13 tests to explain biology through Drosophila

1. The aim of this presentation is to bring you easy experiments that we designed in the lab to help with understanding some of the concepts of biology. 13 tests to explain biology through Drosophila

2. 1-Testing adult behavior • T-mazes are used in labs everyday to test different fly preferences. • They could be used for testing different behavior: luminosity, color, smell, gravity. The basic T-maze entry

3. 2-Testing larval learning • Learning is a concept which is still not completely understood by biologist however it is integrant and essential part of biology, and life. • One can devise a simple test to show this concept. This test consist of teaching the larvae a simple concept very similar to Pavlov’s dog.

4. 2-Learning Behavior • This test was originally designed for olfaction, by Dr. Scherer in Germany two years ago, and can very easily be performed as a visual assay Test Learning Part Control x 10

5. 3-Neural Response • One of the simplest test that can be perform with a fly to show the students direct neural response is to use a hot or cold object and touching the larvae with it. Students could also make visual maps of the response depending on the strength of the response, the kind of response, or at what temperature a response is observed.

6. 4-Understanding ecology through Drosophila • Right now, all of you are using a strain of Drosophila named CS for Canton S thus meaning that they come from the Canton Region of China (Southeast China). One experiment could be to ask the students to learn about the Southeast region of china by looking at information online and in different books. Then they could design an optimal environment for the animals. • After creating this environment the students could look at the size and number of animals they begin with and see how this will change at the same time the week after. • Students could think concepts such as temperatures, different foods, day/light regiments, humidity, space (flies might like bigger tubes).

7. 5-Acclimation • Acclimation is when a animal adapts itself to changes in a laboratory set-up. This can be shown in different ways. One could use the same set-up as for the hot and cold test and see if the animal will continually respond to hot stimuli. • However, we could go one step further. High doses of caffeine, nicotine, salt, or acid can cause the animals to go in tetany. Maybe, if students would give small dosages of nicotine on the Tuesday class, the larvae would be able to receive stronger doses on Thursday without going in tetany.

8. 6-Evolution: Survival of the fittest • Another possible experiment is to place nicotine, pesticide, salt, acids in the fly tube and observe which fly survive the test whether they can handle stronger doses of nicotine, pesticide, salt. Can be extended to different mutant strains.

9. 7-Genetic variation • Collecting flies through ripening fruit (e.g.:bananas), then the flies can be passed out and observed for differences in the appearance (or body parts) by the students or observe larvae and pupae.

10. 8-Predator/Prey interaction • Venus Fly Traps can be brought to the lab and students can observe the interaction of the two species. • Venus Fly Trap can be bought on e-bay pretty easily.

11. 9-Larval Behavior using food dye • Food dyes have two advantages they allow for the explanation of the GI track and they can also be used for testing behavior. One simple test could be to set the fly on a dish containing different food with different dyes and see how many flies have what color after a couple of minutes.

12. 10-Cardiac activity • One simple set-up is to glue a larvae down using Krazy-glue or another kind of liquid glue (double stick tap and physical blocking also work), once the animal is down the cardiac activity (heart rate) can be observed and also can be altered using mild acids, sugars, salts, or even CO2 (carbon dioxide) can completely stop the heart beat for a certain time.

13. 11-Vernier’s Probe • The Vernier’s Probe can be used to detect CO2 emission from the larvae. Temperature variation can be induced to test for difference in CO2 emission.

14. 12-Anne Cooper’s Column • The column allow the implementation of one variable and to record an actual level of preference. • Light is not the only possible test. Smells can be introduced. Another concept can be to test how fast they go up the tube normally and how long it would take them if the tube is wet, oily, sticky, etc.

15. 13-Vortex’s Test • Sensory interpretation of outside movement. In this test students can observe the larvae first not moving and then regaining its abilities. Topics such as the human inner ear can be introduced that way.

16. Brain-storm