Aphids present a fascinating example of phenotypic plasticity, in which a single genotype can produce dramatically different winged and wingless phenotypes that are specialized for dispersal versus reproduction, respectively. Recent work has examined many aspects of this plasticity, including its evolution, molecular control mechanisms, and genetic variation underlying the trait. In particular, exciting discoveries have been made about the signaling pathways that are responsible for controlling the production of winged versus wingless morphs, including ecdysone, dopamine, and insulin signaling, and about how specific genes such as REPTOR2 and vestigial are regulated to control winglessness. Future work will likely focus on the role of epigenetic mechanisms, as well as developing transgenic tools for more thoroughly dissecting the role of candidate plasticity-related genes.

蚜虫是表型可塑性的一个有趣的例子，其中单一基因型可以产生截然不同的有翅和无翅表型，分别专门用于传播和繁殖。最近的工作研究了这种可塑性的许多方面，包括其进化、分子控制机制以及该性状背后的遗传变异。特别是，关于负责控制有翅与无翅形态产生的信号通路，包括蜕皮激素、多巴胺和胰岛素信号传导，以及如何 调节REPTOR2和Vestitial等特定基因来控制无翅，已经取得了令人兴奋的发现。未来的工作可能会集中在表观遗传机制的作用，以及开发转基因工具来更彻底地剖析候选可塑性相关基因的作用。