Teen-aged Mutant Teen-aged Mutant Ninja Fruit Fly LabNinja Fruit Fly Lab

Objectives Objectives

The purpose of this activity is for The purpose of this activity is for students to demonstrate how the students to demonstrate how the process of meiosis creates daughter process of meiosis creates daughter cells that differ from the parent cell.cells that differ from the parent cell.

Also, students will demonstrate how Also, students will demonstrate how genes are passed from parents to genes are passed from parents to offspring (their children)offspring (their children)

The Fruit FlyThe Fruit Fly

The Fruit FlyThe Fruit Fly The fruit fly is a two The fruit fly is a two

winged insect that is winged insect that is very common around very common around fruit and vegetables.fruit and vegetables.

They are usually They are usually brown, with red eyes. brown, with red eyes. They also have black They also have black stripes on their stripes on their abdomen.abdomen.

They are an easy They are an easy organism to study in organism to study in biology.biology.

Fruit Fly Genome (Genes)Fruit Fly Genome (Genes)

Fruit flies have 4 pairs of Fruit flies have 4 pairs of chromosomes.chromosomes.– X and Y chromosome (male X and Y chromosome (male

and female)and female)– Chromosome #2- Controls eye Chromosome #2- Controls eye

development of the fruit fly.development of the fruit fly.– Chromosome #3 controls the Chromosome #3 controls the

color of the fly (brown or color of the fly (brown or black)black)

– Chromosome #4 is very tiny Chromosome #4 is very tiny and we will ignore itand we will ignore it

SuppliesSupplies

In groups of 3 In groups of 3 people gather the people gather the following supplies:following supplies:– 4 green pipe 4 green pipe

cleanerscleaners 2 big ones2 big ones 2 small ones2 small ones

– 4 yellow pipe 4 yellow pipe cleanerscleaners

– 4 pink pipe cleaners4 pink pipe cleaners

– 4 white beads4 white beads– 4 green beads4 green beads– 4 purple beads4 purple beads– 4 blue beads4 blue beads– Colored pencilsColored pencils– CoinCoin

Build the genetic material of Build the genetic material of the cellthe cell

We will be using these materials to We will be using these materials to create the fruit fly chromosomes and create the fruit fly chromosomes and take them through each stage of take them through each stage of meiosis.meiosis.

You will be evaluated on the following:You will be evaluated on the following:

Group ParticipationGroup Participation

Individual AccuratenessIndividual Accurateness

Sex ChromosomesSex Chromosomes

The green pipe cleaners represent The green pipe cleaners represent the sex chromosomes. They will the sex chromosomes. They will determine the gender of the determine the gender of the offspring.offspring.

Place one X chromosome and one Y Place one X chromosome and one Y chromosome into the cell.chromosome into the cell.

Is this fly a male or female?Is this fly a male or female?

Eye developmentEye development Chromosome #2 controls the development of the Chromosome #2 controls the development of the

eyes. Sometimes there is a mutation (a change eyes. Sometimes there is a mutation (a change to the DNA) and the offspring have no eyes.to the DNA) and the offspring have no eyes.

The yellow pipe cleaner represents chromosome The yellow pipe cleaner represents chromosome #2#2

Take 1 yellow pipe cleaner and place in cell. Flip Take 1 yellow pipe cleaner and place in cell. Flip a coin to determine if it will mutate. a coin to determine if it will mutate. – Heads = mutation: Place a Heads = mutation: Place a whitewhite bead on the pipe bead on the pipe

cleaner. NO EYEScleaner. NO EYES– Tails = non mutation: Place a Tails = non mutation: Place a redred bead on the pipe bead on the pipe

cleaner. EYEScleaner. EYES Repeat the process for a second yellow pipe Repeat the process for a second yellow pipe

cleaner. (flip coin again)cleaner. (flip coin again)

ColorColor Chromosome #3 represents the color of the fruit fly. Chromosome #3 represents the color of the fruit fly.

