Phenotypic Plasticity of the Drosophila Transcriptome

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002593
• Publication Date: 2012-03-29T20:51:05Z
• Authors: Shanshan Zhou; Terry G. Campbell; Eric A. Stone; Trudy F. C. Mackay; Robert R. H. Anholt
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 572; Genome, Insect; QH426-470; 12. Responsible consumption; 03 medical and health sciences; Drosophila melanogaster; Phenotype; Gene Expression Regulation; Genetics; Animals; Cluster Analysis; Gene-Environment Interaction; Genetic Fitness; Transcriptome; Research Article

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of a single genotype to produce different phenotypes in response changing environments. We assessed variation genome-wide gene expression and four fitness-related an outbred Drosophila melanogaster population under 20 physiological, social, nutritional, chemical, physical environments; we compared phenotypically plastic transcripts genetically variable environment. The environmentally sensitive transcriptome consists two transcript categories, which comprise ∼15% expressed transcripts. Class I are associated with detoxification, metabolism, proteolysis, heat shock proteins, transcriptional regulation. II have low genetic variance show sexually dimorphic enriched for reproductive functions. Clustering analysis reveals fragmented modular organization distinct responsive signatures traits. Our suggests that restricted segment preserves balance between phenotypic environmental canalization.