Rapid genomic changes in Drosophila melanogaster adapting to desiccation stress in an experimental evolution system.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Experimental evolution studies, coupled with whole genome resequencing and advances in bioinformatics, have become a powerful tool for exploring how populations respond to selection at the genome-wide level, complementary to genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and linkage mapping experiments as strategies to connect genotype and phenotype. In this experiment, we analyzed genomes of Drosophila melanogaster from lines evolving under long-term directional selection for increased desiccation resistance in comparison with control (no-selection) lines.

Results

We demonstrate that adaptive responses to desiccation stress have exerted extensive footprints on the genomes, manifested through a high degree of fixation of alleles in surrounding neighborhoods of eroded het

SUBMITTER: Kang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4791783 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature