Premium
ADH enzyme activity and Adh gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster lines differentially selected for increased alcohol tolerance
Author(s) -
MALHERBE Y.,
KAMPING A.,
DELDEN W.,
ZANDE L.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2004.00877.x
Subject(s) - alcohol dehydrogenase , biology , drosophila melanogaster , melanogaster , alcohol tolerance , genotype , genetics , gene , ethanol , alcohol , gene expression , phenotype , drosophilidae , enzyme , biochemistry
In Drosophila melanogaster , alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity is essential for ethanol tolerance, but its role may not be restricted to alcohol metabolism alone. Here we describe ADH activity and Adh expression level upon selection for increased alcohol tolerance in different life‐stages of D. melanogaster lines with two distinct Adh genotypes: Adh FF and Adh SS . We demonstrate a positive within genotype response for increased alcohol tolerance. Life‐stage dependent selection was observed in larvae only. A slight constitutive increase in adult ADH activity for all selection regimes and genotypes was observed, that was not paralleled by Adh expression. Larval Adh expression showed a constitutive increase, that was not reflected in ADH activity. Upon exposure to environmental ethanol, sex, selection regime life stage and genotype appear to have differential effects. Increased ADH activity accompanies increased ethanol tolerance in D. melanogaster but this increase is not paralleled by expression of the Adh gene.