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‘Virgin birth’ genetically engineered into female animals for the first time

Scientists have successfully genetically engineered female fruit flies to reproduce without a male, marking the first instance of "virgin birth" in an animal. The offspring of these flies were also able to reproduce without mating.
The researchers identified 44 genes potentially involved in parthenogenesis by comparing gene activity in sexually reproducing flies with that in parthenogenetic flies. By altering combinations of these genes in fruit flies, they induced parthenogenesis in roughly 11% of female flies.

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News18 India

Scientists Engineer Fruit Flies Capable of 'Virgin Birth'

The offspring of the flies were also able to give birth without mating, showing that the trait could be passed down generations, in another first revealed in a study in the journal Current Biology.

2 years ago·India

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Japan Today

Scientists engineer fruit flies capable of 'virgin birth'

Scientists said on Friday they have genetically engineered female fruit flies that can have offspring without needing a male, marking the first time "virgin birth" has been induced in an animal. The offspring of the flies were also able to give birth without mating, showing that the trait could be…

2 years ago·Sakado, Japan

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Observador

Genetic manipulation. Even without sex, scientists managed to get virgin fruit flies to have daughters

“In our genetically modified flies, the females waited half their lives - about 40 days - to find a male,” explained the researcher from the University of Cambridge.

2 years ago·Portugal

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