🧫 Flies, Fungi & Fleming Moments: Science from Everyday Life

[Sailekshmi (M S SAILEKSHMI)]

CUBE ChatShaala Summary – 27.08.2025

Theme: Fruit Fly Studies – Cultures, Nutrition, and Serendipity in Science

Today’s discussion in CUBE ChatShaala revolved around ongoing fruit fly (Drosophila) experiments, their culture techniques, and surprising observations that connect to historical scientific moments.

Key Highlights:

1. Single-Line Cultures:

• Batul presented insights into maintaining fruit fly populations using TRSV as an alternative to the standard corn meal agar medium.

• Two conditions were compared: Fed (A) and Non-Fed (B) setups, enabling us to explore how nutrition influences fly survival and reproduction.

2. Alexander Fleming Moment:

• Sakshi shared her experience of observing fungal growth on a tomato slice, where bacterial colonies were inhibited around the tomato slices.

• This unexpected finding was likened to Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, reminding us how careful observation can lead to transformative science.

3. Alternative Media – TRSV Formula:

• A discussion took place around the Tomato–Rava–Sugar–Vinegar (TRSV) mix as a cost-effective medium for culturing flies.

• This community innovation bridges laboratory science with easily available household ingredients.

4. Biology of Flies:

• Participants also revisited sex differentiation in fruit flies (male vs female) and aspects of reproduction, fertilization, and oviposition on natural substrates like leaves.

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TINKE Moments (Today I Never Knew Earlier):

• Penicillium on tomato slices can create natural bacterial inhibition zones, just like Fleming’s famous observation.

• Nutrition variation experiments (Fed vs Non-Fed) reveal not only survival differences but also behavioral changes in flies.

• TRSV medium offers a low-cost substitute for traditional cornmeal agar, broadening access to fruit fly studies.

• The power of serendipity in science—big discoveries can emerge from ordinary observations, if we stay curious.

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Queries for Reflection & Public Engagement:

CUBE Curious Questions – Let’s Think Together!

1. If a fungus on a tomato slice can naturally inhibit bacteria, could household food items help us discover new antibiotics today?

2. How do nutritional differences in culture media influence fruit fly growth, lifespan, or fertility?

3. Could TRSV medium be standardized to replace cornmeal agar, making experiments more accessible worldwide?

4. Why do female and male flies differ in size and structure, and how does this affect reproduction in small ecosystems like bottles or vials?

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What I Learned Today:

• Scientific breakthroughs often begin with unexpected observations.

• Fruit flies remain a powerful model for studying growth, nutrition, and genetics, even with homemade setups.

• Low-cost alternatives like TRSV open doors for inclusive science, where anyone can participate from home or school.

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This session reminds us that great science is not limited to big labs; it can happen anywhere curiosity meets observation.

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Photographs during Chatshaala

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Reference

• Robert Koch, Microbiology on Potato Slice and understanding Experimental Design

• Fruitly male and female - Search

• The effect of developmental nutrition on life span and fecundity depends on the adult reproductive environment in Drosophila melanogaster - PMC

• Size-dependent and sex-specific negative effects of micro- and nano-sized polystyrene particles in the terrestrial invertebrate model Drosophila melanogaster - ScienceDirect

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@Arunan @2020ugchsncnseethala @SN1261 @magpie @dhanraj7 and others.