Contrary to the Natural Order: Scientists Successfully Genetically Engineer Invasive Female Fruit Flies to Reproduce Without Males
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Scientists have successfully genetically engineered invasive female fruit flies to reproduce without the need for males.
The researchers disclosed on Friday that they induced a “virgin birth” or parthenogenesis, in the Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) species, marking the first-ever occurrence of such a phenomenon in a traditionally sexually reproducing animal.
The offspring produced from these virgin births were able to further propagate without the need for mating. The comprehensive study was recently published in the journal Current Biology.
Facultative parthenogenesis is a cool trick some organisms have where they can switch between making babies the usual way, with a partner, and making babies all by themselves (which is called asexual parthenogenesis).
