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Virtual Fly LabIf your knowledge of Genetics is minimal you may want to take a look at the Genetics info in BIO 113 before beginning the Virtual Fly Lab.
BIO 114 Virtual Fly: To begin your experiment, you must first select the phenotypes for the flies that will be mated. In addition to wild-type flies, there are thousands of different mutations of the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. These mutations create phenotypic changes in; body color, antennae shape, eye color, eye shape, wing size, wing shape, wing vein structure, wing angle and many other features. For the purposes of our simulation, genetic inheritance in our virtual lab will follow Mendelian principles of complete dominance.
The
phenotypes we will use in this virtual Lab are Apterous (No
real wings) and Vestigial (very small wings). These are common
mutant phrnotypes, variations in wing size. Vestigial and Apterous
are recessive
traits, so flies with either vestigial or apterous wings must be homozygous
recessive (e.g. (v, v) or (a, a) ). The wild type flies we are
using are
Homozygous dominant (in fly genetic notation this is written as (+, +)
). Heterozygous flies could be either (+, v) or (+, a). To understand
the
genetics you should always keep track of both the Genotype and the Phenotype
of your flies and their progeny (kids).
Performing the first cross
(creating the F1 Generation)
To begin a cross, you must first
select the phenotypes of the flies that you want to mate. Follow the directions
below to create a cross between a Female Vestigial fly and a Male Wild Type
Fly. First, click the radiobutton below the image of the Female Vestigial
Fly. Remember that this fly represents a true-breeding parent that is
homozygous for that trait. Next, click the radiobutton below the image
of the Male Wild Type Fly. This Fly is also homozygous. When you have
selected your flies, press the "Mate Flies" button. This will
create an F1 generation of approximately 500 offspring.