Adaptation of Drosophila melanogaster to increased NaCl concentration due to dominant beneficial mutations.
New beneficial mutations, combined with selection, were responsible for quick adaptation of Drosophila melanogaster to a novel environment. Using a highly inbred homozygous stock of D. melanogaster, we observed that in thirty generations the original stock had evolved to resist a previously toxic level of dietary salt (NaCl) and to produce a significantly higher number of progeny when reared in elevated salt concentrations. Survival in higher salt-stressed environments was due to new dominant genetic changes on the second and third chromosomes.
Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA.
Mingcai
M
Zhang
Priti
P
Azad
R C
RC
Woodruff
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D017849:Animals, Inbred Strains; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D006720:Homozygote; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary