Differential responses in Drosophila melanogaster to environmental ethanol: Modification of fitness components at the Adh locus

Abstract

Homozygous AdhF AdhF and AdhS AdhS lines, collected from the same D. melanogaster winery polymorphic population, were submitted to stress by environmental ethanol. The responses of each of the FF, FS and SS genotypes, for both control and selected lines were analysed in normal and ethanol supplemented medium, in relation to three fitness components: egg-to-adult viability, developmental time and ethanol utilisation. Ethanol selection has resulted in a higher ethanol tolerance, a shorter developmental time and a better ability to use ethanol as food, showing the AdhF AdhF genotype to be that with the highest relative fitness. © 1984 The Genetical Society of Great Britain.