scholarly journals Modulation of Sex Pheromone Discrimination by a UDP-Glycosyltransferase in Drosophila melanogaster

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Fraichard ◽  
Arièle Legendre ◽  
Philippe Lucas ◽  
Isabelle Chauvel ◽  
Philippe Faure ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Sex Pheromones ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Insertion Mutation ◽  
Electrophysiological Activity ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Odorant Binding ◽  
Receptor Saturation

The detection and processing of chemical stimuli involve coordinated neuronal networks that process sensory information. This allows animals, such as the model species Drosophila melanogaster, to detect food sources and to choose a potential mate. In peripheral olfactory tissues, several classes of proteins are acting to modulate the detection of chemosensory signals. This includes odorant-binding proteins together with odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs). These enzymes, which primarily act to eliminate toxic compounds from the whole organism also modulate chemodetection. ODEs are thought to neutralize the stimulus molecule concurrently to its detection, avoiding receptor saturation thus allowing chemosensory neurons to respond to the next stimulus. Here, we show that one UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT36E1) expressed in D. melanogaster antennal olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) is involved in sex pheromone discrimination. UGT36E1 overexpression caused by an insertion mutation affected male behavioral ability to discriminate sex pheromones while it increased OSN electrophysiological activity to male pheromones. Reciprocally, the decreased expression of UGT36E1, controlled by an RNAi transgene, improved male ability to discriminate sex pheromones whereas it decreased electrophysiological activity in the relevant OSNs. When we combined the two genotypes (mutation and RNAi), we restored wild-type-like levels both for the behavioral discrimination and UGT36E1 expression. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that this UGT plays a pivotal role in Drosophila pheromonal detection.

S elements: a family of Tc1-like transposons in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 1425-1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
P J Merriman ◽  
C D Grimes ◽  
J Ambroziak ◽  
D A Hackett ◽  
P Skinner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Sibling Species ◽  
Inverted Repeat ◽  
Open Reading Frame ◽  
Drosophila Species ◽  
Insertion Mutation ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Diploid Genome

Abstract The S elements form a diverse family of long-inverted-repeat transposons within the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. These elements vary in size and sequence, the longest consisting of 1736 bp with 234-bp inverted terminal repeats. The longest open reading frame in an intact S element could encode a 345-amino acid polypeptide. This polypeptide is homologous to the transposases of the mariner-Tc1 superfamily of transposable elements. S elements are ubiquitous in D. melanogaster populations and also appear to be present in the genomes of two sibling species; however, they seem to be absent from 17 other Drosophila species that were examined. Within D. melanogaster strains, there are, on average, 37.4 cytologically detectable S elements per diploid genome. These elements are scattered throughout the chromosomes, but several sites in both the euchromatin and beta heterochromatin are consistently occupied. The discovery of an S-element-insertion mutation and a reversion of this mutation indicates that S elements are at least occasionally mobile in the D. melanogaster genome. These elements seem to insert at an AT dinucleotide within a short palindrome and apparently duplicate that dinucleotide upon insertion.

Sex pheromones of Callosobruchus subinnotatus and C. maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae): congeneric responses and role of air movement

2000 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.N. Mbata ◽  
S. Shu ◽  
S.B. Ramaswamy
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromone ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Sex Pheromones ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Latency Period ◽  
Air Movement ◽  
Sex Pheromone Components ◽  
Pheromone Components ◽  
Callosobruchus Subinnotatus

Females of Callosobruchus spp. are known to produce sex pheromones that attract males. These sex pheromones cannot be adopted for use in pest management without first investigating the responses of the males in the windless conditions of storage environments. Consequently, behavioural bioassays of Callosobruchus subinnotatus Pic males were conducted in an olfactometer in the absence of air-flow. Under these conditions males were found to be able to follow odour trails to the source. However, the latency period was longer in diffusional bioassays than for insects in a Y-tube olfactometer that provided directional wind cues. The highest percentage of males reached the pheromone source when components of the pheromones, (E)-3-methyl-2-heptenoic acid (E32A) and (Z)-3-methyl-2-heptenoic acid (Z32A), were formulated in a 50:50 or 25:75 ratio. Males of C. maculatus (Fabricius) responded to sex pheromone of C. subinnotatus, but males of C. subinnotatus did not respond to that of C. maculatus. The two sex pheromone components of C. subinnotatus are also constituents of C. maculatus sex pheromone. These two components may be potentially useful in monitoring the populations of both species in stored beans. It is postulated that (Z)-3-methyl-3-heptenoic acid (Z33A), the major component of the sex pheromone of C. maculatus, must have acted as an antagonist inhibiting response of C. subinnotatus to the sex pheromone of C. maculatus.

scholarly journals Chemoreceptivity of Drosophila melanogaster

1946 ◽  
Vol 133 (870) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Olfactory Response ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Pit Organ ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Thermal Stimuli

The occurrence of mutants of Drosophila melanogaster distinguished by the absence or structural modification of the antennae provides a means of assessing the role of the antennae with respect to the reception of various classes of stimuli. Antennaless ( A 0 ) phenotypes of antennaless stock fail to respond to those chemical stimuli which lead the fly to its food. Their temperature reactions are normal, and their humidity responses are opposite to those of somatically wild-type flies of the same stock or of wild-type controls. Aristapedia ( ss a ), which have leg-like antennae equipped with surface pegs and cones of supposed sensory function present in the normal antenna but absent in the normal leg, respond to chemical stimuli and humidity differences. As compared with that of normal flies, the olfactory response of aristapedia ( ss a ) is somewhat less intense, the humidity reaction being somewhat stronger. These mutants do not give the characteristic responses evoked by thermal stimuli both in normal flies and antennaless phenotypes. The outstanding histological differences between the structure of the antenna of aristapedia and that of wild-type flies is the absence of the pit organ. It thus seems that the pit organ is not essential to the olfactory response and plays no essential part in the humidity response. Since antennaless ( A 0 ) responds normally to thermal stimuli, none of the putative sense organs of the antennae are essential to the recognition of temperature differences, and since aristapedia ( ss a ) responds more weakly to chemical stimuli than do normal flies, the pit organs may well be long-distance chemoreceptors. What is more certain is that either the peg-like organs or the cones on the surface of the distal joint of the antennae or both are chemoreceptors. The same remark is equally applicable to the perception of humidity differences. Experiments here recorded do not justify the identification of the function of one or other type of sensilla with one or the other type of receptivity. While it is unjustifiable to exclude the possibility that short-distance chemical stimuli play a part in the attraction of flies of opposite sex, it appears that the main role of chemoreceptivity in relation to the mating behaviour of D. melanogaster is to ensure the aggregation of flies of both sexes in situations where food is available and sexual congress can be evoked by other forms of stimulation.

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