The Role of chromosomal rearrangements in adaptation in Drosophila americana

摘要: Natural environments expose organisms to multifarious selective pressures involving numerous aspects of the overall phenotype, therefore eliciting a response from multiple correlated loci. It has been hypothesized that chromosomal rearrangements play role facilitating local adaptation by establishing new linkage relationships and modifying recombination patterns between different forms, allowing coordinated several The central aim my work is test this hypothesis using Drosophila americana as model system. This species segregates inversions an X-4 centromeric fusion which makes it excellent study on adaptation. I tested approaches. determined geographic distribution through sampling wild populations broad range. found exhibit clinal variation. Furthermore, many these are in disequilibrium (LD) with each other. highly associated X 4 chromosome. Also, two chromosome 5 strong negative LD. studied sequence variation inbred lines. results show inversion strongly influence Regions significant population differentiation interspersed loci showing neutral indicating spite recombination, allelic associations maintained also extended analysis flies directly collected assessing RFLP throughout long distance LD among both chromosomes, regions not pattern.