Relationship between chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA variability of Drosophila subobscura population from the Lazar's river canyon

The genetic structure of Drosophila subobscura population from the Lazar’s River Canyon (Serbia) was studied with respect to restriction site polymorphism of mitochondrial DNA and chromosomal inversion polymorphism. The aim was to shed more light on the role of cytonuclear interactions in shaping mitochondrial DNA variability in this species. Similar to other populations of D. subobscura two main haplotypes (I and II) were found, as well as less common ones that appeared at very low frequencies. The frequency distribution of haplotypes did not depart from neutrality. We did not find statistically significant linkage disequilibrium between the haplotypes belonging to haplogroups I and II and any of the chromosomal arrangements. However, when we compared the data in hereby analyzed population and two previously analyzed populations we observed that haplotype I is more frequent in populations where standard inversion arrangements are less frequent. Pattern of the observed mitochondrial variability could be influenced either directly by environmental variability or through environmentally specific cytonuclear coadaptation.U ovom radu analizirana je genetička varijabilnost restrikcionih mesta mitohondrijalne DNK, kao i varijabilnost inverzionog polimorfizma u populaciji Drosophila subobscura sakupljenoj u kanjonu Lazareve reke. Cilj je bio rasvetljavanje uloge citonuklearnih interakcija u oblikovanju varijabilnosti mitohondrijalne DNK. Utvrđeno je prisustvo dva dominantna haplotipa (I i II) kao i dva haplotipa niske učestalosti. Nije utvrđena statistički značajna neravnoteža vezanosti između haplotipova grupisanih u haplogrupe I i II i nijednog od hromozomskih aranžmana. Međutim, upoređivanjem podataka prethodno analiziranih populacija i populacije analizirane u ovom radu, primećuje se povećanje učestalosti haplotipa I sa smanjenjem učestalosti standardnih hromozomskih aranžmana. Ovakav obrazac ukazuje ili na direktan uticaj sredinskih činilaca na varijabilnost mitohondrijalne DNK ili na sredinski zavisnu citonuklearnu koadaptaciju.Projekat ministarstva br. 17301

Intra-species differentiation among Drosophila subobscura from different habitats in Serbia

Adaptation to different environmental conditions is a natural phenomenon that potentially leads to population subdivision. We surveyed genetic differentiation in inversion polymorphism within populations of Drosophila subobscura sampled in three ecologically different forest communities. The analysis of inversion polymorphism revealed significant differences between some pairs of samples in some gene arrangement frequencies of the A, U, and E chromosomes and some karyotype combination frequencies of the U chromosome, but significant differentiation within populations was not observed. It cannot be decided which evolutionary forces are responsible for the observed variability in inversion polymorphism.Adaptacija na različite sredinske uslove može uticati na diferencijaciju u okviru populacija. U ovom radu analizirana je genetička diferencijacija po inverzionom polimorfizmu u okviru populacija D. subobscura sakupljenih u tri ekološki različita staništa. Utvrđene su značajne razlike u učestalosti pojedinih hromozomskih aranžmana A, U i E hromozoma, i učestalosti pojedinih kombinacija kariotipova U hromozoma, ali nije utvrđena diferencijacija u okviru populacija. Razmatrani su evolutivni faktori koji bi mogli da budu odgovorni za uočenu varijabilnost u inverzionom polimorfizmu.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

Relationship between chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA variability of Drosophila subobscura population from the Lazar's river canyon

The genetic structure of Drosophila subobscura population from the Lazar’s River Canyon (Serbia) was studied with respect to restriction site polymorphism of mitochondrial DNA and chromosomal inversion polymorphism. The aim was to shed more light on the role of cytonuclear interactions in shaping mitochondrial DNA variability in this species. Similar to other populations of D. subobscura two main haplotypes (I and II) were found, as well as less common ones that appeared at very low frequencies. The frequency distribution of haplotypes did not depart from neutrality. We did not find statistically significant linkage disequilibrium between the haplotypes belonging to haplogroups I and II and any of the chromosomal arrangements. However, when we compared the data in hereby analyzed population and two previously analyzed populations we observed that haplotype I is more frequent in populations where standard inversion arrangements are less frequent. Pattern of the observed mitochondrial variability could be influenced either directly by environmental variability or through environmentally specific cytonuclear coadaptation.U ovom radu analizirana je genetička varijabilnost restrikcionih mesta mitohondrijalne DNK, kao i varijabilnost inverzionog polimorfizma u populaciji Drosophila subobscura sakupljenoj u kanjonu Lazareve reke. Cilj je bio rasvetljavanje uloge citonuklearnih interakcija u oblikovanju varijabilnosti mitohondrijalne DNK. Utvrđeno je prisustvo dva dominantna haplotipa (I i II) kao i dva haplotipa niske učestalosti. Nije utvrđena statistički značajna neravnoteža vezanosti između haplotipova grupisanih u haplogrupe I i II i nijednog od hromozomskih aranžmana. Međutim, upoređivanjem podataka prethodno analiziranih populacija i populacije analizirane u ovom radu, primećuje se povećanje učestalosti haplotipa I sa smanjenjem učestalosti standardnih hromozomskih aranžmana. Ovakav obrazac ukazuje ili na direktan uticaj sredinskih činilaca na varijabilnost mitohondrijalne DNK ili na sredinski zavisnu citonuklearnu koadaptaciju.Projekat ministarstva br. 17301

Intra-species differentiation among Drosophila subobscura from different habitats in Serbia

Adaptation to different environmental conditions is a natural phenomenon that potentially leads to population subdivision. We surveyed genetic differentiation in inversion polymorphism within populations of Drosophila subobscura sampled in three ecologically different forest communities. The analysis of inversion polymorphism revealed significant differences between some pairs of samples in some gene arrangement frequencies of the A, U, and E chromosomes and some karyotype combination frequencies of the U chromosome, but significant differentiation within populations was not observed. It cannot be decided which evolutionary forces are responsible for the observed variability in inversion polymorphism.Adaptacija na različite sredinske uslove može uticati na diferencijaciju u okviru populacija. U ovom radu analizirana je genetička diferencijacija po inverzionom polimorfizmu u okviru populacija D. subobscura sakupljenih u tri ekološki različita staništa. Utvrđene su značajne razlike u učestalosti pojedinih hromozomskih aranžmana A, U i E hromozoma, i učestalosti pojedinih kombinacija kariotipova U hromozoma, ali nije utvrđena diferencijacija u okviru populacija. Razmatrani su evolutivni faktori koji bi mogli da budu odgovorni za uočenu varijabilnost u inverzionom polimorfizmu.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

The study of chromosomal inversion polymorphism of Drosophila subobscura over years in two different habitats from mountain Goč

We analyzed changes in the genetic structure of two ecologically distinct populations of Drosophila subobscura by assessing inversion polymorphism parameters for over years. The frequencies of gene arrangements on all five chromosomes show variability in each population. Several chromosomal arrangements appeared for the first time in both populations. Significant difference in the overall distribution of gene arrangements between first and last year of study (1998/2006) in beach wood population of D. subobscura is found for chromosome A (a sex chromosome) and autosomes J and E, while in oak wood population the overall frequency of gene arrangements differ for autosomes J, E and O. The present significant changes of the particular gene arrangements are specific for each population and result in significant differences in comparisons at the level of individual chromosomes between years of study. Although overall heterozygosity remained unchanged over the years in beech habitat, it is significantly reduced in oak population in the fourth year. The obtained results indicate that population structure may significantly depend on short-term and long-term microclimatic changes in habitats. Based on the results to date, monitoring of microevolutionary changes using D. subobscura and its relatives seems a promising way to study the effects of global changes.Analizirane su promene u genetičkoj strukturi dve ekološki odvojene populacije Drosophila subobscura, određivanjem parametara inverzionog polimorfizma tokom više godina. Učestalosti genskih aranžmana na svih pet hromozoma pokazuju varijabilnost u svakoj od populacija. Nekoliko aranžmana se pojavljuje po prvi put u obe populacije. Značajna razlika u ukupnoj distribuciji genskih aranžmana između prve i poslednje godine istraživanja (1998/2006) dobijena je u populaciji D. subobscura iz bukove šume za hromozom A (polni hromozom) i za autozome J i E, dok se u populaciji iz hrastove šume ukupna učestalost genskih aranžmana razlikuje za autozome J, E i O. Dobijene značajne promene učestalosti određenih genskih aranžmana specifične su za svaku populaciju i rezultuju u značajnim razlikama u poređenjima na nivou pojedinačnih hromozoma između godina istraživanja. Mada ukupna heterozigotnost ostaje nepromenjena tokom više godina u populaciji iz bukove šume, ona se značajno smanjuje u populaciji iz hrasta u četvrtoj godini istraživanja. Dobijeni rezultati pokazuju da genetička struktura populacije može značajno da zavisi od kratkoročnih i dugoročnih mikroklimatskih promena u staništima. Na osnovu dosadašnjih rezultata, monitoring mikroevolutivnih promena korišćenjem D. subobscura i srodne vrste predstavlja dobar put u istraživanjima efekta globalnih promena.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

Inversion polymorphism in populations of Drosophila subobscura from urban and non-urban environments

Populations of Drosophila subobscura from the urban area of Belgrade and from the locality, Deliblato, which is not under strong anthropogenic influence, were studied with the aim to characterize and compare their genetic structure by examining chromosomal inversion polymorphism. Additional analysis and comparison of this type of polymorphism with several other populations from different habitats in the central Balkans, was done. The obtained results indicate higher heterozygosity in the population from Belgrade. Despite being ecologically marginal and under strong and complex influences, this population did not show a decline in the number of inversions and it is not highly differentiated compared to the referent populations.Urađena je analiza inverzionog polimorfizma u populacijama Drosophila subobscura poreklom iz urbane sredine, lokalitet Botanička bašta u Beogradu, i sa lokaliteta u Deliblatu, Srbija, koji nije pod jakim antropogenim uticajem. Poređenjem inverzionog polimorfizma ove dve populacije međusobno, kao i sa drugim populacijama u regionu, ispitane su karakteristike i dinamika ovog tipa polimorfizma na centralnom Balkanu. Bez obzira što se populacija iz Beograda nalazi pod jakim antropogenim uticajem, ona ne pokazuje smanjenje broja inverzija i nije značajno diferencirana u poređenju sa geografski bliskim populacijama. Može se zaključiti da selektivni pritisak uzrokovan zagađenjem nije jak ili da je populacija prilagođena na zagađenje.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

The effect of lead on the developmental stability of Drosophila subobscura through selection in laboratory conditions

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the increased variation of bilateral symmetry in a sample of individuals, can indicate disturbance in developmental stability caused by environmental and/or genomic stress. This developmental instability was analyzed in Drosophila subobscura maintained for seven generations on two different concentrations of lead in laboratory conditions. The FA4 index showed that the genotypes reared on the higher lead concentration were in developmental homeostasis, except for males in the F7 generation, for both wing size parameters. The results show that different degrees of lead pollution cause different responses to selection of the exposed population in laboratory conditions.Fluktuirajuća asimetrija predstavlja povećani stepen variranja bilateralno simetričnih karaktera u uzorku individua, i može da bude indikator remećenja nivoa razvojne stabilnosti pod uticajem genomskog i/ili sredinskog stresa. Stepen razvojne nestabilnosti je analiziran kod populacije Drosophila subobscura, uzgajane u laboratorijskim uslovima tokom sedam generacija na dve različite koncentracije olova. Rezultati FA4 indeksa su pokazali da genotipovi koji su uzgajani na višoj koncentraciji olova su u razvojnoj homeostazi, osim mužjaka u F7 generaciji, za oba posmatrana parametra krila. Rezultati ove studije ukazuju na to da različit stepen zagađenja olovom u laboratorijskim uslovima može izazivati različite odgovore na selekciju kod tretiranih populacija.Projekat ministarstva br. 14301

Local adaptation at fine spatial scale through chromosomal inversions and mito-nuclear epistasis: Findings in Drosophila subobscura (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

To explore local adaptation in wild populations at a fine spatial scale we characterized the genetic variability of eight closely located populations of Drosophila subobscura and its associations with microhabitat environmental conditions. Three different genetic markers were assessed: chromosomal inversions, a SNP of mitochondrial ND5 gene and nuclear microsatellites. Population genetic analyses of chromosomal variability revealed significant genetic differentiation between these populations. Gene arrangement frequencies on the E chromosome contributed most to these differences. We also investigated role of mito-nuclear epistasis in mitochondrial genome differentiation and revealed weak linkage disequilibrium (LD) exclusively between O3+4 inversion arrangement and mitochondrial DNA haplotype I in two populations. In addition, the trend in the LD between OST chromosomal arrangement and haplotype II was general in the total sample. Microsatellite analysis revealed an absence of stochastic processes, like census reduction, upon population differentiation. Only a small amount of the genetic variation is related to geographic distance, while most (97%) is attributable to other factors and in some degree to microhabitat variables (temperature, humidity). The analysis of these factors revealed they effect inversion arrangement frequencies, especially E1+2+9, EST and OST. Even though this model organism is known for its high mobility and mostly large effective population size, the results presented here reveal that local adaptations can occur even at a small spatial scale. We propose that locally adapted alleles within chromosomal inversions, as well as joint selective pressures acting on mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, are responsible for the observed adaptation to microhabitat conditions

Developing non-formal learning activities focused on increasing evolutionary knowledge and scientific literacy

Non-formal learning activities have an important role in continuous education of the general audience, and thus provide an essential element in increasing evolutionary knowledge and scientific literacy for European citizens, beyond the formal schooling. This guide brings together explanations of how non-formal learning can be designed, with special emphasis on evaluating the activities. The guide describes common activity types and examples encountered in our scoping conducted via surveys, personal contacts, and literature and internet search. It also provides reflection points for practitioners (activity designers, educators, science communicators) to embed evaluation as a form of engaging activity participants, as well as a tool to assess the impact and improve practice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Synergistic effect of environmental and genomic stress on wing size of drosophila subobscura

Growing anthropogenic influence on every aspect of environment arise important issues regarding the ability of populations and species to adapt to variant pressures. Lead is one of the most present contaminants in the environment with detrimental influence on organisms and populations. In combination with genomic stress, lead may act synergistically, leading to reduction in adaptive values. We sampled two Drosophila subobscura populations, from ecologically different habitats and established differences in genetic backgrounds and population histories. In order to establish different levels of genome heterozygosity, series of intra-line, intra-population and between population crosses were made. The progeny was reared on a standard Drosophila medium and a medium with 200μg/mL of lead acetate and right wing of approximately 4000 individuals was used for geometric morphometric analysis of wing size. Results showed that lead significantly reduces wing size and that magnitude of this reduction is dependent on genetic background, indicating synergistic effect of genomic and environmental stress. There is also an indication of strong female origin influence on the outcome of hybridization when source of environmental stress is lead. Our results showed that the genetic structure of populations is of great importance for population fitness in anthropogenic induced stressful conditions. Further studies of synergistic effect of genetic and environmental stress are needed, as well as studies of its outcome in natural populations.Genetika (2016), 48(3): 1039-105