Data from: Genotype-by-environment interactions for cuticular hydrocarbon expression in Drosophila simulans

Genotype-by-environment interactions (G x Es) describe genetic variation for phenotypic plasticity. Recent interest in the role of these interactions in sexual selection has identified G x Es across a diverse range of species and sexual traits. Additionally, theoretical work predicts that G x Es in sexual traits could help to maintain genetic variation, but could also disrupt the reliability of these traits as signals of mate quality. However, empirical tests of these theoretical predictions are scarce. We reared iso-female lines of Drosophila simulans across two axes of environmental variation (diet and temperature) in a fully factorial design and tested for G x Es in the expression of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), a multivariate sexual trait in this species. We find sex-specific environmental, genetic and G x E effects on CHC expression, with G x Es for diet in both male and female CHC profile and a G x E for temperature in females. We also find some evidence for ecological crossover in these G x Es, and by quantifying variance components, genetic correlations and heritabilities, we show the potential for these G x Es to help maintain genetic variation and cause sexual signal unreliability in D. simulans CHC profiles.基因型-环境互作（Genotype-by-environment interactions, G×E）描述的是表型可塑性（phenotypic plasticity）的遗传变异。近年来，学界对这类互作在性选择（sexual selection）中的作用关注度持续提升，现已在多个类群的物种及多种性征中均发现了G×E互作现象。此外，理论研究预测，性征中的G×E互作既有助于维持遗传变异，也可能破坏这些性状作为配偶质量信号的可靠性。然而，针对这些理论预测的实证检验仍较为匮乏。本研究采用完全析因设计，在两个环境变异轴（饲料与温度）下培育拟果蝇（Drosophila simulans）的等雌系（iso-female lines），并检验了该物种的多变量性征——表皮碳氢化合物（cuticular hydrocarbons, CHCs）的表达是否存在G×E互作。研究结果显示，CHC表达存在性别特异性的环境效应、遗传效应及G×E互作效应：雌雄个体的CHC谱均存在饲料相关的G×E互作，雌性个体的CHC谱还存在温度相关的G×E互作。此外，本研究还发现了这类G×E互作存在生态交叉（ecological crossover）的相关证据；通过量化方差组分（variance components）、遗传相关（genetic correlations）及遗传力（heritabilities），我们进一步阐明了这些G×E互作在拟果蝇CHC谱中维持遗传变异并导致性信号可靠性下降的潜在机制。