scholarly journals The scent of the fly

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Becher ◽  
Sebastien Lebreton ◽  
Erika A. Wallin ◽  
Erik Hedenström ◽  
Felipe Borrero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Biological Role ◽  
Sensory Panel ◽  
Mate Finding ◽  
Vinegar Fly ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Species Specific

Abstract(Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) is the volatile pheromone produced by females of the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Female flies emit Z4-11Al for species-specific communication and mate-finding. A sensory panel finds that synthetic Z4-11Al has a characteristic flavour, which we perceive even at the small amounts produced by one female fly. Since only females produce Z4-11Al, and not males, we can reliably distinguish between single D. melanogaster males and females, according to their scent. Females release Z4-11Al at 2.4 ng/h and we readily sense 1 ng synthetic Z4-11Al in a glass of wine (0.03 nmol/L), while a tenfold concentration is perceived as a loud off-flavour. This corroborates the observation that a glass of wine is spoilt by a single D. melanogaster fly falling into it, which we here show is caused by Z4-11Al. The biological role of Z4-11Al or structurally related aldehydes in humans and the basis for this semiochemical convergence remains yet unclear.

scholarly journals Growth and size control during development

Open Biology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 170190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannik Vollmer ◽  
Fernando Casares ◽  
Dagmar Iber
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Size Control ◽  
General Rule ◽  
Developmental Time ◽  
The Body ◽  
Organ Size ◽  
Animal Kingdom ◽  
Definitive Answer ◽  
Vinegar Fly ◽  
Species Specific

The size and shape of organs are characteristic for each species. Even when organisms develop to different sizes due to varying environmental conditions, such as nutrition, organ size follows species-specific rules of proportionality to the rest of the body, a phenomenon referred to as allometry. Therefore, for a given environment, organs stop growth at a predictable size set by the species's genotype. How do organs stop growth? How can related species give rise to organs of strikingly different size? No definitive answer has been given to date. One of the major models for the studies of growth termination is the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. Therefore, this review will focus mostly on work carried out in Drosophila to try to tease apart potential mechanisms and identify routes for further investigation . One general rule, found across the animal kingdom, is that the rate of growth declines with developmental time. Therefore, answers to the problem of growth termination should explain this seemingly universal fact. In addition, growth termination is intimately related to the problems of robustness (i.e. precision) and plasticity in organ size, symmetric and asymmetric organ development, and of how the ‘target’ size depends on extrinsic, environmental factors.

scholarly journals The role of species-specific sensory cues in male responses to mating rivals in Drosophila melanogaster fruitflies

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (22) ◽  
pp. 9247-9256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Bretman ◽  
James Rouse ◽  
James D. Westmancoat ◽  
Tracey Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Sensory Cues ◽  
Species Specific

Biological role of alcohol dehydrogenase in the tolerance of Drosophila melanogaster to aliphatic alcohols: Utilization of an ADH-null mutant

1976 ◽  
Vol 14 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 989-997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean R. David ◽  
Charles Bocquet ◽  
Marie-Fran�oise Arens ◽  
Pierre Fouillet
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Alcohol Dehydrogenase ◽  
Aliphatic Alcohols ◽  
Biological Role ◽  
Null Mutant

scholarly journals Male–male pheromone signalling in a lekking Drosophila

2005 ◽  
Vol 273 (1587) ◽  
pp. 713-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrik Widemo ◽  
Björn G Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromones ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Male Pheromone ◽  
Mate Finding ◽  
Male Response ◽  
Signalling System ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Pheromone Signalling ◽  
Drosophila Grimshawi

Interest in sex pheromones has mainly been focused on mate finding, while relatively little attention has been given to the role of sex pheromones in mate choice and almost none to competition over mates. Here, we study male response to male pheromones in the lekking Drosophila grimshawi , where males deposit long-lasting pheromone streaks that attract males and females to the leks and influence mate assessment. We used two stocks of flies and both stocks adjusted their pheromone depositing behaviour in response to experimental manipulation, strongly indicating male ability to distinguish between competitors from qualitative differences in pheromone streaks alone. This is the first example of an insect distinguishing between individual odour signatures. Pheromone signalling influenced competition over mates, as males adjusted their investment in pheromone deposition in response to foreign pheromone streaks. Both sexes adapt their behaviour according to information from olfactory cues in D. grimshawi , but the relative benefits from male–female, as compared to male–male signalling, remain unknown. It seems likely that the pheromone signalling system originally evolved for attracting females to leks. The transition to a signalling system for conveying information about individuals may well, however, at least in part have been driven by benefits from male–male signalling.

