GAL Pals

Scientists often turn to the fruit fly Drosophila for its relatively simple (yet similar) tissues to our own. But peering into its brain is still mind-boggling. Over 8 years, researchers at The Flylight Project captured thousands of images of fly brains, while developing a genetic tool to tease these neuron tangles apart. By genetically modifying the flies’ DNA, they watch as specific enhancers help to switch on a gene called GAL4, lighting up each neuron with a random or stochastic combination of colourful fluorescence. Comparing these patterns in different cells allows the team to specifically label individual neurons (seen here in rainbow colours) – their branching forms revealing circuits within and between brain regions. The results of this painstaking work, involving 5000 different strains of fly, is now available as a public resource, aiding geneticists and brain researchers around the world.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Geoffrey Wilson Meissner and colleagues
• Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA
• Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in eLife, February 2023