A Single Nucleotide Variant in the PPARγ-homolog Eip75B Affects Fecundity in Drosophila.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms are the most common type of genetic variation, but how these variants contribute to the adaptation of complex phenotypes is largely unknown. Experimental evolution and genome-wide association studies have demonstrated that variation in the PPARγ-homolog Eip75B has associated with longevity and life-history differences in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Using RNAi knockdown, we first demonstrate that reduced expression of Eip75B in adult flies affects lifespan, egg-laying rate, and egg volume.

Natural alleles at the locus underpin evolutionary changes in lifespan and fecundity.

'Evolve and resequence' (E&R) studies in have identified many candidate loci underlying the evolution of ageing and life history, but experiments that validate the effects of such candidates remain rare. In a recent E&R study we have identified several alleles of the LAMMER kinase () as candidates for evolutionary changes in lifespan and fecundity. Here, we use two complementary approaches to confirm a functional role of in life-history evolution.