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Zusammenfassung:
Developmental plasticity is increasingly recognized as primary mechanism for the emergence of novelty. However, molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. The nematode Pristionchus pacificus exhibits developmental plasticity for its mouth-form and feeding strategies. Individuals develop one of two alternative mouth-forms, a predatory eurystomatous (Eu, wide-mouthed) or a bacteriovorous stenostomatous (St, narrow-mouthed) form. Using genetic screens, we have identified developmental switch genes that regulated plasticity. eud-1 mutants are all-St, whereas mutants in the downstream nuclear-hormone-receptor nhr-40 are all-Eu. More recent work indicates that eud-1 is part of a multi-gene locus with some supergene characteristics. Furthermore, eud-1 expression is under epigenetic control involving the histone acetyltransferase lsy-12 and an antisense RNA at the eud-1 locus itself that up-regulates eud-1 expression. Here we present our most recent molecular findings on i) the genetics and epigenetics of plasticity, ii) environmental perception and iii) first insight into associated trans-generational effects and canalization.
