The Transcriptome in Transition: Global Gene Expression Profiles of Young Adult Fruit Flies Depend More Strongly on Developmental Than Adult Diet

Developmental diet is known to exert long-term effects on adult phenotypes in many animal species as well disease risk humans, purportedly mediated through changes gene expression. However, there are few studies linking developmental Here, we use a full-factorial design address how three different larval and diets interact affect expression 1-day-old fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster ) of both sexes. We found that the largest contributor transcriptional variation young larval, not diet, particularly females. further characterized by applying weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) identify modules co-expressed genes. In female flies, caloric content associated with two strongly negatively correlated modules, one which was highly enriched for reproduction-related processes. This suggests large part related investment into processes, level affected dietary conditions during development. males, most had patterns independent or diet. did correlate and/or regimes primarily nutrient sensing metabolic functions, contained genes expressed gut fat body. The body among important tissues, also only tissues avoid histolysis pupation. correlations between male may be carry-over these adulthood. Our results show can have profound early life warrant future research they actual fitness traits