Name
Block
Date
Virtual Drosophila melanogaster (Fruit Fly) Lab- Lab Biology
Getting Started:

Log onto your computer.

Click on internet explorer.

Type www.sciencecourseware.org/vcise/drosophila

On the Students section, under new users, click Create New Account

Enter your class code: Lab biology- 3B: 8327277, Lab biology 2A- 8328413

Enter your first name and last name. You must use your real name or you will not get
any credit for this lab.

Create a username and a password. These must be appropriate. Write it
here_____________________________________

Press submit

Log in under the registered users, using your class code, username, and password. Press
login.
The Lab Bench:
1. Read the text under The Lab Bench: Your Task:

Once you read this click on the computer to start ordering your flies.
2. Click on Order Flies- Choose a wild type female fly and press the green circle with a shopping
cart to add these flies to your cart. Then choose a male wild type fly and add it to your cart.

All flies that you order are homozygous

Wild type (+)(the normal phenotype for a fruit fly). Homozygous wild type genotype is
(+ +)
3. Click on the shopping cart button to view your contents. Press check out to order your flies.

When your pink confirmation screen pops up make sure the check mark is checked to
add your flies to your notebook. This will automatically put these flies in your notebook.
You Must Go to Your Notebook and Save Your Notebook To
the Server! Only your notebook will be saved, not your flies
each time. Each time you go to the site you must reorder your
flies.
4. Click on the box to unpack your flies. Then click on the mating jar to place it in the incubator
to start.

The mating jar will have a pink box that will pop up that tells you the content of the jar.
5. The flies should then mate and produce offspring. Click on the incubator and then the mating
jar to observe your flies. It should now say Cross #1.
6. A microscope view of flies should come up on the screen. Press Sort Flies to sort the flies by
phenotype.

Note the number of male and female flies seen in the top right corner. Is this number of
flies adequate for a statistically viable experiment, why?
7. Click on the pile with the male flies. How many male wildtype flies do you have?

Note the two dark marks on the first pair of legs closest to the head. These are the sex
combs these are the most noticeable traits used to differentiate males and females.
8. Click Add to Notebook to record this data in your notebook. Then press zoom out.
9. Click on the pile of female wildtype flies. How many female wildtype flies do you have?

