Topic: Genetic analysis of wing pigmentation variation in Drosophila biarmipes
Dates: 1 October 2021 – 31 December 2024 – 30 September 2025 – 31 December 2027
CBGP managers: M. Gautier et A. Estoup
University: Institut Agro Montpellier

Genomic selection, which has been practised on farm animals for around twenty years, has demonstrated that it is possible to predict an individual’s genetic potential in relation to a given selective pressure. With the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, this predictive approach is beginning to be applied at the population level.

Louise first completed a PhD thesis focused on developing and evaluating population-level genomic prediction approaches to forecast the adaptive potential of a population placed in a given new environment. The applications considered during the PhD focused on predicting the short-term risk of invasive insect populations establishing themselves in a new geographical area characterised by a set of biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., bioclimatic variables, host plants). The methods developed will be evaluated using simulated data and then validated on data acquired in the laboratory on the fruit fly Drosophila suzukii and the Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis.

Louise is now undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship to build on her PhD research, running from 1 January to 31 December 2027. This postdoctoral project, part of the ANR-DFG BiaPopGen project, aims to decipher the genetic architecture of wing pigmentation in Drosophila biarmipes. Using a panel of 500 isofemale lines, the research will focus on two main areas: (1) simulating scenarios to optimise genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and (2) detailed analysis of genomic sequencing data to identify the genetic basis of the observed phenotypic variations. The project forms part of an integrated approach combining quantitative genetics and population genomics.

Keywords: Population genetics, genomic prediction, invasive species, Drosophila suzukii.