The role of interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genes in determining fitness outcomes

Mitochondria referred to as the "powerhouse of the cell," may play diverse roles beyond energy production. Recent studies reported certain mitochondrial genetic variants are associated with particular climate zones, suggesting a mitochondrial contribution to the capacity of populations to adapt to climate change. I tested this hypothesis, leveraging strains of fruit flies that differed in their mitochondrial genotype, to investigate whether the mitochondria carried by a fly determined its capacity to tolerate thermal stress. My results confirmed a mitochondrial contribution to performance under thermal stress, suggesting that mitochondrial variation may be a facilitator of evolutionary change to climate stress.