Fruit flies are known for their sweet tooth, but new research also indicates they may offer hints to how animals sense — and avoid — high concentrations of salt. Using mutant fruit flies, zoologists have identified a new high-salt receptor on the tongue of Drosophila — receptor IR7c. IR7c governs the insects’ ability to detect dangerously high concentrations of salt, typically over 0.25 moles per liter, or about half as salty as sea water.
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements