一項新研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，一個單獨的基因就能夠?qū)⒁粋€溫順的果蠅變成一個好斗的戰(zhàn)士。美國加州圣地亞哥神經(jīng)科學(xué)研究所的Ralph Greenspan和Herman Dierick將果蠅養(yǎng)育成好戰(zhàn)份子,。
在繁育21代后,，戰(zhàn)斗能力指數(shù)測量結(jié)果表明，這些果蠅的侵略性比對照高出30倍,。不但這些果蠅變得更加好斗,，而且他們還變得更加兇猛、愛搏斗并且對敵人表現(xiàn)的更加厭惡,。
通過對它們基因組的分析,，研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)這些好斗果蠅頭部表達了高水平的一種叫做CYP6a20的酶。編碼這種酶的是一個單獨的基因,。這些發(fā)現(xiàn)刊登在近期大的Nature子刊《自然－遺傳學(xué)》雜志上（Nature Genetics, DOI:10.1038/ng1864）,。
在15年手測飼養(yǎng)出好戰(zhàn)派果蠅的澳大利亞墨爾本大學(xué)教授Ary Hoffmann指出,，許多基因都在侵略性中扮演一定的角色。發(fā)現(xiàn)一個單獨的基因掌控著好斗性的大部分是非產(chǎn)令人驚訝的,。這種酶還可能有助于降解信息素,，并且增加了有關(guān)發(fā)現(xiàn)對手的能力能夠引發(fā)好斗行為理論的證據(jù)。
英文原文：
A single gene can turn a docile fly into a fighter
Ralph Greenspan and Herman Dierick of The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, bred fruit flies to be aggressive. After 21 generations, they were 30 times more aggressive than controls, as measured by an index of fighting ability. Not only did they start more fights, and ones that lasted longer, they were also fiercer, wrestling and flipping opponents rather than just chasing and hitting them.
An analysis of their genome revealed that the aggressive flies expressed higher levels of an enzyme called CYP6a20 in their heads. The enzyme is produced by a single gene (Nature Genetics, DOI: 10.1038/ng1864).
Many genes would be expected to play a role in aggression, says Ary Hoffmann of the University of Melbourne, Australia, who first bred flies to be fighters 15 years ago. To find just one gene that accounts for a large amount of the aggression "is pretty impressive", he says. The enzyme may also help break down pheromones, adding to evidence that an ability to sniff out rivals can trigger aggressive behaviour.
