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Sequencing the Drosophila Genome: A Landmark Event in a Landmark Year

The concept of the gene is barely more than 100 years old; our knowledge of the general structure of genes -- the DNA double helix -- is 50 years old; and our capacity to determine the sequence of an individual gene is 30 years old. The complete genomes of several major human pathogens (e.g., the syphilis spirochete and Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and of 2 species critical to genetic studies (the yeast Saccharomyces and the worm Caenorhabditis elegans) have been sequenced over the past 5 years. Now, researchers report the sequence for the oldest and most important genetic model of all: the humble fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

Understanding the biology of an organism requires understanding its numerous proteins, but it is difficult and tedious to purify and characterize each protein one at a time. We now know the sequence of all 14,000 Drosophila genes -- and, hence, all 14,000 of its proteins. Therefore, it should be easy to make large amounts of any Drosophila protein in pure form and study its actions, as well as to alter the protein in a specific way and study the consequences. This new knowledge makes it vastly easier to understand the biology of the fruit fly.

Why is this important for humans? Drosophila is not only an elegant animal model for studying genetics; it is a good model of human genetics as well. Drosophila has many genes in common with humans (e.g., the p53 tumor suppressor gene); these genes are not simply built the same but also play similar roles. For example, abnormalities in one gene appear central to Parkinson's disease in humans and to a similar movement disorder in Drosophila; also, body formation and circadian rhythms are controlled by the same genes in humans and Drosophila. Fruit flies even get intoxicated when exposed to alcohol, and the same genes that make them drunk make us drunk. We now know Drosophila's versions of insulin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and other hormones. By playing with the genes that control these hormones in Drosophila, we may be able to help ourselves.

The year 2000 may see the deciphering of the human genome. If not, it will still be remembered for the unraveling of the Drosophila genome.

— AL Komaroff

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine April 11, 2000

Citation(s):

Adams MD et al. The genome sequence of Drosophila melanogaster. Science 2000 Mar 24 287 2185-2195.

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• Medline abstract (Free)

Kornberg TB and Krasnow MA. The Drosophila genome sequence: Implications for biology and medicine. Science 2000 Mar 24 287 2218-2220.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)

Brenner S. The end of the beginning. Science 2000 Mar 24 287 2173-2174.

• Original article (Subscription may be required)
• Medline abstract (Free)

Hodgkin J. A view of Mount Drosophila. Nature 2000 Mar 30 404 442-443.

• Medline abstract (Free)