All articles tagged with #fruit fly
MIT engineers developed a deep-learning model that predicts, with 90% accuracy, how individual cells in a fruit fly embryo fold, divide, and rearrange during early development, potentially aiding in understanding tissue formation and early disease detection.
FlyBase, a crucial online database supporting biomedical research using fruit flies, faces potential shutdown due to funding cuts from the Trump administration, threatening global research efforts and future scientific discoveries.
Researchers in Japan successfully transferred a courtship behavior from one fruit fly species to another by activating a single gene in insulin-producing neurons, demonstrating that small genetic changes can lead to new behaviors and contribute to species differentiation.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory developed an AI model to study the fruit fly brain, revealing that multiple neuron combinations process visual data in a complex "population code." This breakthrough could pave the way for understanding the human visual system and related disorders.
Researchers have received a $6.5 million grant from the NIH to study how the fruit fly's brain integrates multisensory information during navigation, particularly when there are conflicts between sensors. By leveraging the fruit fly's complex behaviors and newly mapped connectomes, the study aims to shed light on human neurological functions. The research will investigate whether the flies prioritize certain sensors over others and how these prioritizations change in different environmental conditions. Collaborating with multiple institutions, the project will utilize advanced genetic techniques and state-of-the-art facilities to explore the brain's processing of multisensory information.
A fruit fly native to Asia, known as the 'Tau' fruit fly, has led to a quarantine on produce in the Santa Clarita Valley in California. The 79-square-mile quarantine zone was implemented after over 20 of the invasive species were found in Stevenson Ranch. The 'Tau' fruit fly is a serious pest for important California crops such as avocado, cucurbits, citrus, tomatoes, and peppers. This is the first time such a quarantine has been imposed in the area, and growers have been instructed not to move any fruits and vegetables from their property.
Scientists have used artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create the first whole-brain connectome, or neural pathway map, of a fruit fly's brain. This breakthrough in brain-mapping could revolutionize neuroscience and medicine by providing a comprehensive understanding of how neuron circuits process information. The A.I. model traced the connections between neurons in the fruit fly brain, significantly speeding up the process compared to manual tracing. While a whole-brain human connectome is still years away, the fruit fly connectome project demonstrates the potential for understanding neurodegenerative diseases and improving mental health treatment. The technology could also enable researchers to see how different parts of the brain communicate and develop hypotheses about diseases and dysfunctions more efficiently.
Researchers have released the most comprehensive connectome of the adult fruit fly nerve cord, providing an exceptional resource for the scientific community. The connectome, constructed from about 23,000 neurons, reveals the intricate network controlling the fly’s motor functions. New insights have already emerged from the data, challenging previous theories on fly movement. This achievement not only advances understanding of fruit fly neurology, but also serves as a model for similar future projects.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered a new organelle inside the gut cells of fruit flies that stores phosphate, an electrolyte essential to life. The organelle, called PXo bodies, releases its reservoir in the form of phospholipids, which are a key component of the membrane structure of cells. The discovery may lead to a search for phosphate-storing organelles in other animals, including humans, and further research may help us understand how the organelle fits into the life of the cell and how it changes over time.
A video on Twitter has shown that strawberries can be packed with microscopic critters, including fruit flies and larvae. While the bugs may be unsightly, they are not harmful to humans and are a common occurrence in food grown in fields. Experts advise against using the saltwater treatment to remove the bugs, as it can make the berries taste worse.