How Fruit Flies Tell What Time of Year It Is Without a Calendar
SMRTR summary
Fruit flies know what season it is thanks to a molecular trick inside their biological clock. A new study in Science Advances found that when temperatures drop, fruit flies switch production of a protein called "timeless" to a cold-weather version through a process called alternative splicing. This shifts the clock into a "winter state," slowing reproduction and activity until warmer conditions return.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Nautilus.
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