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Environmental and genetical contributions to class difference: a model experiment.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|February 13, 1970
Summary
Selective breeding in flies demonstrated that 42% of the variation in bristle number between groups was due to genetic factors. This highlights the significant role of heredity in quantitative trait evolution.
Area of Science:
- * Evolutionary biology
- * Quantitative genetics
- * Animal breeding
Background:
- * Understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variation is crucial in evolutionary studies.
- * Quantitative traits, like bristle number in flies, are influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the heritability of bristle number in flies under controlled environmental conditions.
- * To quantify the genetic component contributing to differences between selected fly populations.
Main Methods:
- * Flies were categorized into two groups based on bristle count.
- * Groups were subjected to differing temperature environments across nine generations.
- * Offspring were selectively bred, either remaining in their parental group or transferred based on bristle number.
Main Results:
- * After nine generations, 42% of the difference in bristle number between the two groups was attributed to genetic factors.
- * A significant portion of the variation within each group's bristle count was identified as genetic phenomena.
Conclusions:
- * Genetic variation plays a substantial role in the divergence of quantitative traits like bristle number.
- * Selective breeding combined with environmental manipulation can effectively reveal the genetic architecture of complex traits.