The influence of developmental diet on reproduction and metabolism in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The adaptive significance of phenotypic changes elicited by environmental conditions experienced early in life has long attracted attention in evolutionary biology. In this study, we used Drosophila melanogaster to test whether the developmental diet produces phenotypes better adapted to cope with similar nutritional conditions later in life. To discriminate among competing hypotheses on the underlying nature of developmental plasticity, we employed a full factorial design with several developmental and adult diets. Specifically, we examined the effects of early- and late-life diets (by varying their yeast and sugar contents) on reproductive fitness and on the amount of energy reserves (fat and glycogen) in two wild-caught populations.

Results

We found that indivi

SUBMITTER: Klepsatel P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7392729 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature