Skip to main content
When Fruit Flies Get Sick, Their Offspring Become More Diverse

fruit flies

Jun 29, 2017

Variation at a Central Metabolic Gene Influences Male Fruit Fly Lifespan

Why do females outlive males? For fruit flies, the answer can be found in the expression of an important metabolism gene. 
Trudy Mackay in lab

Jun 16, 2016

The Fly Whisperer

Pioneering geneticist Trudy Mackay's work with fruit flies is influencing scientists around the world and leading to important discoveries. 
D. melanogaster. When infected, offspring of ebony rough (left) and wild type (right) fruit flies produce more genetically diverse progeny. Dahlia Nielsen, NC State.

Aug 13, 2015

When Fruit Flies Get Sick, Their Offspring Become More Diverse

When fruit flies are attacked by parasites or bacteria they respond by producing offspring with greater genetic variability, says an NC State biologist.