Gene expression is the process by which the information encoded in a gene is turned into a functional output, for example the production of a protein.
Researchers including Professor Alistair McGregor, in our Department of Biosciences, looked at two closely related species of fruit fly - Drosophila mauritiana and Drosophila simulans.
Timing of expression
They found that a slight change in the timing of expression of a gene called orthodenticle (otd) can cause a significant difference in the size of the ommatidia, the individual hexagonal units that make up a compound eye.In Drosophila mauritiana, otd is expressed earlier in eye development than in Drosophila simulans.
This associated with in an increase in the ommatidia size of Drosophila mauritiana, meaning the eyes of this species are larger.
How other organs evolve
The researchers say their findings could have implications for our understanding of how the size of other organs evolve.They are now planning to investigate whether similar changes in gene expression can lead to differences in the size of other organs.
The research also included the universities of , Germany, Oxford Brookes , UK, and the University of Barcelona , Spain.
Our Department of Biosciences is ranked fifth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2025.Visit our Biosciences webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
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