果蝇原产于热带或亚热带地区，但目前世界上许多地区都能发现它们的踪影。奥地利一项最新研究发现，果蝇身上携带的一种基因或许是它们能够适应不同温度环境的原因。
奥地利维也纳兽医大学群体遗传学研究所所长克里斯蒂安施洛特雷尔领导的研究小组27日发表公报说，果蝇种类繁多，它们生存的空间早已不局限于热带或亚热带地区，而是能够适应欧洲、亚洲等相对凉爽的气候环境。研究人员发现，果蝇携带一种名为crm的基因，这种基因制造的crm蛋白质能够调节果蝇体内的其他基因，提高果蝇在不同环境中的生存能力。这一研究结果发表在新一期美国《科学公共图书馆遗传卷》杂志上。
原文出处：
PLoS Genetics, 2011; 7 (1): e1001280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001280
Segregating Variation in the Polycomb Group Gene cramped Alters the Effect of Temperature on Multiple Traits
Jean-Michel Gibert, François Karch, Christian Schlötterer
Abstract
The phenotypeproduced by a given genotype can be strongly modulated by environmentalconditions. Therefore, natural populations continuously adapt to environment heterogeneity to maintain optimal phenotypes.It generates a high genetic variation in environment-sensitive gene networks, which is thought to facilitate evolution. Here we analyze the chromatin regulator crm, identified as a candidate for adaptation of Drosophila melanogaster to northern latitudes. We show that crm contributes to environmental canalization. In particular, crm modulates the effect of temperature on a genomic region encoding Hedgehog and Wingless signaling effectors. crm affects this region through both constitutive heterochromatin and Polycomb silencing. Furthermore, we show that crm European and African natural variants shift the reaction norms of plastic traits. Interestingly, traits modulated by crm natural variants can differ markedly between Drosophila species, suggesting thattemperature adaptation facilitates their evolution.
