HEИндивидуална стипендия2023–2025

GeEpiAdaptation · Identifying genetic and epigenetic changes underlying adaptation in the invasive species Drosophila suzukii

„Хоризонт Европа“ — Действия „Мария Склодовска-Кюри“

Период: 2023-02-01 → 2025-01-31
Финансиране от ЕС: 206 277 €
Участници: 1
Схема: HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF

Линиите свързват координатора с партньорите.

Накратко на български

Генетичните и епигенетичните промени при мухата Drosophila suzukii показват как този вид се адаптира към нови температури и храна. Разбирането на тези механизми помага да се разберат процесите зад биологичните инвазии, които застрашават биоразнообразието и вредят на земеделието.

Този кратък обзор е генериран от изкуствен интелект

Кратко обяснение, генерирано от езиков модел по текста на CORDIS. Оригиналът е по-долу.

Резултати накратко

Identifying genetic and epigenetic changes underlying adaptation in the invasive species Drosophila suzukii

Adaptation is a critical process for the success of biological invasions. These invasions occur when species are introduced to new environments outside their native range and establish themselves permanently. Invasive species can threaten biodiversity and cause economic damage, making it essential to understand the ecological and evolutionary processes behind invasions. A prominent example of invasive species is Drosophila suzukii, a fruit fly pest that damages fruit crops by laying eggs in unripe fruits. Native to Southeast Asia, it has rapidly invaded North America and Europe, demonstrating impressive adaptability. D. suzukii is thus an excellent model for studying the mechanisms underlying adaptation during invasions. Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype to express different phenotypes depending on environmental conditions, is thought to facilitate invasions, especially when genetic variation is low. In D. suzukii, phenotypic plasticity has been studied mainly concerning adaptation to new environmental conditions like temperature changes and nutritional sources. However, little is known about the genetic and epigenetic modifications driving these adaptations. Recent studies have identified candidate genomic regions related to adaptation, with evidence suggesting transposable elements (TEs) may contribute to rapid adaptation by altering gene structure and expression. Also, tolerance to oxidative stress is linked to longer lifespan, which may be under selection during invasions. Epigenetic modifications, such as histone changes, can also promote gene expression changes and TE activation. Oxidative stress is known to induce such modifications, and there is evidence suggesting transgenerational epigenetic inheritance may contribute to adaptation. This project aims to uncover the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying adaptation in D. suzukii through two specific objectives: 1. Functional validation of candidate genes and TEs: - Use CRISPR/Cas technology to delete candidate genes and TEs in natural D. suzukii populations. - Establish causal links between these regions and their fitness effects. 2. Transgenerational epigenetic effects of oxidative stress: - Assess whether oxidative stress induces epigenetic changes passed to subsequent generations. - Analyze these effects at both the molecular (transcriptomic) and organismal (phenotypic) levels. - Investigate whether TEs are enriched for these epigenetic modifications. This comprehensive study will provide valuable insights into the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms promoting the successful adaptation of D. suzukii to new environments. The findings could inform new strategies for controlling invasive species.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз

Цел на проекта

In the last few decades, problems related to the colonization of invasive species have become increasingly important at a global scale. Biological invasions are not only a threat to the environment but also have an important impact in economy. Thus, in order to manage and control invasive species, it is of crucial importance to understand the ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie successful invasive processes. In this project, I propose to investigate the genetic and epigenetic changes underlying adaptation in the destructive crop pest Drosophila suzukii. D. suzukii uses a sclerotized ovipositor to pierce the skin of unripe fruits causing dramatic losses to the fruit industry. It has spread from South East Asia to Europe and North America in only ten years, evidencing its invasive success.In the proposed work, I will first validate experimentally the function of candidate genomic regions related with the invasive success of D. suzukii using the state-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas technology. As such I will expand the knowledge of the genetic basis of the invasion process of this species. Besides, technical improvements of the use of CRISPR/Cas can be of future application in programs dedication to the biological prevention of this pest. Second, D. suzukii, as an invasive species, has to face with different oxidative agents when colonizing new environments such as the use of different herbicides or changes in UV exposure. In this work, I will identify for the first time the transgenerational epigenetic modifications induced after oxidative stress in native and invasive natural populations. I will also study whether those epigenetic modifications have any molecular or fitness effects and their possible association with invasive success. Overall, I expect these results to provide new insights into the prediction of the invasive potential in natural populations.

Оригинален текст от CORDIS (на английски).

Участници

UNIVERSITE LYON 1 CLAUDE BERNARD · Villeurbanne CedexКоординаторФранция