Normally, fruit flies are brown. A mutation (change Normally, fruit flies are brown. A mutation (change in DNA) may occur to create a black color.in DNA) may occur to create a black color.

The pink pipe cleaner represents chromosome #3.The pink pipe cleaner represents chromosome #3. Take 1 pink pipe cleaner and place in cell. Flip a Take 1 pink pipe cleaner and place in cell. Flip a

coin to determine if it will mutate. coin to determine if it will mutate. – Heads = mutation: Place a Heads = mutation: Place a blueblue bead on the pipe cleaner. bead on the pipe cleaner.

Black flyBlack fly– Tails = non mutation: Place a Tails = non mutation: Place a greengreen bead on the pipe bead on the pipe

cleaner. Brown Flycleaner. Brown Fly Repeat the process for a second pink pipe cleaner. Repeat the process for a second pink pipe cleaner.

Flip coin again.Flip coin again.

InterphaseInterphase

We now have our complete DNA for the We now have our complete DNA for the fruit fly (except for the really small fruit fly (except for the really small chromosome #4 that we are going to chromosome #4 that we are going to ignore)ignore)

This represents the cell at Interphase.This represents the cell at Interphase.

1.1. What happens at the very end of What happens at the very end of Interphase? Is our cell haploid or diploid Interphase? Is our cell haploid or diploid right now?right now?

Draw and color your chromosomes on Draw and color your chromosomes on your paper.your paper.

DNA ReplicationDNA Replication

Now you need to replicate each of your Now you need to replicate each of your chromosomes that you just built. chromosomes that you just built.

These need to be exact copies of the These need to be exact copies of the originals, including the same locations originals, including the same locations of beads.of beads.

Attach these together with paperclips. Attach these together with paperclips. The paperclips represent the The paperclips represent the centromeres.centromeres.

Draw and color DNA replication.Draw and color DNA replication.

Prophase IProphase I

2. What happens at Prophase I?2. What happens at Prophase I? Move chromosomes inside of cell to Move chromosomes inside of cell to

represent prophase I.represent prophase I. Draw and color chromosomes at Draw and color chromosomes at

prophase I.prophase I.

Metaphase IMetaphase I

Move chromosomes to represent Move chromosomes to represent metaphase.metaphase.

Draw and color metaphase.Draw and color metaphase.

Anaphase IAnaphase I

Move chromosomes to represent Move chromosomes to represent anaphase.anaphase.

Draw and color anaphaseDraw and color anaphase

Telophase I and Prophase IITelophase I and Prophase II

Move chromosomes to represent Move chromosomes to represent telophase I and metaphase II.telophase I and metaphase II.

How many cells do we have? Are How many cells do we have? Are they haploid or diploid?they haploid or diploid?

Draw and color our 2 cells.Draw and color our 2 cells.

Metaphase IIMetaphase II

Move chromosomes into the Move chromosomes into the metaphase position.metaphase position.

Draw and color metaphase.Draw and color metaphase.

Anaphase IIAnaphase II

Move chromosomes into anaphase II Move chromosomes into anaphase II position. position.

Draw and color anaphase II.Draw and color anaphase II.

Telophase IITelophase II

Move chromosomes into telophase Move chromosomes into telophase position.position.

Draw and color telophase.Draw and color telophase.

Make a baby flyMake a baby fly Take one of your male gametes and Take one of your male gametes and

cross it with a female gamete from cross it with a female gamete from another group.another group.

Draw your new baby flyDraw your new baby fly (Mutations are recessive, that is, if (Mutations are recessive, that is, if

there is a dominant gene, that will be there is a dominant gene, that will be expressed.expressed.

Interpretation of ResultsInterpretation of ResultsAnswer these questions Answer these questions

individually.individually.1.1. How many cells are at the end of the How many cells are at the end of the

process?process?2.2. What are these types of cells called?What are these types of cells called?3.3. Are they haploid or diploid?Are they haploid or diploid?4.4. Describe each of the 4 (gamete) cells Describe each of the 4 (gamete) cells

characteristics based on the genes it characteristics based on the genes it inherited.inherited.