Quantitative genetic analyses of complex behaviours in Drosophila

摘要: Behaviours are exceptionally complex quantitative traits. Sensitivity to environmental variation and genetic background, the presence of sexual dimorphism, widespread functional pleiotropy that is inherent in behavioural phenotypes pose daunting challenges for unravelling their underlying genetics. Drosophila melanogaster provides an attractive system elucidating unifying principles architectures drive behaviours, as genetically identical individuals can be reared rapidly controlled environments extensive publicly accessible resources available. Recent advances genomic approaches now enable characterization networks mediate behaviours this important model organism. PLEIOTROPY The phenomenon which a single gene responsible several different phenotypic effects.