<p>Virgin births may appear unrealistic and biblical, however, researchers have claimed to have discovered a way to induce female fruit flies to produce offspring even if there are no males around.<br />
<br />
Scientists said that the genes which enable one species of fruit fly to reproduce without sperms fertilising their eggs have been identified by them. The researchers then genetically tweaked another species which normally reproduces sexually to do the same thing.<br />
<br />
“We’re the first to show that you can engineer virgin births to happen in an animal – it was very exciting to see a virgin fly produce an embryo able to develop to adulthood, and then repeat the process,” stated Dr Alexis Sperling, first author of the paper outlining the study and a researcher at the University of Cambridge, while speaking to The Guardian.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/fruit-flies-age-rapidly-when-they-see-their-dead-comrades-study-604390">Fruit flies age rapidly when they see their dead comrades: Study</a></p>

<p>The study which has been published in the journal Current Biology was conducted in six years and made use of 220,000 flies. The researchers first observed one species of fruit fly called Drosophila mercatorum, and understood its ability to reproduce through virgin births, which can also be called parthenogenesis.<br />
<br />
Through sequencing the genome of the fly and identifying the gene which is involved in virgin birth, the researchers could identify the corresponding gene in fruit fly's another species called Drosophila melanogaster and alter that gene to turn it on.</p>

<h2><strong>Virgin births to work as&nbsp;reproductive backup</strong></h2>

<p>The offspring of produced from such genetically modified flies could reproduce either by mating with males or through virgin births. Sperling said taking the path of virgin birth can be hugely beneficial for the species and may work as a reproductive backup for isolated females.<br />
<br />
“If there’s continued selection pressure for virgin births in insect pests, which there seems to be, it will eventually lead to them reproducing only in this way. It could become a real problem for agriculture because females produce only females, so their ability to spread doubles,” she added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Process not likely to work for mammals</strong></h2>

<p>Sperling stated that although recent research has discovered a way to “switch on” virgin births in fruit flies, it is unlikely that this approach will work in mammals, even though parthenogenesis has been observed in animals such as lizards and honey bees.<br />
<br />
“Mammals are very separate and it is not a natural occurring phenomenon,” said Sperling. However, she said that the research helped to “understand the beauty of life itself” and “this different type of reproduction”.<br />
<br />
Dr Hannah Maude at Imperial College London, speaking to The Guardian, said, “Our diversity protects us: having two copies of the DNA not only provides a backup for harmful DNA variants – found in every person – but is necessary for so-called imprinted regions that are specifically active from the maternal or paternal DNA copy,”<br />
<br />
“Nevertheless, this exciting research furthers our understanding of reproduction in the animal kingdom,” she added.</p>

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Virgin births may appear unrealistic and biblical, however, researchers have claimed to have discovered a way to induce female fruit flies to produce offspring even if there are no males around.

Virgin births may appear unrealistic and biblical, however, researchers have claimed to have discovered a way to induce female fruit flies to produce offspring even if there are no males around. Scientists said that the genes which enable one species of fruit fly to reproduce without sperms fertilising their eggs have been identified by them. The researchers then genetically tweaked another species which normally reproduces sexually to do the same thing. “We’re the first to show that you can engineer virgin births to happen in an animal – it was very exciting to see a virgin fly produce an embryo able to develop to adulthood, and then repeat the process,” stated Dr Alexis Sperling, first author of the paper outlining the study and a researcher at the University of Cambridge, while speaking to The Guardian. ALSO READ | Fruit flies age rapidly when they see their dead comrades: Study The study which has been published in the journal Current Biology was conducted in six years and made use of 220,000 flies. The researchers first observed one species of fruit fly called Drosophila mercatorum, and understood its ability to reproduce through virgin births, which can also be called parthenogenesis. Through sequencing the genome of the fly and identifying the gene which is involved in virgin birth, the researchers could identify the corresponding gene in fruit fly's another species called Drosophila melanogaster and alter that gene to turn it on. Virgin births to work as reproductive backup The offspring of produced from such genetically modified flies could reproduce either by mating with males or through virgin births. Sperling said taking the path of virgin birth can be hugely beneficial for the species and may work as a reproductive backup for isolated females. “If there’s continued selection pressure for virgin births in insect pests, which there seems to be, it will eventually lead to them reproducing only in this way. It could become a real problem for agriculture because females produce only females, so their ability to spread doubles,” she added. Watch: Process not likely to work for mammals Sperling stated that although recent research has discovered a way to “switch on” virgin births in fruit flies, it is unlikely that this approach will work in mammals, even though parthenogenesis has been observed in animals such as lizards and honey bees. “Mammals are very separate and it is not a natural occurring phenomenon,” said Sperling. However, she said that the research helped to “understand the beauty of life itself” and “this different type of reproduction”. Dr Hannah Maude at Imperial College London, speaking to The Guardian, said, “Our diversity protects us: having two copies of the DNA not only provides a backup for harmful DNA variants – found in every person – but is necessary for so-called imprinted regions that are specifically active from the maternal or paternal DNA copy,” “Nevertheless, this exciting research furthers our understanding of reproduction in the animal kingdom,” she added. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Scientists make 'virgin births' without males possible for fruit flies

<p>Scientists in a study have found out that fruit flies who are raised in an environment surrounded by their dead fellow mates are more likely to have shorter spans of life than the others who were raised around living flies, reported Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The research could prove fruitful for humans too as the scientists explore ways how this study can be applied to people, who due to the nature of their&nbsp;jobs, are constantly surrounded by a mournful environment where they are close to the dead. Therefore, the conclusions of the study could be helpful for soldiers in conflict zones and healthcare workers.</p>

<h2><strong>What did the research include?</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The research was headed by Christi Gendron and Scott Pletcher at the University of Michigan. For the study, the researchers brought up fruit flies in tiny containers filled with food.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-lg-reviews-amarnath-yatra-arrangements-in-pahalgam-over-60k-troops-to-be-deployed-for-security-604339">India: LG reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements in Pahalgam, over 60k troops to be deployed for security</a></p>

<p>To understand how the flies will behave around the dead carcasses, the researchers kept living flies and tasty nutrients in one of the boxes, while in another container, they put freshly dead fruit flies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They then observed the behavioural changes that took place while feeding insects. The research outcomes suggest that the flies who were raised with their dead comrades died several weeks early in comparison to those who were raised without the sight of dead carcasses.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The biological changes</strong></h2>

<p>The study further mentioned the biological changes that took place in the insects during the research. Not only did the flies age&nbsp;at a faster pace, they also exhibited other changes, like losing stored fat.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shark-that-ate-russian-tourist-on-camera-to-be-mummified-put-on-display-604333">Shark that ate Russian tourist on camera to be mummified, put on display</a></p>

<p>This was viewed by the scientists as flies going through "depression" leading to the changes in their life span. As per the study, the ageing process in fruit flies surrounded by dead flies resulted in shortening up the lives of the flies by about 30 per cent.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Brain neurons&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The researchers also looked deep into the brain of the fruit flies to draw more substantial conclusions. As per their findings, there is a link between the neurons in the flies' brains and a protein secreted by them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As more and more neurons got active in the brain of the flies, there was more fluorescent protein these neurons produced. They found two types of neurons, namely R2 and R4. These neurons were seen to be activated in the brains of the flies who were surrounded by dead flies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Watch | UK Police seek motive for Nottingham murders, man arrested after police finds three dead</p>

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<p>Scientists did an interesting experiment to see what impact these neurons will have on the flies who were raised with living flies. When R2 and R4 were stimulated in healthy fruit flies it resulted in cutting short the life span of these flies.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Future research&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Authors in Plos Biology raised questions, “Could motivational therapy or pharmacologic intervention in reward systems, much like what is done for addiction, slow ageing?”</p>

<p>With the drugs which are already available and approved in the medical field, the research can be tested to see how can human beings benefit&nbsp;from these findings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In what sounds promising, this study can help find new treatments to slow ageing in humans. “Given our findings,” the authors write, “it seems plausible that the sight of dead conspecifics elucidates a “depressive-like” state that results in decreased longevity.”</p>

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Scientists in a study have found out that fruit flies who are raised in an environment surrounded by their dead fellow mates are more likely to have shorter spans of life than the others who were raised around living flies, reported Guardian.

