scholarly journals Larval rearing environment affects several post-copulatory traits in Drosophila melanogaster

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 607-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A McGraw ◽  
Anthony C Fiumera ◽  
Meera Ramakrishnan ◽  
Swetha Madhavarapu ◽  
Andrew G Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Transcript Abundance ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Larval Rearing ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Accessory Gland Proteins ◽  
Relative Transcript Abundance ◽  
Male Condition

In Drosophila melanogaster , accessory gland proteins (Acps) that a male transfers during mating affect his reproductive success by altering the female's behaviour and physiology. To test the role of male condition in the expression of Acps, we manipulated the pre-adult environment and examined adult males for relative transcript abundance of nine Acps, and for post-copulatory traits that Acps influence. Larval culture density had no effect on any measured trait. Larval nutrient availability impacted the number of sperm transferred and stored, the male's ability to induce refractoriness in his mate, but relative transcript abundance of only a single Acp ( Acp36DE ). Reduced male body size due to low yeast levels affected sperm competition. Our data indicate that some female-mediated post-copulatory traits (induced refractoriness and sperm transfer and storage) might be influenced by the male's developmental environment, but relative expression of most Acps and some traits they influence ( P1 ′) are not.

scholarly journals Genetic variation in male-induced harm in Drosophila melanogaster

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 20160105 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. S. Filice ◽  
Tristan A. F. Long
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Accessory Gland Proteins ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Fitness Index

In Drosophila melanogaster , prolonged exposure to males reduces the longevity and fecundity of females. This harm arises from the effects of male courtship behaviours and the toxic side effects of the accessory gland proteins (Acps) in their seminal fluids. Here, we examine the relationship between male exposure and its harmful effect on the lifetime fitness of his mates, and quantify the genetic basis for this variation. We found significant additive genetic variation in the magnitude of harm that males impose on females by exposing females to males from a variety of hemiclonal backgrounds for either a brief or prolonged period of time and measuring their fecundity, a meaningful fitness index. Furthermore, we discovered a strong negative correlation between the magnitude of harm and the short-term effects of male exposure on female fitness. We discuss the evolutionary significance of these results with regards to potential life-history trade-offs in females, and its relationship to male body size.

scholarly journals VARIATION AND GENOMIC LOCALIZATION OF GENES ENCODING DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MALE ACCESSORY GLAND PROTEINS SEPARATED BY SODIUM DODECYL SULFATE-POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Genetics ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-92
Author(s):  
Michael Whalen ◽  
Thomas G Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel ◽  
Null Alleles ◽  
Accessory Gland Proteins ◽  
Dodecyl Sulfate

ABSTRACT Accessory gland proteins from Drosophila melanogaster males have been separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into nine major bands. When individual males from 175 strains were examined, considerable polymorphism for nearly one-half of the major protein bands was seen, including null alleles for three bands. Variation was observed not only among long-established laboratory strains but also among stocks recently derived from natural populations. There was little difference in the amount of variation between P and M strains, indicating that P element mutagenesis is not a factor producing the variation. Codominant expression of variants for each of five bands was found in heterozygotes, suggesting structural gene variation and not posttranslational modification variation. Stocks carrying electrophoretic variants of four of the major proteins were used to map the presumed structural genes for these proteins; the loci were found to be dispersed on the second chromosome. Since males homozygous for variant proteins were fertile, the polymorphism seems to have little immediate effect on successful sperm transfer. We propose that a high degree of polymorphism can be tolerated because these proteins play a nutritive rather than enzymatic role in Drosophila reproduction.

Small male body size in garter snake depends on testes

1985 ◽  
Vol 249 (1) ◽  
pp. R62-R66 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Crews ◽  
M. A. Diamond ◽  
J. Whittier ◽  
R. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Garter Snake ◽  
Thamnophis Sirtalis ◽  
Sham Operation ◽  
Small Male ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Thamnophis Sirtalis Parietalis ◽  
Circulating Levels

In the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) adult females are larger than adult males; this difference is apparent within 3 wk of birth, a time coinciding with high circulating levels of androgens. To study the ontogeny and regulation of this sexual dimorphism, male neonates were either castrated, castrated and given Silastic capsules containing testosterone or estradiol, or given a sham operation at 8, 9, or 10 wk of age. Female neonates were either given a Silastic capsule containing testosterone or dihydrotestosterone or given a sham operation at 8, 9, 10, or 14 wk of age. The sex difference in body size and growth rate in neonates was abolished by castration; the pattern of growth of castrated males was similar to sham-operated females. Androgens in the amounts administered failed to reverse the effects of castration, because castrated male and female neonates receiving exogenous androgens grew at the same rate as did sham-operated females. Males castrated as adults grow larger than adult males given a sham operation, indicating the inhibitory role of the testes on body size exists after sexual maturity. Treatment of adult males with testosterone, however, prevented the increase in body size after castration, suggesting that the mechanism regulating weight gain in the garter snake depends on gonadal androgen.

scholarly journals Male Seminal Fluid Proteins Are Essential for Sperm Storage in Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 153 (2) ◽  
pp. 837-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uyen Tram ◽  
Mariana F Wolfner
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Competitive Pcr ◽  
Seminal Fluid Proteins ◽  
Pcr Assays ◽  
Transgenic Drosophila ◽  
Direct Counts

AbstractThe seminal fluid that is transferred along with sperm during mating acts in many ways to maximize a male’s reproductive success. Here, we use transgenic Drosophila melanogaster males deficient in the seminal fluid proteins derived from the accessory gland (Acps) to investigate the role of these proteins in the fate of sperm transferred to females during mating. Competitive PCR assays were used to show that while Acps contribute to the efficiency of sperm transfer, they are not essential for the transfer of sperm to the female. In contrast, we found that Acps are essential for storage of sperm by females. Direct counts of stored sperm showed that 10% of normal levels are stored by females whose mates transfer little or no Acps along with sperm.

scholarly journals Different Forces Drive the Evolution of the Acp26Aa and Acp26Ab Accessory Gland Genes in the Drosophila melanogaster Species Complex

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 1079-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Montserrat Aguadé
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Amino Acid Replacement ◽  
Accessory Gland ◽  
Male Accessory Gland ◽  
Accessory Gland Proteins ◽  
Length Polymorphisms ◽  
African Populations ◽  
Nonsynonymous Variation

Abstract The Acp26Aa and Acp26Ab genes that code for male accessory gland proteins are tandemly arranged in the species of the Drosophila melanogaster complex. An ∼1.6-kb region encompassing both genes has been sequenced in 10, 24, and 18 lines from Spain, Ivory Coast, and Malawi, respectively; the previously studied 10 lines from North Carolina have also been included in the analyses. A total of 110 nucleotide and 4 length polymorphisms were detected. Silent variation for the whole Acp26A region was slightly higher in African than in non-African populations, while for both genes nonsynonymous variation was similar in all populations studied. Based on Fst estimates no major genetic differentiation was detected between East and West Africa, while in general non-African populations were strongly differentiated from both African populations. Comparison of polymorphism and divergence at synonymous and nonsynonymous sites revealed that directional selection acting on amino acid replacement changes has driven the evolution of the Acp26Aa protein in the last 2.5 myr.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document