Ten generations of Drosophila melanogaster reared axenically on a fatty acid‐free holidic diet

Abstract

Wild-type Drosophila melanogaster were axenically raised on a completely synthetic fatty acid-free diet for at least ten consecutive generations, confirming that these insects do not require dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids. Capillary column gas-chromatographic analysis of lipids extracted from adults reared on yeast medium showed a peak which cochromatographed with linoleic acid, representing about 1.2% and 0.15% of all fatty acids in phospholipids and triacylglycerols, respectively. In flies reared on the synthetic diet for one generation or for five or more generations, the linoleic acid peak was still present but in about tenfold lower proportions of total fatty acids. This was true of both phospholipid and triglyceride fractions.

Drosophila lacks C20 and C22 PUFAs

“…In the present study, our results demonstrate that Drosophila cannot synthesize C20 and C22 PUFAs from 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3, respectively, as evidenced by both the lipid profi le of fl ies raised on 18:2n-6/18:3n-3-supplemented diets, which showed no C20 and C22 PUFAs in their body tissues, and by bioinformatic analysis of the Drosophila genome, which indicated a lack of ⌬ -6 and ⌬ -5 desaturases (the key enzymes for C20 and C22 PUFA biosynthesis). Our fi ndings add new evidence to the notion that Drosophila fl ies do not require or biosynthesize C20 PUFA, as proposed by Stanley-Samuelson et al ( 12 ), based on their observation that 10 consecutive generations of wild-type fl ies could be maintained on a synthetic diet lacking added FAs ( 13 ). However, we cannot exclude 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 as essential for other functions besides conversion to C20 and C22.…”

Nutrient composition of the prey's diet affects growth and survivorship of a generalist predator

“…It is also possible that the control flies had insufficient concentrations of sterols or essential fatty acids. The concentration of linoleic acid in adult D. melanogaster is greatly reduced if reared in a medium lacking this fatty acid (Rapport et al 1984). Linoleic acid was present in the fat fly medium.…”

Metabolic cooperation among commensal bacteria supportsDrosophilajuvenile growth under nutritional stress

“…Here, using Drosophila bi-associated with A. pomorum and L. plantarum, we characterized the metabolic dialogues among the three partners in a strictly controlled nutritional environment low in amino acids to mimic chronic protein undernutrition, 95 namely a fully chemically-defined or holidic diet (HD) . HDs support suboptimal growth and development of Drosophila larvae (Jang and Lee, 2018;Piper et al, 2013;Rapport et al, 1983;Schultz et al, 1946) yet it has proved to be a useful tool to study the specific influence of individual nutrients on Drosophila physiology (Jang and Lee, 2018;Mishra et al, 2018;Piper et al, 2013Piper et al, , 2017. This experimental 100 model grants us complete control over 3 key parameters in the system: the diet, the host and its commensal partners.…”