Heat shock alters fly gene regulation for 3 generations
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- Ewan Harney led a study showing heat shock induces transgenerational changes in gene expression and development time in fruit flies, with effects persisting in descendants
- Fruit flies from arid and cold climates showed distinct responses to heat shock, with the arid population exhibiting better-regulated gene expression and faster development in later offspring
- Gene expression changes from heat shock persisted for three generations, particularly in the arid population, where regulatory genes maintained altered activity
- Offspring of heat-shocked flies from the arid population developed faster than controls even two generations later, indicating inherited physiological adaptation
- Genetic variants in the arid population were associated with the observed gene expression changes, suggesting a link between natural genetic variation and transgenerational response
- Heat shock reduced offspring viability and slowed development in the immediate generation across both populations, but only the arid lineage showed later adaptive benefits
Why it matters: Populations with genetic variants enabling transgenerational gene regulation may adapt faster to climate stress, giving them a survival edge as extreme heat events increase. This could help identify vulnerable species before population collapse occurs.
