fruit flies

(North Carolina State University) Strains of a bacterium commonly found in fruit flies can prevent the Aedes aegypti mosquito from transmitting the virus that causes dengue fever, researchers have found.

Their discovery could lead to a more effective way to control dengue worldwide.

(Genetics Society of America) Using fruit flies, researchers have found that genes interacting with diet, rather than diet alone, are the main cause of variation in metabolic traits, such as body weight.

This helps explain why some diets work better for some people than others, and suggests that future diets should be tailored to an individual's genes rather than to physical appearance.

(Max-Planck-Gesellschaft) A new study of the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging could help to understand the positive effect of dietary restriction on healthy aging.

Previous evidence from different organisms (fruit flies and mice) have shown that dietary restriction increases longevity, but with a potential negative side effect of diminished fertility.