Scientists in a study have found out that fruit flies who are raised in an environment surrounded by their dead fellow mates are more likely to have shorter spans of life than the others who were raised around living flies, reported Guardian. The research could prove fruitful for humans too as the scientists explore ways how this study can be applied to people, who due to the nature of their jobs, are constantly surrounded by a mournful environment where they are close to the dead. Therefore, the conclusions of the study could be helpful for soldiers in conflict zones and healthcare workers. What did the research include? The research was headed by Christi Gendron and Scott Pletcher at the University of Michigan. For the study, the researchers brought up fruit flies in tiny containers filled with food. Also Read | India: LG reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements in Pahalgam, over 60k troops to be deployed for security To understand how the flies will behave around the dead carcasses, the researchers kept living flies and tasty nutrients in one of the boxes, while in another container, they put freshly dead fruit flies. They then observed the behavioural changes that took place while feeding insects. The research outcomes suggest that the flies who were raised with their dead comrades died several weeks early in comparison to those who were raised without the sight of dead carcasses. The biological changes The study further mentioned the biological changes that took place in the insects during the research. Not only did the flies age at a faster pace, they also exhibited other changes, like losing stored fat. Also Read | Shark that ate Russian tourist on camera to be mummified, put on display This was viewed by the scientists as flies going through "depression" leading to the changes in their life span. As per the study, the ageing process in fruit flies surrounded by dead flies resulted in shortening up the lives of the flies by about 30 per cent. Brain neurons The researchers also looked deep into the brain of the fruit flies to draw more substantial conclusions. As per their findings, there is a link between the neurons in the flies' brains and a protein secreted by them. As more and more neurons got active in the brain of the flies, there was more fluorescent protein these neurons produced. They found two types of neurons, namely R2 and R4. These neurons were seen to be activated in the brains of the flies who were surrounded by dead flies. Watch | UK Police seek motive for Nottingham murders, man arrested after police finds three dead × Scientists did an interesting experiment to see what impact these neurons will have on the flies who were raised with living flies. When R2 and R4 were stimulated in healthy fruit flies it resulted in cutting short the life span of these flies. Future research Authors in Plos Biology raised questions, “Could motivational therapy or pharmacologic intervention in reward systems, much like what is done for addiction, slow ageing?” With the drugs which are already available and approved in the medical field, the research can be tested to see how can human beings benefit from these findings. In what sounds promising, this study can help find new treatments to slow ageing in humans. “Given our findings,” the authors write, “it seems plausible that the sight of dead conspecifics elucidates a “depressive-like” state that results in decreased longevity.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Fruit flies age rapidly when they see their dead comrades: Study

<p>A new study has revealed that air pollution is creating a hindrance in the mating of fruit flies because females are unable to recognise the males' scent.</p>

<p>Female fruit flies use the scent of pheromones which is emitted by males to select them for mating, however, ozone pollution has disrupted the ability of males to emit their characteristic odour, researchers stated.</p>

<p>The study reflects how contaminated air is becoming a hindrance in the reproduction of fruit flies and other insects, and may lead to a decline in population.</p>

<p>“Everyone knows that we are facing insect decline, and so far the reason was pesticide use and habitat loss. But we think that we should also consider oxygen pollutants,” said Markus Knaden, who is an evolutionary neuroethology researcher at the Max Planck Institute as well as the study's lead author, which was published in the journal Nature Communications.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/two-fathers-and-a-mice-scientists-make-eggs-from-male-cells-to-do-the-unthinkable-570255">Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable</a></p>

<p>This study is based on how the smell of the flower is perceived differently by the insects when they are exposed to elevated levels of ozone.</p>

<p>The team of Knaden tested Drosophila fruit flies' nine different species by exposing half the males from every species to clean air and the other half to an atmosphere in which ozone levels are at 100 parts per billion.</p>

<p>The scientists discovered that the males kept in the atmosphere with higher ozone levels began emitting lesser pheromones and faced trouble in attracting female partners.</p>

<p>“When we expose male flies to ozone, then suddenly it took them much longer to convince the female to mate,” Knaden said.</p>

<p>“What’s more, emitting pheromones also helps males fend off other males from trying to reproduce with them. But being exposed to ozone led to males smelling less like males, and a rise in the number of attempts to mate between males,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Scientists claim superconductor breakthrough</strong></p>

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<p>“In the lab, it doesn’t matter whether the male has to wait one or two minutes longer to mate, or whether the male accidentally courts another male. But in the field, there is a lot of selection pressure and the flies have to be efficient, so they have to give everything to find the female as soon as possible, copulate and fertilise her eggs before they’re killed by a predator,” the researcher further stated.</p>

<p>Knaden said that nature will be hugely affected by this as ozone is just one among the different pollutants present in the environment which can do this.</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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A new study has revealed that air pollution is creating a hindrance in the mating of fruit flies because females are unable to recognise the males' scent. Female fruit flies use the scent of pheromones which is emitted by males to select them for mating, however, ozone pollution has disrupted the ability of males to emit their characteristic odour, researchers stated.

A new study has revealed that air pollution is creating a hindrance in the mating of fruit flies because females are unable to recognise the males' scent. Female fruit flies use the scent of pheromones which is emitted by males to select them for mating, however, ozone pollution has disrupted the ability of males to emit their characteristic odour, researchers stated. The study reflects how contaminated air is becoming a hindrance in the reproduction of fruit flies and other insects, and may lead to a decline in population. “Everyone knows that we are facing insect decline, and so far the reason was pesticide use and habitat loss. But we think that we should also consider oxygen pollutants,” said Markus Knaden, who is an evolutionary neuroethology researcher at the Max Planck Institute as well as the study's lead author, which was published in the journal Nature Communications. ALSO READ | Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable This study is based on how the smell of the flower is perceived differently by the insects when they are exposed to elevated levels of ozone. The team of Knaden tested Drosophila fruit flies' nine different species by exposing half the males from every species to clean air and the other half to an atmosphere in which ozone levels are at 100 parts per billion. The scientists discovered that the males kept in the atmosphere with higher ozone levels began emitting lesser pheromones and faced trouble in attracting female partners. “When we expose male flies to ozone, then suddenly it took them much longer to convince the female to mate,” Knaden said. “What’s more, emitting pheromones also helps males fend off other males from trying to reproduce with them. But being exposed to ozone led to males smelling less like males, and a rise in the number of attempts to mate between males,” he added. WATCH | Gravitas: Scientists claim superconductor breakthrough “In the lab, it doesn’t matter whether the male has to wait one or two minutes longer to mate, or whether the male accidentally courts another male. But in the field, there is a lot of selection pressure and the flies have to be efficient, so they have to give everything to find the female as soon as possible, copulate and fertilise her eggs before they’re killed by a predator,” the researcher further stated. Knaden said that nature will be hugely affected by this as ozone is just one among the different pollutants present in the environment which can do this. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Air pollution is causing decline in mating of fruit flies, study reveals

<p>In times of the pandemic and Working From Home, we order food not because we are hungry but often because we are bored. But there are times when the work takes better of us and we don't eat on time. And this makes us agitated, takes us on the verge of wanting to destroy the world. But a quick meal and life seems easy again.</p>

<p>The brief angry phase that our hunger causes is termed being 'hangry'.</p>

<p>We get hangry a lot. After all, it's natural for our bodies to protest if well-deserved nourishment is denied. But fruit flies aren't something we can quickly relate to this very human feeling of being hangry.</p>

<p>Turns out the flies get hangry too. Researchers from University of Oxford and University of East Anglia have found this in a study.</p>

<p>To check the 'hangry'ness, the researchers put fruit flies inside vials with some amount of of food.</p>

<p>It was revealed that the flies that didn't have access to food became agitated as the hours went by. They lunged at each other aggressively. They even 'fenced', that is, tried to tackle each other using their front legs. Senior author of the study has been quoted in media reports as saying that hungry fruit flies displayed more 'hostility' towards each other.</p>

<p>That's not all. The hungry flies even showed a 'desperado' effect, that is, they even started fight that they were likely to lose.</p>

<p>As per reports, no flies died during the experiment. The result of the study was published in the journal Animal Behaviour.</p>


In times of the pandemic and Working From Home, we order food not because we are hungry but often because we are bored. But there are times when the work takes better of us and we don't eat on time.

In times of the pandemic and Working From Home, we order food not because we are hungry but often because we are bored. But there are times when the work takes better of us and we don't eat on time. And this makes us agitated, takes us on the verge of wanting to destroy the world. But a quick meal and life seems easy again. The brief angry phase that our hunger causes is termed being 'hangry'. We get hangry a lot. After all, it's natural for our bodies to protest if well-deserved nourishment is denied. But fruit flies aren't something we can quickly relate to this very human feeling of being hangry. Turns out the flies get hangry too. Researchers from University of Oxford and University of East Anglia have found this in a study. To check the 'hangry'ness, the researchers put fruit flies inside vials with some amount of of food. It was revealed that the flies that didn't have access to food became agitated as the hours went by. They lunged at each other aggressively. They even 'fenced', that is, tried to tackle each other using their front legs. Senior author of the study has been quoted in media reports as saying that hungry fruit flies displayed more 'hostility' towards each other. That's not all. The hungry flies even showed a 'desperado' effect, that is, they even started fight that they were likely to lose. As per reports, no flies died during the experiment. The result of the study was published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

Fruit flies get 'hangry' too, even become 'desperado': Study

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