First in fly : Drosophila research and biological discovery /

It is probably rare for students in a first-year college biology class to not be introduced in some way to the utility of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a workhorse of biological study and the most versatile and informative animal model used in research. Yet even this description sells the fruit fly short, as Mohr (Harvard Medical School) adeptly reveals in First in Fly. In exploring the many ways fruit fly research has contributed to science, Mohr discusses how this tiny, innocuous, nearly ubiquitously distributed species progressed from being a tool to understand basic genetics to a profoundly significant model for studying development, biochemistry, immunology, disease, neuroscience, and behavior. She reveals how fruit fly genes, RNAs, proteins, and biological pathways parallel those of mammals, including humans, due to orthology (shared ancestry) and the conservative nature of molecular evolution, legitimizing the use of fruit flies for studying even the most pressing human diseases--diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and cancers. The book is detailed, but Mohr has beautifully distilled the often complex findings of Drosophila research into language that will engage and inform a diverse audience. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. --Zane Brian Johnson, Lake Erie College