Darren Obbard

Abstract Background Drosophila melanogaster has been a valuable model for dissecting the molecular architecture of innate immunity. However, the family Drosophilidae encompasses over 4000 species, spanning deep evolutionary divergences and diverse ecologies. Here, we use immune challenge with the gram-negative pathogen Providencia rettgeri to investigate the conservation and evolution of immune responses in three non-model drosophilid species, Hirtodrosophila cameraria, H.

Abstract The rate of adaptation is equal to the additive genetic variance for relative fitness VA in the population. Estimating VA typically involves measuring fitness proxies on a large number of individuals from a known pedigree. Such data are hard to collect and the results are often sensitive to the definition of fitness used.

Abstract The temporal dynamics of protective symbionts have rarely been characterized outside of aphid hosts. Here, we determine the prevalence of Spiroplasma in two populations of D. hydei where Spiroplasma infection had been previously recorded (UK and Japan). We observe that infection in both populations is variable over time and confirm the persistence of Spiroplasma in the UK population for 9 years. Thus, variable prevalence over time appears to be a common feature of these symbioses.