Fruit Fly, Drosophila melanogaster, genetic cross Research Paper

produce Fly, Drosophila melanogaster, genetic finicky - Research Paper ExampleThis basic direct of look upholds the hereafter of genetic research and leads into exciting new discoveries for the future. Introduction The insect species known as Drosophila melanogaster, or the fruit disappear, is an extremely expensive model for genetic research. Both current and historical discoveries have been do using fruit flies. Research on gene function all the way up to the Nobel Prize-winning level has been performed using these insects (Mummery, Wilmut, Stolpe, & Roelen, 2010). One famous example of historical research is that of Thomas Hunt Morgan of Columbia University in the early 20th century. Morgan had been hoping to study spontaneous mutation, but instead found something far more helpful he was the first to understand sex-linkage in hereditary traits (Kandel, 2000). Fruit flies are so valuable as research models in part because of the peculiarity of animal evolution that resulte d in the genetic construction of the fruit navigate being similar to much more complex animals such as piece (Mummery et al., 2010). Because of this, developmental and cellular growth activities are very similar, and results learned from Drosophila melanogaster can be extrapolated into research potential for other organisms. Their rapid generation time and small size mean that while other organisms could be extrapolated in the same way, fruit flies are ideal for laboratory work in a way that rodents or larger mammals are not. They are also commonly used because the sequencing of their genome is functionally complete, making research into gene function more efficient. Once a gene sequence is known, it is easier to ascertain that gene through breeding and determine its function (Celniker et al., 2000). The most basic level of fruit fly genetic studies involves scrapeing and observing the results of visible phenotypic mutations. The most obvious of these phenotypic mutations invo lve the wings, as these are easily seen under low levels of magnification. Of these obvious wing mutations, the most easily identified is the wingless phenotype. Flies possessing the apteral phenotype completely lack wings and are flightless. Examples of the various wing mutations can be seen in Figure 1 below. Fig. 1 Drosophila melanogaster wing mutations. 1 = notch, 2 = delta, 3 = vestigial, 4 = antlered, 5 = curled, and 6 = apterous (Shevchenko, 1968) Since this mutation is so easily identified, it reduces the chance of observational error when determine the results, and so the apterous mutation is the one being studied in this experiment. The apterous phenotype is recessive, and a cross between these apterous flies and the wild-type is a simple monohybrid cross. Therefore, using Mendels laws as a guide, the F2 generation of this cross is hypothesized to produce a ratio of wild-type to apterous flies of 31 (Flagg, 1981). This is the null theory. Conversely, the alternate hypot hesis is that the ratio will be something other than 31. Materials and Methods The materials used in this experiment were pure-bred wild-type Drosophila melanogaster, pure-bred apterous Drosophila melanogaster, plastic culture vials and stoppers, food media made from Formula 4-24 Instant Drosophila Medium, used for fly growth, breeding, and storage. For the counting and observation portions of the experiment, the materials needed were an ice water bath, petri