| Project Detail |
Butterflies help us study evolutionary mechanisms driving shifts in diet
Fermenting fruits, with their higher nutritional value, entice organisms to adapt, fuelling rapid diversification. Despite the benefits, the challenge lies in the detrimental effects of the up to 8 % alcohol concentration in these fruits. Animals, employing an alcohol detoxification system, feed and breed on them, raising questions about the evolution of this convergent phenotype. With the support of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DrunkButterflies project aims to unravel the mysteries of dietary evolution in butterflies. This research promises to unveil macroevolutionary patterns, analyse alcohol detoxification genes, and explore the impact of dietary alcohol on fitness and gene expression, marking a significant leap in our understanding of evolutionary biology.
Butterflies help us study evolutionary mechanisms driving shifts in diet
Fermenting fruits, with their higher nutritional value, entice organisms to adapt, fuelling rapid diversification. Despite the benefits, the challenge lies in the detrimental effects of the up to 8 % alcohol concentration in these fruits. Animals, employing an alcohol detoxification system, feed and breed on them, raising questions about the evolution of this convergent phenotype. With the support of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DrunkButterflies project aims to unravel the mysteries of dietary evolution in butterflies. This research promises to unveil macroevolutionary patterns, analyse alcohol detoxification genes, and explore the impact of dietary alcohol on fitness and gene expression, marking a significant leap in our understanding of evolutionary biology. |
