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Genomics analysis of Drosophila sechellia response to Morinda citrifolia fruit diet

ABSTRACT: Drosophila sechellia is an island endemic host specialist that has evolved to consume the toxic fruit of Morinda citrifolia, also known as noni fruit. Recent studies by our group and others have examined genome-wide gene expression responses of fruit flies to individual highly abundant compounds found in noni responsible for the fruit’s unique chemistry and toxicity. In order to relate these reductionist experiments to the gene expression responses to feeding on noni fruit itself, we fed rotten noni fruit to adult female D. sechellia and performed RNA-sequencing. Combining the reductionist and more wholistic approaches, we have identified candidate genes that may contribute to each individual compound and those that play a more general role in response to the fruit as a whole. Using the compound specific and general responses, we used transcription factor prediction analyses to identify the regulatory networks and specific regulators involved in the responses to each compound and the fruit itself. The identified genes and regulators represent the possible genetic mechanisms and biochemical pathways that contribute to toxin resistance and noni specialization in D. sechellia.

ORGANISM(S): Drosophila sechellia

PROVIDER: GSE205467 | GEO | 2022/06/08

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The underlying genetic basis of adaptive phenotypic changes are generally poorly understood, yet a growing number of case studies are beginning to shed light on important questions about the molecular nature and pleiotropy of such changes. We use Drosophila sechellia, a dietary specialist fruit fly that has evolved to specialize on a single toxic host plant: Morinda citrifolia, as a model for adaptive phenotypic change and seek to determine the genetic basis of traits associated with host specialization in this species. The fruit of M. citrifolia is toxic to other Drosophilids, primarily due to high levels of the defense chemical octanoic acid (OA) yet D. sechellia has evolved resistance to OA. Our prior work identified three Osiris family genes that reside in a fine-mapped QTL for OA resistance: Osiris 6 (Osi6), Osi7, and Osi8, that can alter OA resistance in adult D. melanogaster when knocked-down with RNA interference (RNAi) suggesting they may contribute to OA resistance in D. sechellia. Genetic mapping identified overlapping genomic regions involved in larval and adult OA resistance in D. sechellia, yet it remains unknown whether Osiris genes contribute to resistance in both life stages. Furthermore, because multiple genomic regions contribute to OA resistance, we aim to identify other gene(s) involved in this adaptation. Here, we identify candidate larval OA resistance genes using RNA-sequencing to measure genome-wide differential gene expression in D. sechellia larvae after exposure to OA and functionally test identified genes for a role in OA resistance. We then test the Osiris genes previously shown to alter adult OA resistance for effects on OA resistance in larvae. While the genes identified by RNA-seq we tested in larvae thus far do not influence OA resistance, we found that Osi8 knockdown decreased OA resistance in D. melanogaster larvae. These data suggest that evolved changes in Osi8 could impact OA resistance in multiple life stages while Osi6 and Osi7 may only impact adult resistance to OA.

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Genomics analysis of Drosophila sechellia response to Morinda citrifolia fruit diet

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