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Mycotoxin tolerance affects larval competitive ability in Drosophila recens (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Summary

Researchers studied fruit flies that can tolerate mushroom poisons to see if this ability comes with a cost. They found that flies with high poison tolerance from one geographic location showed delayed development and lower survival rates when competing with other larvae, but this effect was not seen in flies from another location. This suggests that the cost of tolerating poisons depends on where the flies are from.

Background

Certain mycophagous Drosophila species can tolerate highly potent mycotoxins including α-amanitin. The mycotoxin tolerance trait is lost rapidly without evolutionary lag when species switch from mushroom feeding to other food sources, suggesting this tolerance may be costly to maintain.

Objective

To determine whether mycotoxin tolerance has a fitness cost by examining whether it adversely affects larval competitive ability in Drosophila recens isofemale lines from two distinct geographic locations.

Results

The extent of mycotoxin tolerance affected larval competitive ability only in isofemale lines from Great Smoky Mountains, with high mycotoxin-tolerant lines showing developmental delay and poor survival. Significant interaction between geographic location and mycotoxin tolerance was observed for survival to eclosion, indicating geographic variation in fitness costs.

Conclusion

Mycotoxin tolerance is associated with fitness costs that adversely affect larval competitive ability, but only in one geographic location, providing preliminary evidence of geographic variation and local adaptation in mycotoxin tolerance in D. recens.
  • Published in:Journal of Insect Science,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1093/jisesa/iead048, PMID: 37339101
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