The CApillary FEeder (CAFE) Assay: A Method to Track Food Consumption and Preference in Drosophila
Published: April 30, 2023
Abstract
Source: Diegelmann, S., et al. The CApillary FEeder Assay Measures Food Intake in Drosophila melanogaster. J. Vis. Exp. (2017).
This video describes the CApillary FEeder, or CAFE, assay, a behavioral method that measures food intake and preference of unrestrained fruit flies. The featured protocol shows how to perform the assay with minimal evaporation from the liquid-filled capillaries used to deliver the food and track its intake.
Protocol
This protocol is an excerpt from Diegelmann et al., The CApillary FEeder Assay Measures Food Intake in Drosophila melanogaster, J. Vis. Exp. (2017). 1. Assembly and Performing the CApillary FEeder Assay If fasting is not needed, transfer the experimental flies to the assay by tapping or by blow-pipe. Make sure to include three control vials without flies to quantify evaporation. Carefully remove a pipette tip (2 – 20 µL volume) th…
Representative Results
Figure 1: The Drosophila melanogaster CApillary FEeder Assay. A) The feeding assay with flies. Moistened filter paper provides water at the bottom of the vial. Four capillaries are provided during the experiment (red- and blue-colored food in opposite capillaries). Note that the capillaries are secured in position by a second pipette tip, and unused positions are closed using pipette tips. A…
Materials
| Vials (breeding) | Greiner Bio-One | 960177 | www.greinerbioone.com |
| Vials (CAFE assay) | Greiner Bio-One | 217101 | www.greinerbioone.com |
| Lid-CAFE assay | Workshop | – | – |
| Plastic box, low wall | Plastime | 353 | www.plastime.it |
| Cover for the plastic box | Workshop | – | – |
| Capillaries | BLAUBRAND | REF 7087 07 | www.brand.de |
| Pipette tips | Greiner Bio-One | 771290 | www.greinerbioone.com |
| Filter paper circles | Whatman | 10 311 804 | www.sigmaaldrich.com |
| D(+)-Sucrose | AppliChem | 57-50-1 | www.applichem.com |
| Ethanol absolute | VWR Chemicals | 20,821,330 | www.vwr.com |
| Food color (red, E124) | Backfun | 10027 | www.backfun.de |
| Food color (blue, E133) | Backfun | 10030 | www.backfun.de |
| Soap solution (CVK 8) | CVH | 103220 | www.cvh.de |
| Digital caliper | GARANT | 412,616 | www.hoffmann-group.com |
| Vials (breeding) | Height 9.8 cm, diameter 4.8 cm | ||
| Vials (CAFE assay) | Height 8 cm, diameter 3.3 cm | ||
| Lid-CAFE assay | Produced in university workshop, technical drawing supplied Please click here to download this file. |
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| Plastic box, low wall | A plastic grid inlay was custom-made for 8 x 10 vial positions | ||
| Cover for the plastic box | Dimensions (37 x 29 x 18 cm) | ||
| Capillaries | DIN ISO 7550 norm, IVD-guideline 98/79 EG, ends polished | ||
| Pipette tips | Pipettes for the outer circle are cut according to the lid | ||
| Filter paper circles | 45 mm diameter works nicely if folded for the vials used | ||
| D(+)-Sucrose | Not harmful | ||
| Ethanol absolute | Highly flammable liquid and vapor | ||
| Food color (red, E124) | Not stated | ||
| Food color (blue, E133) | Not stated | ||
| Soap solution (CVK 8) | Odor neutral soap | ||
| Digital caliper | |||
| Standard fly food | (for 20 L) | ||
| Agar | 160 g | ||
| Brewer's Yeast | 299.33 g | ||
| Cornmeal | 1,200 g | ||
| Molasses | 1.6 L | ||
| Propionic acid | 57.3 mL | ||
| Nipagin 30% | 160 mL |
Citer Cet Article
The CApillary FEeder (CAFE) Assay: A Method to Track Food Consumption and Preference in Drosophila. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20115, doi: (2023).