An inversion supergene in Drosophila underpins latitudinal clines in survival traits.

ABSTRACT: Chromosomal inversions often contribute to local adaptation across latitudinal clines, but the underlying selective mechanisms remain poorly understood. We and others have previously shown that a clinal inversion polymorphism in Drosophila melanogaster, In(3R)Payne, underpins body size clines along the North American and Australian east coasts. Here, we ask whether this polymorphism also contributes to clinal variation in other fitness-related traits, namely survival traits (lifespan, survival upon starvation and survival upon cold shock). We generated homokaryon lines, either carrying the inverted or standard chromosomal arrangement, isolated from populations approximating the endpoints of the North American cline (Florida, Maine) and phenotyped the flies at two growth temperatures (18 °C

SUBMITTER: Durmaz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6179442 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature