Midgut involvement in nutrient detection leading to oogenesis in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster

The ingestion of particular proteinaceous nutrients initiates a neuroendocrine cascade that leads to ovary maturation in anautogenous flies. Much recent work has focused on the role of the fat body in relaying information to brain neurosecretory cells indicating that appropriate nutrients are present in the hemolymph to support oogenesis. In this study, we investigate the role of the midgut in the signaling process that couples feeding to reproduction in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster.