Project description:The dietary specialist fruit fly Drosophila sechellia evolved to feed primarily on the toxic fruit of Morinda citrifolia. Seeking the basis of adaptations to the unique chemistry of its host plant, we profiled genome-wide gene expression response to L-DOPA because it is highly abundant in M. citrifolia, critical for reproductive success of D. sechellia, and may influence toxin resistance in this species. Here we used a combination of functional genetics and genomics to identify a new gene, Esterase 6 (Est6) that is important for D. sechellia ecological adaptation to this new niche.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of 3 day old virgin male and female adults comparing control male Drosophila melanogaster (MDM) versus male D sechellia (MDS) and comparing control female Drosophila melanogaster (FDM) versus female D sechellia (FDS). Goal was to determine why D sechellia is tolerant to octanoïc acid, the major toxic compound of Morinda citrifolia fruit
Project description:Here we show that Drosophila sechelliaM-bM-^@M-^Ta specialist on the fruit of Morinda citrifolia that recently diverged from its generalist sister-species, D. simulansM-bM-^@M-^Thas rapidly accumulated loss-of-function alleles and reduced gene expression at genes affecting olfaction, detoxification, and metabolism. While D. sechellia increases expression of genes involved with oogenesis and fatty acid metabolism when on its host, many more genes show reduced expression in D. sechellia. For several functionally related genes, this decrease in expression is associated with loss-of-function alleles. The rapid accumulation of these alleles potentially affected D. sechelliaM-bM-^@M-^Ys initial adaptation to M. citrifolia, likely contributes to D. sechelliaM-bM-^@M-^Ys poor competitive ability off of its host, and increases ecological isolation between D. sechellia and its sister species. Keywords: comparative hybridization, gene expression 2 species (simulans and sechella) by choice vs no-choice treatment for octanoic & hexanoic acid blend
