Evolvability and Constraint in Fly Wings

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

This project uses Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) to investigate how genes interact with one another. Flies will be selectively bred to change specific aspects of the shape of their wings then studied to reveal how the genes responsible for wing shape interact. First, selection to change some wing aspects while constraining others will be conducted. Comparing the constrained and non-constrained populations will allow estimation of genetic pleiotropy (when single genes influence several traits). Second, experiments will transplant genes between fly populations with different wing shapes. Comparing the effects of these transplants will allow us to estimate the genetic epistasis (how the effects of a particular gene depend on other genes present). Finally, the project tests and investigates a new mathematical model of epistasis and it's implications for evolutionary biology. While pleiotropy and epistasis are known to be common, their properties are poorly understood. These experiments will be among the first to carefully investigate the nature and magnitude of these genetic factors. Understanding these factors has the potential to greatly impact all fields studying genetic interactions, including medicine and livestock breeding. The data will be gathered largely by undergraduate students from the ethnically and economically diverse population of Florida State University.