Guest post by Mathieu Hénault. #TAGC16 Shorts are brief summaries of presentations at The Allied Genetics Conference, a combined meeting of seven genetics research communities held July 13-17, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.

Most traits are controlled by more than one gene, and interactions between the effects of genes (GxG) can modify phenotypes in a non-additive manner; this phenomenon is called epistasis. Results presented by David M. Rand at The Allied Genetics Conference support the idea that phenotypes may be under an even more complex control: GxG interactions can depend on the environment (E), giving rise to higher-order GxGxE interactions.

Rand’s team looked at GxG interactions between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes (mitonuclear interactions). Defects in these interactions are known to cause many human diseases. The team engineered a panel of Drosophila fruit flies that have mitochondria from foreign strains, creating new combinations of previously unmatched nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. They grew these strains on four different types of food and observed extensive phenotypic variation among mitonuclear genotype combinations (GXG), notably in development time. In some cases, time required for pupae eclosion for a particular mitonuclear genotype varied strikingly with the diet of the flies, revealing the presence of GxGxE interactions.

This study suggests that, for a gene to produce a phenotype, the challenge of interacting with different environments may be as great as the challenge of interacting with related genes. This layer of interactions goes beyond the complexity introduced by epistasis and makes the course of evolution harder to predict. The results also suggest the success of mitochondrial replacement therapies will likely depend on interactions between source mitochondrial genotypes and recipient’s nuclear genotypes, which may themselves depend on the environment experienced by each individual.

TAGC Program Number P396

Can epistasis or GxE be predictable? Lessons from mitonuclear interactions in Drosophila.

D.M. Rand, J. A. Mossman, L. A. Biancani, C.-T. Zhu. Brown Univ, Providence, RI.

Article : http://www.genetics.org/content/203/1/463

Mathieu Hénault

Mathieu Hénault

About the author:

Mathieu is an undergraduate student in Dr Christian R. Landry’s lab at Université Laval (Quebec City, Canada). His research interests are mitonuclear interactions and microbial speciation. http://landrylab.ibis.ulaval.ca/

, , ,

Guest posts are contributed by members of our community. The views expressed in guest posts are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed by the Genetics Society of America. If you'd like to write a guest post, e-mail communications@genetics-gsa.org.

View all posts by Guest Author »

Read more in

  • Ed Grell at his dissecting microscope using ether to anesthetize his flies.

    In Memoriam: Ellsworth Herman Grell (1932–2023), a pioneer of Drosophila genome engineering and annotation

    Ellsworth (Ed) Grell blessed the Drosophila community through three enduring legacies: as a pioneer of chromosome mechanics, as a primary organizer and synthesizer of genetic knowledge in Drosophila, and as a graceful mentor to those fortunate to have known him personally. Ed grew up in rural Nebraska, completed his undergraduate studies at Iowa State, and…

  • Congratulations to the #Fungal24 Poster Award winners!

    We are pleased to announce the recipients of the GSA Poster Awards for posters presented at the 32nd Fungal Genetics Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations. Congratulations to all! Felicia Ebot Ojong, The University of Georgia My research is focused…

  • Poster presentation tips for TAGC 2024

    You’ve been selected to present a poster at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March—you’ve celebrated, made plans to attend, now what? This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your research and engage with fellow members of the genetics community, so you want to make sure you’re prepared. We wanted to offer you some tips…

  • Maximize your TAGC 2024 experience 

    A guide to all that National Harbor & DC have to offer Are you joining us for The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March? Make the most of your #TAGC24 experience in National Harbor! We know the science will keep you busy, but you deserve to unwind and have some fun, so we’ve curated a…

  • Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Sarah Petrosky

    We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Sarah PetroskyMultimedia SubcommitteeUniversity of Pittsburgh Research Interest I am interested in understanding adaptation that has been happening recently in populations by dissecting the ways that genes underlying an adaptation…

  • TAGC 2024 Early Career Award Winners

    GSA is pleased to announce the winners of the early career awards presented at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024. These awards are specific to particular TAGC communities and recognize early career scientists’ outstanding work on their respective research organisms. The awardees will present their talks in keynote sessions at TAGC 2024.  Don’t miss the opportunity…

  • Preeminent geneticists recognized with revamped GSA Awards

    In 2022, GSA’s Board of Directors launched an audit to review the five major awards conferred by the Society. Today, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the reimagined GSA Awards, including the new Genetics Society of America Early Career Medal. The scientists honored this year are recognized by their peers for their outstanding…

  • Fly Board funds outreach programs to spread the word about Drosophila research

    In 2020, the Fly Board voted to use part of its reserve fund to support efforts to increase trainee participation as well as equity and diversity in the Drosophila community. An awards committee decides how the money will be spent each year, and from 2020–2022, the committee posted a very broad call for applications from…

  • New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2024–2026

    We are pleased to announce the election of four new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2024 Vice President/2025 President Brenda Andrews Professor, University of Toronto It’s an honor to continue my association with the Society by serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors. I have broad knowledge of the ongoing activities…

  • A rose-ringed parakeet, one of three parrot species used in the study.

    Parrot plumage study aids breeders and endangered natural populations

    Yellow coloration is maladaptive in the wild but prized by breeders. People have long been fascinated with birds, which exhibit one of the widest ranges of coloration among vertebrates. Parrots, in particular, have captivated humans by their ability to mimic human speech and spectacular plumage. Brightly colored feathers are used primarily to attract mates, intimidate…

  • Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Sarah Gilmour

    We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Sarah GilmourMultimedia SubcommitteeStowers Institute for Medical Research Research Interest Questions of evolution have always fascinated me. I am extremely fortunate to be starting out my research career in a…