Boosting life sciences research in Brazil: building a case for a local Drosophila stock center

Autor(es)

Oliveira, Marcos T. ; Anhezini, Lucas ; Araujo, Helena M. ; Oliveira, Marcus F. ; Couto-Lima, Carlos A.

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY; v. 47, n. 1, p. 11-pg., 2024-01-01.

Resumo

Drosophila melanogaster is undoubtedly one of the most useful model organisms in biology. Initially used in solidifying the principles of heredity, and establishing the basic concepts of population genetics and of the synthetic theory of evolution, it can currently offer scientists much more: the possibility of investigating a plethora of cellular and biological mechanisms, from development and function of the immune system to animal neurogenesis, tumorigenesis and beyond. Extensive resources are available for the community of Drosophila researchers worldwide, including an ever-growing number of mutant, transgenic and genomically-edited lines currently carried by stock centers in North America, Europe and Asia. Here, we provide evidence for the importance of stock centers in sustaining the substantial increase in the output of Drosophila research worldwide in recent decades. We also discuss the challenges that Brazilian Drosophila scientists face to keep their research projects internationally competitive, and argue that difficulties in importing fly lines from international stock centers have significantly stalled the progression of all Drosophila research areas in the country. Establishing a local stock center might be the first step towards building a strong local Drosophila community that will likely contribute to all areas of life sciences research. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/04372-0 - DNA mitocondrial: mecanismos de manutenção de sua estabilidade e impacto em doenças
• Beneficiário: Nadja Cristhina de Souza Pinto
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 21/06711-2 - Modulação do crescimento tecidual e acúmulo de biomassa pela oxidase alternativa mitocondrial
• Beneficiário: Marcos Túlio de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores - Fase 2
• Processo FAPESP: 14/02253-6 - Investigando as alterações metabólicas causadas pela expressão transgênica da oxidase alternativa mitocondrial de Ciona intestinalis em Drosophila melanogaster
• Beneficiário: Marcos Túlio de Oliveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores
• Processo FAPESP: 22/05632-4 - Interações genéticas e metabólicas entre lactato desidrogenase, glicerol fosfato desidrogenase e oxidase alternativa
• Beneficiário: Carlos Antonio Couto Lima
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado