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Abstract
Alternative splicing, in which one gene produce multiple transcripts, may influence how adaptive genes respond to specific environments. A newly produced transcriptome of Drosophila montana shows the Gs1-like (Gs1l) gene to express multiple splice variants and to be down regulated in cold acclimated flies with increased cold tolerance. Gs1l’s effect on cold tolerance was further tested by injecting cold acclimated and non-acclimated flies from two distantly located northern and southern fly populations with double stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting Gs1l. While both populations had similar cold acclimation responses, dsRNA injections only effected the northern population. The nature of splicing expression was then investigated in the northern population by confirming which Gs1l variants are present, by comparing the expression of different gene regions and by predicting the protein structures of splices using homology modelling. We find different splices of Gs1l not only appear to have independent impacts on cold acclimation but also elicit different effects in populations originating from two very different environments. Also, at the protein level, Gs1l appears homologous to the human HDHD1A protein and some splices might produce functionally different proteins though this needs to be verified in future studies by measuring the particular protein levels. Taken together, Gs1l appears to be an interesting new candidate to test how splicing influences adaptations.
Highlights
Throughout the genetic and genomic eras it has been increasingly recognised that the way genes are utilised by organisms is as, if not more, important than the number or types of genes present
Effects of cold acclimation and double stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting on critical thermal minimum tests (CTmin)
Statistical analyses were done by fitting the data to a linear model (LM) that tests the difference between the two controls and the difference between the buffer injected control to the dsRNA injected flies, while testing for the influence of cold acclimation, sex and experimental block
Summary
Throughout the genetic and genomic eras it has been increasingly recognised that the way genes are utilised by organisms is as, if not more, important than the number or types of genes present. By producing different splice variants, a single gene can produce multiple protein types, with potentially different functions or efficiencies[2]. By increasing the diversity of proteins encoded by the genome, AS may be extremely important for the proper functioning of organisms[1,2] but potentially in the evolution of important adaptations. To better understand the genetics of adaptation in organisms at the gene level it is necessary i) to find examples of genes where AS is occurring, ii) to investigate what combinations of exons are being expressed, iii) to understand how specific splice variants influence organism’s phenotype and iv) to realize how these phenotypic differences effect organism’s ability to adapt to their environment
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