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Selection for pupation height in Drosophila melanogaster
L Garcia-Florez1, P Casares, C Carracedo
1Departamento de Genetica, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain.
Genetica
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Selection for high and low pupation height in fruit flies (D. melanogaster) showed rapid results. This study marks the first successful selection for low pupation sites, indicating genetic influence on this trait.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Quantitative genetics
Background:
- Pupation height is a measurable trait in Drosophila melanogaster.
- Understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic traits is crucial in evolutionary studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic basis of pupation height in Drosophila melanogaster through divergent directional selection.
- To determine the realized heritability and dominance effects for pupation height.
Main Methods:
- Divergent directional selection for high and low pupation height in D. melanogaster.
- Reciprocal crosses between selected lines.
- Measurement of pupation height under controlled environmental conditions.
Main Results:
- Rapid response to selection in both high and low pupation height lines.
- First-time successful selection for low pupation sites.
- Realized heritabilities of 18% (high) and 13% (low).
- Little to no dominance observed for low pupation sites in reciprocal crosses.
Conclusions:
- Pupation height in D. melanogaster is a heritable trait amenable to artificial selection.
- Environmental factors must be strictly controlled when assessing pupation height.
- Further research can explore the genetic architecture underlying pupation site selection.