Multiple paths to cold tolerance: the role of environmental cues, morphological traits and the circadian clock gene vrille.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tracing the association between insect cold tolerance and latitudinally and locally varying environmental conditions, as well as key morphological traits and molecular mechanisms, is essential for understanding the processes involved in adaptation. We explored these issues in two closely-related species, Drosophila montana and Drosophila flavomontana, originating from diverse climatic locations across several latitudes on the coastal and mountainous regions of North America. We also investigated the association between sequence variation in one of the key circadian clock genes, vrille, and cold tolerance in both species. Finally, we studied the impact of vrille on fly cold tolerance and cold acclimation ability by silencing it with RNA interference in D. montana.

Resu

SUBMITTER: Poikela N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8191109 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature