🧬 Ribosomes, Fruitflies, and the Road to Six Nobel Prizes

CUBE chat
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:seedling: CUBE Chatshaala Summary – 26th September 2025

Today’s Chatshaala revolved around Fruitfly studies (Drosophila melanogaster) and their remarkable role in advancing biological sciences. The discussion highlighted that fruitflies have contributed to six Nobel Prizes, including the 2017 Nobel Prize. Participants recalled that Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the last Indian Nobel laureate in science (2009), was honored for his groundbreaking work on the ribosome structure.

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Key takeaways included:

  • Understanding how ribosomes transcribe RNA and how antibiotics like Kanamycin affect ribosomal function.

  • Linking fruitfly studies to fundamental biological cycles, such as the sleep–wake rhythm of Drosophila.

  • Nazish’s experiment was discussed, focusing on testing the effect of Kanamycin on seed germination at a concentration of 100 mg/ml, with control and treatment groups clearly defined.

:star2: TINKE Moments

  • Rachel’s TINKE moment: Realizing the deep connection between ribosomes and their structure, particularly in relation to Nobel Prize-winning research.

  • Sailekshmi’s TINKE moment: The striking insight that fruitflies have contributed to six Nobel Prizes, underscoring their central role in genetics and physiology research.

:pushpin: Gaps & Misconceptions Identified

  1. Kanamycin concentration clarity – While 100 mg/ml was discussed, questions remain on whether this concentration is too high or practical for plant/seed experiments.

  2. Ribosome function link to fruitflies – A misconception surfaced on directly connecting ribosomal research to Drosophila studies, which actually stemmed from broader molecular biology contexts.

  3. Sleep–wake cycle details – Participants noted the cycle but did not fully explore the mechanistic pathways (e.g., circadian rhythm genes in fruitflies).

:jigsaw: What I Learned

  • Fruitflies are not just “model organisms” but have been central to Nobel-winning discoveries, reinforcing their timeless importance in biology.

  • Ribosomes are molecular machines, essential for life, and studying their structure has even opened doors for developing antibiotics.

  • Experiments like Nazish’s seed–Kanamycin study connect global scientific themes (ribosome inhibition) to simple, hands-on community-level experiments.

:mag_right: Provocative Questions for the Community

  • If tiny fruitflies can unlock global prizes, what hidden insights might lie in the simplest organisms we overlook every day?

  • If antibiotics can stop protein synthesis at the molecular level, what happens when we test their effects in seeds or fruitflies? How can small experiments reveal big truths?

  • Drosophila share sleep–wake cycles similar to humans. Could studying their circadian rhythms bring us closer to solving human sleep disorders?

:books: Reference

@Arunan @2020ugchsncnseethala @SN1261 @Soumya_99 @monica @ganesh @Chitralekha
@Rechel_tirkey and others.