Genetic differentiation of island populations: geographical barrier or a host switch?

Genetic Diversity and Demographic History in the Cactophilic Drosophila repleta Species Group (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in North America Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Barcodes

Genetic diversity in mitochondrial DNA barcodes, comprising a segment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, was used to infer demographic histories in selected taxa of the cactophilic Drosophila repleta species group in North America. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities were determined in 16 taxa based on both previously published and new sequences. Haplotype diversity (h) differed dramatically in different taxa, varying from h = 0 in Drosophila eremophila, Drosophila hexastigma, and Drosophila bifurca to h = 0.99 in Drosophila hamatofila. Genetic diversity indices and sample sizes were sufficient to infer demographic histories from mismatch distribution analysis and Bayesian skyline plots for 9 taxa: Drosophila mojavensis baja, Drosophila mojavensis sonorensis, Drosophila arizonae, Drosophila aldrichi, D. hamatofila, Drosophila spenceri, Drosophila mainlandi, Drosophila mettleri, and Drosophila nigrospiracula. Evidence was found for both population expansions and relatively stable populations in these species. Demographic history varied dramatically in subspecies of D. mojavensis, showing a relatively stable population size over time in D. m. sonorensis from the mainland Sonoran Desert whereas a large population expansion was evident in D. m. baja from the Baja California Peninsula, providing support for the hypothesis that the split of sister species D. mojavensis and D. arizonae from a common ancestor occurred on the mainland rather than the peninsula as proposed by others. No evidence was found for a causal relationship between a stable or expanding population and host plant shifts from prickly-pear cactus to columnar cacti, which has occurred independently in many taxa of the repleta group.

Preadult life history variation determines adult transcriptome expression

Preadult determinants of adult fitness and behaviour have been documented in a variety of organisms with complex life cycles, but little is known about expression patterns of genes underlying these adult traits. We explored the effects of differences in egg-to-adult development time on adult transcriptome and cuticular hydrocarbon variation in order to understand the nature of the genetic correlation between preadult development time and premating isolation between populations of Drosophila mojavensis reared in different host cactus environments. Transcriptome variation was analysed separately in flies reared on each host and revealed that hundreds of genes in adults were differentially expressed (FDR P < 0.05) due to development time differences. For flies reared on pitaya agria cactus, longer preadult development times caused increased expression of genes in adults enriched for ribosome production, protein metabolism, chromatin remodelling and regulation of alternate splicing and transcription. Baja California flies reared on organ pipe cactus showed fewer differentially expressed genes in adults due to longer preadult development time, but these were enriched for ATP synthesis and the TCA cycle. Mainland flies reared on organ pipe cactus with shorter development times showed increased transcription of genes enriched for mitochondria and energy production, protein synthesis and glucose metabolism: adults with longer development times had increased expression of genes enriched for adult life span, cuticle proteins and ion binding, although most differentially expressed genes were unannotated. Differences due to population, sex, mating status and their interactions were also assessed. Adult cuticular hydrocarbon profiles also showed shifts due to egg-to-adult development time and were influenced by population and mating status. These results help to explain why preadult life history variation determines subsequent expression of the adult transcriptome along with traits involved with reproductive isolation and revealed previously undocumented connections between genetic and environmental influences over the entire life cycle in this desert insect.

Characterization of Volatiles of Necrotic Stenocereus thurberi and Opuntia littoralis and Toxicity and Olfactory Preference of Drosophila melanogster, D. mojavensis wrigleyi, and D. mojavensis sonorensis to Necrotic Cactus Volatiles

Drosophila mojavensis wrigleyi and D. mojavensis sonorensis are geographically separated races of cactophilic fruit flies. D. mojavensis sonorensis inhabits the Sonoran Desert and utilizes necrotic rots of Stenocereus thurberi Engelm. as a food source and to oviposit while D. mojavensis wrigleyi inhabits Santa Catalina Island, California and utilizes the necrotic rots of Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.) Cockerell. The objectives of this study were to determine the volatile compositions of the necrotic cacti and to determine if the volatile components show either selective toxicity or attraction toward the fruit flies. The volatile chemical compositions of field-rot specimens of both necrotic cacti were obtained by dynamic headspace (purge-and-trap) and hydrodistillation techniques and analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. The volatile fraction of necrotic S. thurberi early rot was dominated by carboxylic acids (84.8%) and the late rot by p-cresol (32.6% in the dynamic headspace sample and 55.9% in the hydrodistilled sample). O. littoralis volatiles were dominated by carboxylic acids (86% in the dynamic headspace sample and 89.1% in the hydrodistilled sample). Fifteen compounds that were identified in the necrotic rot volatiles were used to test insecticidal activity and olfactory preference on the cactophilic Drosophila species, as well as D. melanogaster. Differences in toxicity and olfactory preference were observed between the different taxa. Both races of D. mojavensis exhibited toxicity to benzaldehyde and 2-nonanone, while butanoic acid and palmitic acid were tolerated at high concentrations. D. m. wrigleyi demonstrated a greater olfactory preference for anisole, butanoic acid, 2-heptanone, and palmitic acid than did D. m. sonorensis, while D. m. sonorensis demonstrated a greater preference for hexadecane, octanoic acid, and oleic acid than did D. m. wrigleyi.