From owner-dros@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk Sat Feb 23 14:48:35 2002 Return-Path: Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id A39B217A6E for ; Sat, 23 Feb 2002 14:48:33 +0000 (GMT) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id E30D417B0C for ; Sat, 23 Feb 2002 14:48:29 +0000 (GMT) Received: by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix, from userid 6020) id 4010C17ACB; Sat, 23 Feb 2002 14:48:21 +0000 (GMT) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id C7EA617A79 for ; Fri, 22 Feb 2002 17:59:10 +0000 (GMT) Received: by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix, from userid 60001) id 9E64417A8E; Fri, 22 Feb 2002 17:59:03 +0000 (GMT) To: bionet-drosophila@net.bio.net From: rushton@biology.utah.edu (Emma Rushton) Newsgroups: bionet.drosophila Subject: runny fly food Organization: BIOSCI/MRC Human Genome Mapping Project Resource Centre Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" X-Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix) with ESMTP id 94CE117A79 for ; Fri, 22 Feb 2002 17:58:59 +0000 (GMT) X-Received: from biology.utah.edu (biology.utah.edu [128.110.194.71]) by mercury.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk (Postfix) with SMTP id E6A4B17AE5 for ; Fri, 22 Feb 2002 17:58:50 +0000 (GMT) X-Received: from [155.99.169.34] by biology.utah.edu with ESMTP for dros@net.bio.net; Fri, 22 Feb 2002 11:00:58 -0700 X-To: dros@net.bio.net Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 14:48:21 +0000 (GMT) X-Spam-Status: No, hits=1.8 required=5.0 tests=NO_MX_FOR_FROM version=2.01 Sender: owner-dros@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Hi all, I wonder if anyone can help me with a problem we are having with our fly food. There are three phenotypes, not necessarily related. One is that the food separates somewhat after pouring. There is a rather clear agar layer over the cornmeal layer. Another is that if you stick your finder in the tube, the food is not very firm - you can easily mash it. These two phenotypes were improved but not cured when I asked the technicians to autoclave the agar before adding it to the cornmeal mixture (to ensure the agar got boiled). The third problem, and the one that really upsets everyone is that after larvae start working the food, the top layer turns to liquid. You cannot transfer the adults safely because the food comes pouring out as well. For the time being we are adding tissues to important tubes, but we need a solution to the problem. Since autoclaving the agar, the food doesn't appear separated, but the food still becomes liquid when larvae start eating it. We've had at least the last part of the problem for about 2 months, and the technicians swear that nothing changed about the way they do things. We use a steam kettle and a 100-hole pull handle dispenser. The recipe is cornmeal/cornsyrup/malt/yeast/agar recipe. We will be exceedingly grateful for any help. Please email your answers to rushton@biology.utah.edu. Thanks! Emma -- - Emma Rushton, Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South, 1400 East Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0840 (801) 585-1926 (office) (801) 585-9425 (lab) (801) 581-4668 (fax) rushton@biology.utah.edu --- .