Genome-Wide Analysis of Starvation-Selected Drosophila melanogaster-A Genetic Model of Obesity.

ABSTRACT: Experimental evolution affords the opportunity to investigate adaptation to stressful environments. Studies combining experimental evolution with whole-genome resequencing have provided insight into the dynamics of adaptation and a new tool to uncover genes associated with polygenic traits. Here, we selected for starvation resistance in populations of Drosophila melanogaster for over 80 generations. In response, the starvation-selected lines developed an obese condition, storing nearly twice the level of total lipids than their unselected controls. Although these fats provide a ∼3-fold increase in starvation resistance, the imbalance in lipid homeostasis incurs evolutionary cost. Some of these tradeoffs resemble obesity-associated pathologies in mammals including metabolic depression, low

SUBMITTER: Hardy CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5850753 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature