A scientific study managed to generate fruit fly pups without intercourse. The females were genetically modified and had offspring that developed healthily.
All research was carried out by University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom, and by two institutions of technology and science in the United States.
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The scientists stated that they achieved an unprecedented case by proving that animal reproduction can be done through genetic modification.
The reproduction of beings can be sexual or asexual. In this case, the “virgin birth” of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) was carried out through a type of asexual reproduction.
Prior to the study, “virgin birth” records were already taking place in zoos. For example, a female crocodile laid an egg with a fetus formed after being isolated in the area for a long time.
Scientists conduct unprecedented breeding experiment
"It was very exciting to see a virgin fly produce an embryo capable of developing to adulthood and then repeating the process," said Alexis Sperling, scientist of the research group.
The technical term for this reproduction is parthenogenesis. Basically, the element needed for these cases is just the female genetic information, without the need for a male.
A curious fact of the experiment is that the flies females actually managed to reproduce with the genetic modification.
However, they spawned only other female flies. A consequence of the virgin birth in this research is that flies do not have the ability to generate males, due to the lack of male genetic information.
(Image: Jose Casal and Peter Lawrence/University of Cambridge/Reproduction)
How did fruit flies reproduce?
Scientists reported that the research was carried out for six years and 220,000 flies were part of the tests.
First, they studied the reproductive capacity of the chosen flies. Then they sequenced the fruit fly genome to identify the birth genes.
During the tests, it was observed that the virgin birth only happened when the males were not around. Furthermore, "females waited half their lives, about 40 days, to find a male, but then gave up and performed a virgin birth."
The result of the experiment proved the success of genetic modification and pointed out how this alternative can be considered a survival strategy for the species.
However, Sperling also warns that this process can affect the adaptation of animals to the environment, since this reproduction generates only females, making a duplicate propagation of the species.