Gender Diversity in Computing: An Environmental Perspective

10.28945/3248 ◽  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecille Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Female Household Head ◽  
Dominant Female ◽  
Computer Confidence ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Research Questions

Previous research conducted by the author investigated the socio-political backgrounds of two groups of female students studying computer-related university programmes. They came from distinctly different backgrounds and were enrolled at two institutions with very different legacies. The author found that socio-political factors, in particular the role of a dominant female household head and aggressive governmental affirmative action, had a significant effect on the girls’ levels of confidence and subsequently on their decision to study computer-related courses. Based on this insight, the researcher undertook to look further into gender diversity with respect to self-perceived general computer confidence and self-perceived ability to program a computer. A sample of both female and male Information T echnology students from very similar disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds was surveyed. The sample of 204 students was drawn from all three years of the National Diploma in Information Technology. The author considered the following research questions: (i) Do males and females studying computer-related courses have differing computer selfefficacy levels? (ii) Do males and females studying computer programming have differing attitudes towards their ability to program? (iii) Do males and females differ in their attitudes towards the programming learning environment?

Selenium Role in Reproduction, Pregnant/Postpartum Women and Neonates: A Current Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-37
Author(s):  
Tabinda Sattar
Keyword(s):  
Infant Development ◽  
Selenium Deficiency ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Female Reproduction ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
One Year ◽  
Selenium Supplements

Background: Selenium is a micronutrient, although required in low amounts, its importance in male and female reproduction is well known. Objectives: The core purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of selenium in human reproduction, during pregnancy/ lactation in women and newborns. The review explains side by side the sources of selenium, required amounts of selenium in humans and during pregnancy or lactation. Methods: Selenium deficiency is a major cause of male infertility. Similarly, selenium deficiency, both in pregnant and postpartum women, would greatly affect the health of the newborn baby in all respects. The effect of maternal selenium upon the fetus and the neonates even one year after birth has been explained with some recent examples. Results: The study elaborates the fact that the selenium deficiency in pregnancy and lactation is common due to fetal/infant development, so selenium supplements must be provided in order to overcome these deficiency symptoms. Conclusions: The better reproductive health in humans is possible due to the sufficient amounts of selenium present both in males and females as well.

From Organizations of Processes to Organisms and Other Biological Individuals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Argyris Arnellos
Keyword(s):  
Multicellular Organism ◽  
Collaborative Networks ◽  
Biological Role ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Organizational Framework

The emphasis on the collaborative dimension of life overlooks the importance of biological individuals (conceived of as integrated, self-maintaining organizations) in the build-up of more complex collaborative networks in the course of evolution. This chapter proposes a process-based organizational ontology for biology, according to which the essential features of unicellular organismicality are captured by a self-maintaining organization of processes integrated by means of a special type of collaboration (realized through regulatory processes entailing an indispensable interdependence) between its constitutive and its interactive aspects. This ontology is then used to describe different types of collaborations among cells and to suggest the type that yields a multicellular organism. The proposed organizational framework enables us to critically assess hypercollaborative views of life, especially issues related to the distinction between biological individuals and organisms and between life and non-life, without however underestimating the central biological role of collaboration.

scholarly journals MULTIPLE ALLELE APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF GENES IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IMAGINAL DISC DEVELOPMENT

Genetics ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Shearn ◽  
Grafton Hersperger ◽  
Evelyn Hersperger ◽  
Ellen Steward Pentz ◽  
Paul Denker
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Mutant Allele ◽  
Imaginal Disc ◽  
Reference Allele ◽  
Multiple Allele ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Chromosome Mutations ◽  
Cold Sensitive

ABSTRACT The phenotypes of five different lethal mutants of Drosophila melanogaster that have small imaginal discs were analyzed in detail. From these results, we inferred whether or not the observed imaginal disc phenotype resulted exclusively from a primary imaginal disc defect in each mutant. To examine the validity of these inferences, we employed a multiple-allele method. Lethal alleles of the five third-chromosome mutations were identified by screening EMS-treated chromosomes for those which fail to complement with a chromosome containing all five reference mutations. Twenty-four mutants were isolated from 13,197 treated chromosomes. Each of the 24 was then tested for complementation with each of the five reference mutants. There was no significant difference in the mutation frequencies at these five loci. The stage of lethality and the imaginal disc morphology of each mutant allele were compared to those of its reference allele in order to examine the range of defects to be found among lethal alleles of each locus. In addition, hybrids of the alleles were examined for intracistronic complementation. For two of the five loci, we detected no significant phenotypic variation among lethal alleles. We infer that each of the mutant alleles at these two loci cause expression of the null activity phenotype. However, for the three other loci, we did detect significant phenotypic variation among lethal alleles. In fact, one of the mutant alleles at each of these three loci causes no detectable imaginal disc defect. This demonstrates that attempting to assess the developmental role of a gene by studying a single mutant allele may lead to erroneous conclusions. As a byproduct of the mutagenesis procedure, we have isolated two dominant, cold-sensitive mutants.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document