Publication with datasets Hoffmann et al. 2012, A proline repeat polymorphism of the Frost gene of Drosophila melanogaster showing clinal variation but not associated with cold resistance

Keywords
Frost, Adaptation, Candidate gene, Cline and Cold

Summary

ABSTRACT: Genetic polymorphisms underlying adaptive shifts in thermal responses are poorly known even though studies are providing a detailed understanding of these responses at the cellular and physiological levels. The Frost gene of Drosophila melanogaster is a prime candidate for thermal adaptation; it is up-regulated under cold stress and knockdown of this gene influences cold resistance. Here we describe an amino-acid INDEL polymorphism in proline repeat number in the structural component of this gene. The two main repeats, accounting for more than 90% of alleles in eastern Australia, show a strong clinal pattern; the 6P allele was at a high frequency in tropical locations, and the 10P allele was common in temperate populations. However, the frequency of these alleles was not associated with three different assays of cold resistance. Adult transcription level of Frost was also unrelated to cold resistance as measured through post chill coma mobility. The functional significance of the proline repeat polymorphism therefore remains unclear despite its clinal pattern. The data also demonstrate the feasibility of using Roche/ 454 sequencing for establishing clinal patterns.

Datasets

  • 16 Hoffmann et al. 2012, Frost locus A

    This data file contains Frost 6P and 10P allele frequencies (%) of 17 Drosophila melanogaster populations collected in 2005 and genotyped by acrylamide gel electrophoresis (Fig. 3A). Note longitudes in data are approximate.

  • 17 Hoffmann et al. 2012, Frost locus B

    This data file contains Frost 6P allele frequencies (%) of 20 Drosophila melanogaster populations collected independently in 2005-2006 and genotyped by Roche/454-amplicon sequencing (Fig. 3B). Note longitudes in data are approximate.

Publication Citations

  • Hoffmann, A. A., Blacket, M. J., McKechnie, S. W., Rako, L., Schiffer, M., Rane, R. V., Good, R. T., Robin, C., and Lee, S. F., 'A proline repeat polymorphism of the Frost gene of Drosophila melanogaster showing clinal variation but not associated with cold resistance', Insect Molecular Biology, vol. 21, no. 4, 2012, pp. 437-445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2583.2012.01149.x. Details