Regulation of gene expression and RNA editing in Drosophila adapting to divergent microclimates

Nat Commun. 2017 Nov 17;8(1):1570. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01658-2.

Abstract

Determining the mechanisms by which a species adapts to its environment is a key endeavor in the study of evolution. In particular, relatively little is known about how transcriptional processes are fine-tuned to adjust to different environmental conditions. Here we study Drosophila melanogaster from 'Evolution Canyon' in Israel, which consists of two opposing slopes with divergent microclimates. We identify several hundred differentially expressed genes and dozens of differentially edited sites between flies from each slope, correlate these changes with genetic differences, and use CRISPR mutagenesis to validate that an intronic SNP in prominin regulates its editing levels. We also demonstrate that while temperature affects editing levels at more sites than genetic differences, genetically regulated sites tend to be less affected by temperature. This work shows the extent to which gene expression and RNA editing differ between flies from different microclimates, and provides insights into the regulation responsible for these differences.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • AC133 Antigen / genetics*
  • Adaptation, Physiological / genetics*
  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / genetics*
  • Genome / genetics
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
  • Microclimate
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • RNA Editing / genetics*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • AC133 Antigen
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • Flfl protein, Drosophila
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases