Protein Adaptation in Drosophila Species
Author Information
Author(s): Doris Bachtrog
Primary Institution: University of California Berkeley
Hypothesis
Does effective population size influence rates of protein adaptation in Drosophila miranda compared to D. melanogaster?
Conclusion
The study suggests that effective population size may not significantly affect rates of protein adaptation in these Drosophila species.
Supporting Evidence
- Both D. miranda and D. melanogaster show high rates of adaptive protein evolution.
- The fraction of amino-acid mutations driven to fixation by positive selection is similar in both species.
- Genes with higher rates of amino-acid evolution have lower levels of neutral diversity.
Takeaway
This study looked at two types of fruit flies and found that even though one has a smaller population, they adapt at similar rates.
Methodology
The study analyzed polymorphism and divergence at 91 X-linked loci in D. miranda and compared it with D. melanogaster using MK tests.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in estimating adaptive evolution due to the presence of slightly deleterious mutations.
Limitations
The study may be biased due to the assumptions made in estimating the fraction of beneficial mutations.
Participant Demographics
Drosophila miranda individuals from various locations in North America.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI for α estimates ranged from 0.19 to 0.74
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website