Culturing large populations of Drosophila for protein biochemistry

INTRODUCTIONThe Drosophila embryo is a superb source of proteins for studies aimed at characterizing a variety of cellular functions, including replication, transcription, translation, signal transduction, and the functions of the extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton. The success of these studies is dependent upon the maintenance of an efficient laboratory fly facility. This article outlines the basic requirements for maintaining Drosophila in large or small laboratories.