Characterizing the genetic basis of copper toxicity in Drosophila reveals a complex pattern of allelic, regulatory, and behavioral variation.

ABSTRACT: A range of heavy metals are required for normal cell function and homeostasis. However, the anthropogenic release of metal compounds into soil and water sources presents a pervasive health threat. Copper is one of many heavy metals that negatively impacts diverse organisms at a global scale. Using a combination of quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and RNA sequencing in the Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource, we demonstrate that resistance to the toxic effects of ingested copper in D. melanogaster is genetically complex and influenced by allelic and expression variation at multiple loci. QTL mapping identified several QTL that account for a substantial fraction of heritability. Additionally, we find that copper resistance is impacted by variation in behavioral avoidance of copper

SUBMITTER: Everman ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8045719 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature