QTLs and candidate genes for behaviour in natural populations
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
Variation in mating behaviour is responsible for sexual selection, gene flow and speciation in natural populations, but is amongst the most difficult traits to study at a genetic level. Numerous genes influencing behaviour have been identified in organisms such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster but there are very few studies of how important allelic variation at these genes is to variation in natural populations. We will take advantage of new techniques in genome information, genetic scoring and statistical approaches to detecting genes in natural populations to examine the genomic location of genes influencing variation in ecologically important behavioural traits in the Arctic fly species Drosophila montana. We will examine genes identified in the laboratory as influencing these traits in D melanogaster as well as random background genes. We will produce semi-natural populations of D montana from two different natural populations (from Finland and Canada) and test whether allelic variation in genes is co-inherited with male song and female song preferences. The results will identify genes influencing these traits in natural populations and tell us if these genes are conserved between populations and between different species. The results are important because they allow us to determine whether the function of genes is conserved across species, which has important implications for our understanding of gene function and behaviour, which are very poorly studied in natural populations.
Organisations
Publications
Marie Curie SPECIATION Network
(2012)
What do we need to know about speciation?
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Mo WZ
(2022)
Divergence and correlated evolution of male wing spot and courtship display between Drosophila nepalensis and D. trilutea.
in Insect science
Parker D
(2018)
Inter and Intraspecific Genomic Divergence in Drosophila montana Shows Evidence for Cold Adaptation
in Genome Biology and Evolution
Ritchie M
(2012)
Social Behaviour - Genes, Ecology and Evolution
Ritchie M
(2008)
Behavioural Genetics: The Social Fly
in Current Biology
Schäfer MA
(2011)
Multiple quantitative trait loci influence intra-specific variation in genital morphology between phylogenetically distinct lines of Drosophila montana.
in Journal of evolutionary biology
Schäfer MA
(2010)
A microsatellite linkage map for Drosophila montana shows large variation in recombination rates, and a courtship song trait maps to an area of low recombination.
in Journal of evolutionary biology
Smith G
(2012)
Model-based comparisons of phylogeographic scenarios resolve the intraspecific divergence of cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis.
in Molecular ecology