Biologies

What is migration? The conversion of stationary epithelial cells into migratory, invasive cells, which is important for normal embryonic development. How do cells achieve this? Cells that are part of a stable epithelium lose their cell-cell and cell-matrix junctions that hold them together and acquire a less rigidly polarised morphology and break away from their neighbours. Forward genetic analysis This involves uncovering the genetic basis behind a particular phenotype. Mutant lines are screened for specific defects in the process of interest. Molecular, cellular and chemical characterisation of the affected genes and proteins is then carried out. Reverse genetics: manipulating genes and studying their effect on phenotypes ...

The Sex Peptide in Drosophila melanogaster melSP is a component of the seminal fluid that induces post mating responses in Drosophila females. It is gradually released by proteolytic cleavage and induces several long-term postmating responses What does this entail? SP acts on internal sensory neurons expressing pickpocket(ppk). These then induce PMR. Classic Post Mating responses elevated egg-laying reluctance to further mating altered dietary preference(high protein:carbohydrate interference) - (testing nutrient deficient flies by activating this group of neurons?) ...

Subject - The Plains Cupid (Luthrodes pandava) Long afternoon walks are the best thing to happen to raccoon-eyed college students who have taken to living in the library. Especially if you are intercepted by these pretty sights; they flit about in the bushes, and dance nimbly on the slender stalks of coatbuttons, and overall, make a torrid summer more bearable. A male wet season brood These butterflies belong to the Lycaenidae family (tribe Polyommatini) of butterflies, (the second-largest family of butterflies behind Nymphalidae, or the brush footed butterflies), whose members are called gossamer-winged butterflies. ...

Living in a college on the outskirts of acres of farmland and dense shrubbery might be a bit boring, but it has its perks. I came across this one in front of my room. The Indian Common Clubtail dragonfly, Ictinogomphus rapax, is found all over India. It’s a large yellow and black coloured dragonfly with bluish-grey ommatidia. The name refers to the club-like widening of the end of the abdomen (abdominal segments 7 through 9). However, this club is usually less pronounced in females and is entirely absent in some species. ...