to a shift in sex ratio. This change was reflected in a long-term decrease in glycogen stores in multiply exposed flies, while a brief effect on triglyceride stores was observed, suggesting flies are reallocating energy stores. Given that many environments are not static, this trade-off indicates that investigating the effects of repeated stress exposure is important for understanding and predicting physiological responses in the wild.

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Advances in Myeloid-Like Cell Origins and Functions in the Model Organism Drosophila melanogaster

Myeloid Cells in Health and Disease ◽

10.1128/microbiolspec.mchd-0038-2016 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 59-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Model Organism

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Detection of transgenic DNA in tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus, GIFT strain) fed genetically modified soybeans (Roundup Ready)

Aquaculture Research ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2109.2009.02187.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 40 (12) ◽

pp. 1350-1357 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tao Ran ◽

Liu Mei ◽

Wang Lei ◽

Liu Aihua ◽

He Ru ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oreochromis Niloticus ◽

Genetically Modified ◽

Roundup Ready ◽

Genetically Modified Soybeans

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Genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster pathogen susceptibility

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182006009929 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 132 (6) ◽

pp. 767-773 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

M. C. TINSLEY ◽

S. BLANFORD ◽

F. M. JIGGINS

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Model Organism ◽

Resistance Evolution ◽

Control Programmes ◽

Host Ecology ◽

Insect Pathogens ◽

Immunological Research ◽

Pathogen Exposure

Genetic variation in susceptibility to pathogens is a central concern both to evolutionary and medical biologists, and for the implementation of biological control programmes. We have investigated the extent of such variation in Drosophila melanogaster, a major model organism for immunological research. We found that within populations, different Drosophila genotypes show wide-ranging variation in their ability to survive infection with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Furthermore, striking divergence in susceptibility has occurred between genotypes from temperate and tropical African locations. We hypothesize that this may have been driven by adaptation to local differences in pathogen exposure or host ecology. Genetic variation within populations may be maintained by temporal or spatial variation in the costs and benefits of pathogen defence. Insect pathogens are employed widely as biological control agents and entomopathogenic fungi are currently being developed for reducing malaria transmission by mosquitoes. Our data highlight the need for concern about resistance evolution to these novel biopesticides in vector populations.

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