Exploring the evolutionary significance of mitochondrial genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster

My PhD thesis examined the contribution of sequence variation in the mitochondrial DNA to the expression of core phenotypic traits in the fruit flies. My findings provide new evidence to suggest that the mitochondrial genome accrues mutations with sexually antagonistic effects on the metabolic rate. These same mutations appear to underpin trade-offs in energy allocations across different physiological and life-history traits. I have also examined the capacity for environmental heterogeneity to modulate the link between mitochondrial genotype and phenotype, confirming the role of dietary protein-carbohydrate balance in mediating the effect of mitochondrial genotype on longevity.