Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Rearing the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster Under Axenic and Gnotobiotic Conditions
Published on: July 30, 2016
Generating Germ-Free Drosophila to Study Gut-Microbe Interactions: Protocol to Rear Drosophila Under Axenic
Christa Kietz1, Vilma Pollari1, Annika Meinander1
1Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
Abstract:
As several diseases have been linked to dysbiosis of the human intestinal microflora, manipulation of the microbiota has emerged as an exciting new strategy for potentially treating and preventing diseases. However, the human microbiota consists of a plethora of different species, and distinguishing the impact of a specific bacterial species on human health is challenging. In tackling this challenge, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, with its far simpler microbial composition, has emerged as a powerful model for unraveling host-microbe interactions. To study the interplay between the resident commensal microbiome and the host, flies can be made germ-free, or axenic. To elucidate the impact of specific bacteria, axenic flies can then be re-introduced to specific microbial species. In this unit, we provide a step-by-step protocol on how to rear Drosophila melanogaster under axenic conditions and confirm the axenity of flies. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Related Concept Videos
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
Conditions on Early Earth
Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov observed that dogs...
Conditions of Equilibrium
Internal forces are not considered for conditions of equilibrium because they occur in equal and opposite pairs within the body, effectively canceling each other. As a result,...
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcement in operant conditioning can be positive or negative, both of which serve to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Positive...
Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health

