Author Spotlight: PGC Cryopreservation – An Alternative Approach Towards Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains

Drosophila strain must be maintained by the frequent transfer of adult flies to new vials. This creates a danger of mutational deterioration and genetic changes. We aim to develop an alternative method for the long-term preservation of Drosophila strains without such changes.

Compare with in vivo editing, genome editing of primordial germ cells, or PGCs, could increase knock-in inefficiency and make more complicated genomic changes. Thus, a wide application of PGC manipulation facilitates genetic engineering in many fields. We now focus on xenotransplantation.

By using Drosophila melanogaster as a surrogate host, we have succeeded in reviving stock of cell species in the melanogaster species subgroup. By addressing xenotransplantation barriers and finding possible solutions, we would like to explore the potential application of PGC transplantation and cryopreservation.