What are some differences in physical appearance between male and female flies?
10. Click Add to notebook to record this phenotype.
11. Press the button use in mating to use these female wildtype flies.
12. Press zoom out and then press send data to computer.
13. Click yes to go to your computer now.
14. Click on Analyze Results. Is there any specific differences between males and females
phenotypically and numeric wise?
If not, press the Ignore Sex button. Click
Add to Notebook. Press Return to Menu. Click on Return to Lab.
15. Click on your computer to order new flies.
16. Click male. Choose a trait from the list below.
17. Click add to cart: View shopping cart and check out. Again, add these flies to your notebook.
Click on the box to unpack the flies you ordered and add them to the mating jar. Check your
results. These should be Cross #2. Look at your results for both male and female. Add these to
the computer and add these results to your notebook.
 Go to the computer to analyze your data. Does the sex seem to matter?
 Check the ignore sex button if it does not. Add to notebook.
Show your cross in the traditional Punnett square. Write what you crossed with what,
phenotypes and genotypes. Record the offspring. Write a Key. Tell me Genotypes and
Phenotypes of offspring: Percentages, fractions, ratios.
X
Key:
Phenotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
Genotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
What does this tell you about the pattern of inheritance in these flies? How do you know?
18. Use both the male and female flies (F1) from this Cross #2 in a new mating. Mate these flies
and observe the results. Make sure to keep on sending all the data to the computer and adding
them to your notebook. Show your cross.
X
Key:
Phenotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
Genotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
19. Go to the Computer and Analyze your Results. Determine if sex is important and add it to
your notebook.
20. Press the garbage can to clean out your flies. This program can only hold 3 cross vials at a
time.
21. Choose a new trait and create a heterozygous fly. Prove that this fly is heterozygous by
performing a test cross. Diagram the two crosses needed. (the one needed to create your
heterozygous fly and the cross to test its genotype)
1.
X
Key:
Phenotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
Genotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
2.
X
Key:
Phenotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
Genotypes: Fractions, Percentage, Ratio
22. Create a dihybrid cross. Choose a female fly with curved wings (c), and a male fly with an
ebony body (e). If you ordered a curved winged fly, the phenotype for its eyes is wildtype its
genotype would be (c)(c) (+body)(+body). The male fly, the phenotype would be wildtype wings
and ebony body. Its genotype would be (+wings)(+wings)(e)(e). Cross your male and female
flies.
Diagram your cross
X
Gametes:
Gametes:
Phenotypes: Fractions and Ratio
Key:
c= curved wings
+wings= wild type wings
e= ebony body
+body = wildtype body
23. Use both the male flies and female flies in new mating (crossing the F1xF1) to create your F2
generation.
Key:
Diagram your cross
X
Gametes:
Gametes:
c= curved wings
+wings= wild type wings
e= ebony body
+body = wildtype body
Phenotypes: Fractions and Ratio
24. Feel free to play around with the site and try out crazy combinations of flies!
Reflection: Write a two paragraph reflection: at least 5 sentences for each paragraph. For
information on Drosophila melanogaster consult these websites:
http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD020807.html
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Drosophila_melanogaster.html
http://www.benchfly.com/blog/model-organism-week-drosophila-melanogaster-the-fruit-fly/
Paragraph 1:
 Why is the fruit fly used as an experimental model for studying patterns of inheritance?
 Did doing this experiment provide you with an idea of how real life scientific
experimentation is done?
 If we performed this experiment with real flies in a lab, about how long do you think it
would have taken to perform these experiments?
Paragraph 2:
 What did you learn through this experimentation?
 How did you apply your knowledge of genetics to these experiments
Rubric
Poor
The guided lab
report is missing
most questions
and open ended
questions are not
or barely
attempted
Crosses are not
completed, or
are minimal.
Many elements
are missing.
Inadequate-Average
The guided lab
report has some
missing questions
with minimal
explanations
Average-Good
The guided lab
report is mostly
complete with
adequate
explanations
Outstanding
The guided lab
report is complete
with all questions
completed with
detailed
explanations
Crosses are missing
some elements,
crosses are not
clear
Virtual notebook
The notebook is
incomplete.
Many of the
orders, crosses,
and offspring is
missing.
A record of few of
the flies ordered
are present. A
record of few of the
crosses are present.
A record of few of
the offspring is
present.
Crosses are clearly
written: parents
genotypes and
phenotypes are
present, a key, a
completed
punnett square,
the genotypes and
phenotypes with
associated
percentages,
fractions, and
ratios are correct
A record of all the
flies ordered are
present. A record
of all crosses are
present. A record
of all offspring is
present.
Reflection
Reflection is
incomplete and
answers some
questions. Does
not meet
minimal length
Reaches an low
level of
reflection,
discusses
procedural
events, with no
analysis
Reflection is mostly
complete and
answers most
questions. Meets
minimal length.
Reaches an low
level of reflection,
discusses
procedural events,
with little analysis
Crosses are clearly
written: parents
genotypes and
phenotypes are
present, a key, a
completed
punnett square,
the genotypes and
phenotypes with
associated
percentages,
fractions, and
ratios
A record of most
of the flies
ordered are
present. A record
of most of the
crosses are
present. A record
of most of the
offspring is
present.
Reflection is
complete and
answers all
questions. Meets
minimal length.
Reaches an
average level of
reflection,
discusses
procedural events,
with a discussion
of application and
low level analysis
Completeness
Diagrams of
Crosses
Reflection is
complete and
answers all
questions. Meets
minimal length.
Reaches a higher
level of reflection,
discussing
application and a
high level of
analysis.
Name
Block
Drosophila melanogaster Fly Lab Notebook
Cross #1:
Ordered Flies:
Cross:
Offspring:
Cross #2: