The study conducted in 2008, "High Rate of Recent Transposable Element–Induced Adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster", used D. melanogaster that had recently migrated from Africa to other parts of the world, as a basis for studying adaptations caused by transposable elements. Although most of the TEs were located on introns, the experiment showed a significant difference in gene expressions between the population in Africa and other parts of the world. The four TEs that caused the selective sweep were more prevalent in D. melanogaster from temperate climates, leading the researchers to conclude that the selective pressures of the climate prompted genetic adaptation. From this experiment, it has been confirmed that adaptive TEs are prevalent in nature, by enabling organisms to adapt gene expression as a result of new selective pressures.
The study conducted in 2008 "High Rate of Recent Transposable Element–Induced Adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster" used D melanogaster that had recently migrated from Africa to other parts of the world as a basis for studying adaptations caused by transposable elements Although most of the TEs were located on introns the experiment showed a significant difference in gene expressions between the population in Africa and other parts of the world The four TEs that caused the selective sweep were more prevalent in D melanogaster from temperate climates leading the researchers to conclude that the selective pressures of the climate prompted genetic adaptation From this experiment it has been confirmed that adaptive TEs are prevalent in nature by enabling organisms to adapt gene expression as a result of new selective pressures