Are you related to a fly?

You have a gene that can make flies grow wings. A particular fruit fly has a mutation in the gene for wing development. As a result, it has no wings. Scientists have found that there is a similar human gene to the fly gene required for wing growth. Amazingly, when they put this human gene into a growing mutant fly, the fly grew completely normal wings. Scientists believe that in humans this gene is involved in the growth of arms and legs.

A fruit fly missing a gene for wing development (above). A fruit fly with the missing wing gene replaced by a human gene (below). The fly has grown completely normal wings! Diego Rincon-Limas and Juan Botas, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas