Phenotypic plasticity explains apparent reverse evolution of fat synthesis in parasitic wasps.

ABSTRACT: Numerous cases of evolutionary trait loss and regain have been reported over the years. Here, we argue that such reverse evolution can also become apparent when trait expression is plastic in response to the environment. We tested this idea for the loss and regain of fat synthesis in parasitic wasps. We first show experimentally that the wasp Leptopilina heterotoma switches lipogenesis on in a fat-poor environment, and completely off in a fat-rich environment. Plasticity suggests that this species did not regain fat synthesis, but that it can be switched off in some environmental settings. We then compared DNA sequence variation and protein domains of several more distantly related parasitoid species thought to have lost lipogenesis, and found no evidence for non-functionality of key lipog

SUBMITTER: Visser B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8032832 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature