Drosophila Genetics Practicals - Independent Assortment, Sex Linked inheritance, Two/Three-point linkage

This is the 2022 version of a Drosophila Genetics Practical session delivered as part of the first-year Biological Sciences Undergraduate Degree at the University of East Anglia. 

Learning Outcomes

-       Understand how to work with Drosophila melanogaster: basic care, setting up mating crosses, identifying males & females, identifying mutant phenotypes

-       Develop an understanding of the role of model organisms in genetics

-       Understand the basic genetic principles of independent assortment, sex-linked inheritance and genetic linkage, and use these principles to make predictions

-       Perform simple Goodness-of-Fit statistical tests 

-       Use the Flybase genome browser.

Files

- Drosophila timetable 2022.xlsx: a spreadsheet outlining the recommended actions and lead times to prepare stocks for a practical series. (Note that we run each session four times - and timings may be adjusted accordingly). All stocks maintained at 25 degrees celsius on SYA media.

- Drosophila handbook 2022.pdf coursebook to be distributed to students.

Materials

Standard fly-pushing equipment recommended - including CO2 cylinders, Flypad and gun, Fly morgue

Enough equipment for one dissecting microscope and paintbrush per student.

Note: With access to ice, we use technical support or lab demonstrators to initially anaesthetise flies, then provide students with glass Petri dishes and ice to keep flies anaesthetised while working. 

Flies - mutant lines, (eb vg) and (white) procured from Blades Biologicals