How consistent are the transcriptome changes associated with cold acclimation in two species of the Drosophila virilis group?

ABSTRACT: For many organisms the ability to cold acclimate with the onset of seasonal cold has major implications for their fitness. In insects, where this ability is widespread, the physiological changes associated with increased cold tolerance have been well studied. Despite this, little work has been done to trace changes in gene expression during cold acclimation that lead to an increase in cold tolerance. We used an RNA-Seq approach to investigate this in two species of the Drosophila virilis group. We found that the majority of genes that are differentially expressed during cold acclimation differ between the two species. Despite this, the biological processes associated with the differentially expressed genes were broadly similar in the two species. These included: metabolism, cell membrane c

SUBMITTER: Parker DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4815502 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature