利用黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）研究微量金属元素代谢

微量金属参与了生物体许多化学反应过程，同时也可作为蛋白质的辅基或辅因子起作用，对机体生长发育以及正常生物功能的维持具有重要作用；微量金属元素的代谢失衡与生物体许多疾病密切相关，如威尔森氏病、门克斯病、铁色素沉积、肠变性皮炎以及一些神经退行性疾病。黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）是遗传背景清楚、生活周期短、操作方便的模式生物，利用果蝇研究金属离子代谢以及金属离子代谢与疾病的联系具有独特的优势，近年来，随着果蝇基因组测序的完成以及许多转基因果蝇株的建立，果蝇也越来越多的用于金属离子代谢的研究。介绍了近年来果蝇在金属离子代谢研究领域的进展，以及其与神经退行性疾病关系研究上的一些应用。

Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to study the trace metal homeostasis

Trace metal elements, as the co-factors for enzymes, are involved in numerous biological processes, and play structural roles in many proteins. Dyshomeostasis of metals may result human diseases, such as Wilson＇s disease, Menkes disease, Haemochromatosis, Acrodermatitis enteropathica, and likely some neurodegenerative diseases. Drosophila rnelanogaster is a well established model organism, which is widely used in various areas ofbiological research, and is fast adopted as a new platform for metal studies. Here we reviewed the progress of using Drosophila in metal research, including metal metabolism and its relevance to neurodegenerative diseases.