Don't Drink and Fly: Alcohol Resistance Behavior in Drosophila Informs Us About Genes That Contribute to Alcoholism

2022 Advances in Biology Laboratory Education  
Many undergraduate students understand that model organisms are important for understanding how biology works, but may not make the connection that animal models such as Drosophila melanogaster can be used to understand such human conditions as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). To address this knowledge gap, we introduced an inquirybased laboratory module in which students perform hands-on Ethanol Behavior Mobility Assays (EMBAs) using flies with either different
more » ... ol Dehydrogenase (ADH) alleles or different developmental exposure to ethanol. The lab module contains a bioinformatic component for students to explore the evolutionary conservation of the ADH gene between flies and humans. The implementation of this exercise in a sophomore/junior-level Genetics course led to a high level of student satisfaction and a more integrated view of the role of model organisms in studying AUD and FAS. Funding acknowledgements: ABLE
doi:10.37590/able.v42.art6 fatcat:jt2ookljm5fo3fjtvl76h6eblm