A holidic medium for Drosophila melanogaster

Piper, Matthew D W; Blanc, Eric; Leitão-Gonçalves, Ricardo; Yang, Mingyao; He, Xiaoli; Linford, Nancy J; Hoddinott, Matthew P; Hopfen, Corinna; Soultoukis, George A; Niemeyer, Christine; Kerr, Fiona; Pletcher, Scott D; Ribeiro, Carlos; Partridge, Linda

Abstract

A critical requirement for research using model organisms is a well-defined and consistent diet. There is currently no complete chemically defined (holidic) diet available for Drosophila melanogaster. We describe a holidic medium that is equal in performance to an oligidic diet optimized for adult fecundity and lifespan. This holidic diet supports development over multiple generations but at a reduced rate. Over 7 years of experiments, the holidic diet yielded more consistent experimental outcomes than did oligidic food for egg laying by females. Nutrients and drugs were more available to flies in holidic medium and, similar to dietary restriction on oligidic food, amino acid dilution increased fly lifespan. We used this holidic medium to investigate amino acid–specific effects on food-choice behavior and report that folic acid from the microbiota is sufficient for Drosophila development.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 10, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Nov 17, 2013
• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Deposit Date: Aug 19, 2016
• Journal: Nature Methods
• Electronic ISSN: 1548-7091
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 100-105
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2731
• Keywords: Behavioural genetics, Drosophila, Feeding behaviour, Metabolism
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/355716