Automated Phenotyping Indicates Pupal Size in Drosophila Is a Highly Heritable Trait with an Apparent Polygenic Basis.

ABSTRACT: The intense focus on studying human height has done more than any other genetic analysis to advance our understanding of the heritability of highly complex phenotypes. Here, we describe in detail the properties of a previously unexplored trait in Drosophila melanogaster that shares many salient properties with human height. The total length of the pupal case varies between 2.8 and 3.9 mm among natural variants, and we report that it is among the most heritable traits reported in this species. We have developed a simple semiautomatic phenotyping system with which a single operator can reliably score >5000 individuals in a day. The precision of the automated system is 0.042 mm (± 0.030 SD). All phenotyped individuals are available to be mated in subsequent generations or uniquely arch

SUBMITTER: Reeves RG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386876 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature