title: Witnessing Phenotypic and Molecular Evolution in the Fruit Fly.
abstract: This multi-day exercise is designed for a college Genetics and Evolution laboratory to demonstrate concepts of inheritance and phenotypic and molecular evolution using a live model organism,Drosophila simulans. Students set up an experimental fruit fly population consisting of ten white eyed flies and one red eyed fly. Having red eyes is advantageous compared to having white eyes, allowing students to track the spread of this advantageous trait over several generations. Ultimately, the students perform PCR and gel electrophoresis at two neutral markers, one located in close proximity to the eye-color locus, and one located at the other end of the chromosome. Students observe that most flies have red eyes, and these red-eyed flies have lost variation at the near marker, but maintained variation at the far marker, hence observing a "selective sweep" and the "hitchhiking" of a nearby neutral variant. Students literally observe phenotypic and molecular evolution in their classroom!
authors: Duke University Department of Biology Box 90338 Durham, NC 27708 919-613-8193 (phone) 919-660-7293 (fax).
authors: Caiti S S
authors: CS
authors: Heil
authors: Mika J
authors: MJ
authors: Hunter
authors: Juliet Kf
authors: JK
authors: Noor
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Miglia
authors: Brenda
authors: B
authors: Manzano-Winkler
authors: Shannon R
authors: SR
authors: McDermott
authors: Mohamed Af
authors: MA
authors: Noor
keywords: Drosophila; evolution; genetics; hitchhiking; selective sweep