Drosophila subobscura females require males to regurgitate food for copulation, a behavior unique among fruit flies. Japanese scientists successfully transferred this behavior to Drosophila melanogaster using a genetic modification targeting the fru gene that influences male courtship behavior. By hyperactivating this gene in neurons, new brain circuits formed, enabling the regurgitation behavior. This study demonstrates that specific genetic alterations can revive ancestral behaviors. Biologist Albert Cardona commented on the study's relevance while indicating that similar concepts have existed in prior research.
The female Drosophila subobscura requires males to regurgitate food directly into her mouth for copulation, a behavior not seen in Drosophila melanogaster.
Researchers from Nagoya University successfully modified male Drosophila melanogaster to regurgitate into females, transferring a behavior across species through genetic manipulation of the fru gene.
Hyperactivating the fru gene in Drosophila melanogaster resulted in new brain circuits that enabled regurgitation behavior, reviving a trait from their evolutionary ancestors.
Biologist Albert Cardona acknowledges the genetic modification study as interesting but notes that such concepts of behavior transfer have historical precedence in research.
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