A fruit fly, prone to a bit of shut-eye.
A siesta-suppressing gene helps fruit flies (Drosophila) nap when they need to but not sleep their lives away, new research suggests.
That’s no small thing.
In fact, it probably helped them expand beyond their ancestral home in equatorial Africa to successfully colonise temperate zones around the world, says Isaac Edery, from Rutgers University in the US, who led the study.
And it may shed light on the biology that helps many creatures, including humans, balance the benefits of 40 winks against those of getting important activities done during the day.
Edery and colleagues have dubbed it the “daywake” gene.
When temperatures are cool, they say, it activates to suppress the tendency for Drosophila to take a daytime nap – presumably so they can spend more time seeking food or mates.
“This gene contributes to behavioural flexibility, or the ability to hide from the noontime sun when weather is hot but engage in activities good for survival when the weather is cool,” says Edery.
Daywake sits adjacent to and slightly overlaps a previously documented gene, called “period,” that regulates the flies’ circadian clock and governs daily wake-sleep cycles.
The researchers found that daywake activity is increased by a specific sequence within the period gene, and that this process happens most efficiently when the flies are exposed to cold temperatures. Night sleep is not affected.
“Although the daywake gene is not present in humans, our finding reinforces the idea that night-time sleep and daytime siesta are governed by distinct mechanisms and serve separate functions for health and survival,” Edery says.
The study is published in the journal Current Biology.
Originally published by Cosmos as For fruit flies, siestas are gene-driven
Nick Carne
Nick Carne is the editor of Cosmos Online and editorial manager for The Royal Institution of Australia.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.