Why fruit flies eat practically anything

Researchers uncover why some organisms can eat anything -- 'generalists -- and others have strict diets -- 'specialists'. Using different Drosophila species the team found that diversity in diet stems from the flexible response to carbohydrates regulated by the TGF-?/Activin signaling pathway. Specialists accumulated metabolites under high carbohydrate conditions, culminating in reduced adaptation, while generalists do not.