Across the animal kingdom, individuals are known to adapt their behaviour, reproduction and lifespan in response to their internal state and the food available. European scientists wished to determine the genetic background behind this intriguing adaptation.
In female insects, mating induces significant changes in egg laying, food consumption and immunity. Accumulating evidence indicates that these phenotype changes emerge as a result of differential gene expression that also involves genes implicated in metabolic pathways. This metabolic shift presents as a change in dietary preferences to meet the nutritional demands of the organism.
Further details: Nutritional genetics: we are what we eat