Genetic Variation in Male and Female Reproductive Characters Associated with Sexual Conflict in Drosophila melanogaster

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urban Friberg
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Reproductive Characters

scholarly journals Female and male genetic contributions to post-mating immune defence in female Drosophila melanogaster

2010 ◽  
Vol 277 (1700) ◽  
pp. 3649-3657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Short ◽  
Brian P. Lazzaro
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Bacterial Pathogens ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Immune Defence ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Providencia Alcalifaciens ◽  
Genetic Contributions ◽  
Evolution Of Immunity

Post-mating reduction in immune defence is common in female insects, and a trade-off between mating and immunity could affect the evolution of immunity. In this work, we tested the capacity of virgin and mated female Drosophila melanogaster to defend against infection by four bacterial pathogens. We found that female D. melanogaster suffer post-mating immunosuppression in a pathogen-dependent manner. The effect of mating was seen after infection with two bacterial pathogens ( Providencia rettgeri and Providencia alcalifaciens ), though not after infection with two other bacteria ( Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ). We then asked whether the evolution of post-mating immunosuppression is primarily a ‘female’ or ‘male’ trait by assaying for genetic variation among females for the degree of post-mating immune suppression they experience and among males for the level of post-mating immunosuppression they elicit in their mates. We also assayed for an interaction between male and female genotypes to test the specific hypothesis that the evolution of a trade-off between mating and immune defence in females might be being driven by sexual conflict. We found that females, but not males, harbour significant genetic variation for post-mating immunosuppression, and we did not detect an interaction between female and male genotypes. We thus conclude that post-mating immune depression is predominantly a ‘female’ trait, and find no evidence that it is evolving under sexual conflict.

scholarly journals Investigating the interaction between inter-locus and intra-locus sexual conflict using hemiclonal analysis in Drosophila melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manas Geeta Arun ◽  
Tejinder Singh Chechi ◽  
Rakesh Meena ◽  
Shradha Dattaraya Bhosle ◽  
Srishti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Genetic Correlation ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Operational Sex Ratio ◽  
Female Fitness ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Males And Females

Divergence in the evolutionary interests of males and females leads to sexual conflict. Traditionally, sexual conflict has been classified into two types: inter-locus sexual conflict (IeSC) and intra-locus sexual conflict (IaSC). IeSC is modeled as a conflict over outcomes of intersexual reproductive interactions mediated by loci that are sex-limited in their effects. IaSC is thought to be a product of selection acting in opposite directions in males and females on traits with a common underlying genetic basis. While in their canonical formalisms IaSC and IeSC are mutually exclusive, there is growing support for the idea that the two may interact. Empirical evidence for such interactions, however, is limited. Here, we investigated the interaction between IeSC and IaSC in Drosophila melanogaster. Using hemiclonal analysis, we sampled 39 hemigenomes from a laboratory-adapted population of D. melanogaster. We measured the contribution of each hemigenome to adult male and female fitness at three different intensities of IeSC, obtained by varying the operational sex-ratio. Subsequently, we estimated the intensity of IaSC at each sex-ratio by calculating the intersexual genetic correlation for fitness and the proportion of sexually antagonistic fitness-variation. Our results indicate a statistically non-significant trend suggesting that increasing the strength of IeSC ameliorates IaSC in the population.

scholarly journals Sexual conflict selects for male and female reproductive characters

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 489-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J Hosken ◽  
T.W.J Garner ◽  
P.I Ward
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Reproductive Characters

scholarly journals Sex- and genotype-effects on nutrient-dependent fitness landscapes in Drosophila melanogaster

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Florencia Camus ◽  
Kevin Fowler ◽  
Matthew W.D. Piper ◽  
Max Reuter
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Physiological Adaptation ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Genetic Constraints ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
Metabolic Variation ◽  
Biochemical Analyses

AbstractThe sexes perform different reproductive roles and have evolved sometimes strikingly different phenotypes. One focal point of adaptive divergence occurs in the context of diet and metabolism, and males and females of a range of species have been shown to require different nutrients to maximise their fitness. Biochemical analyses in Drosophila melanogaster have confirmed that dimorphism in dietary requirements is associated with molecular sex-differences in metabolite titres. In addition, they also showed significant within-sex genetic variation in the metabolome. To date however, it is unknown whether this metabolic variation translates into differences in reproductive fitness. The answer to this question is crucial to establish whether genetic variation is selectively neutral or indicative of constraints on sex-specific physiological adaptation and optimisation. Here we assay genetic variation in consumption and metabolic fitness effects by screening male and female fitness of thirty D. melanogaster genotypes across four protein-to-carbohydrate ratios. In addition to confirming sexual dimorphism in consumption and fitness, we find significant genetic variation in male and female dietary requirements. Importantly, these differences are not explained by feeding responses and most likely reflect metabolic variation that, in turn, suggest the presence of genetic constraints on metabolic dimorphism.

scholarly journals Sex and genotype effects on nutrient-dependent fitness landscapes in Drosophila melanogaster

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1869) ◽  
pp. 20172237 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Florencia Camus ◽  
Kevin Fowler ◽  
Matthew W. D. Piper ◽  
Max Reuter
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Physiological Adaptation ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Genetic Constraints ◽  
Dietary Requirements ◽  
Metabolic Variation ◽  
Biochemical Analyses

The sexes perform different reproductive roles and have evolved sometimes strikingly different phenotypes. One focal point of adaptive divergence occurs in the context of diet and metabolism, and males and females of a range of species have been shown to require different nutrients to maximize their fitness. Biochemical analyses in Drosophila melanogaster have confirmed that dimorphism in dietary requirements is associated with molecular sex differences in metabolite titres. In addition, they also showed significant within-sex genetic variation in the metabolome. To date however, it is unknown whether this metabolic variation translates into differences in reproductive fitness. The answer to this question is crucial to establish whether genetic variation is selectively neutral or indicative of constraints on sex-specific physiological adaptation and optimization. Here we assay genetic variation in consumption and metabolic fitness effects by screening male and female fitness of thirty D. melanogaster genotypes across four protein-to-carbohydrate ratios. In addition to confirming sexual dimorphism in consumption and fitness, we find significant genetic variation in male and female dietary requirements. Importantly, these differences are not explained by feeding responses and probably reflect metabolic variation that, in turn, suggests the presence of genetic constraints on metabolic dimorphism.

scholarly journals Natural Genetic Variation in Cuticular Hydrocarbon Expression in Male and Female Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 175 (3) ◽  
pp. 1465-1477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad Foley ◽  
Stephen F. Chenoweth ◽  
Sergey V. Nuzhdin ◽  
Mark W. Blows
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Cuticular Hydrocarbon ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Natural Genetic Variation

scholarly journals Female Genotypes Affect Sperm Displacement in Drosophila

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 149 (3) ◽  
pp. 1487-1493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew G Clark ◽  
David J Begun
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Isogenic Line ◽  
Female Fitness ◽  
Sperm Displacement ◽  
Extensive Variation ◽  
Polymorphic Genes ◽  
Displacement Parameter ◽  
Competitive Success

Abstract Differential success of sperm is likely to be an important component of fitness. Extensive variation among male genotypes in competitive success of sperm in multiply mated females has been documented for Drosophila melanogaster. However, virtually all previous studies considered the female to be a passive vessel. Nevertheless, under certain conditions female fitness could be determined by her role in mediating use of sperm from multiple males. Here we ask whether females differ among genotypes in their tendency to exhibit last-male precedence. Competition of sperm from two tester male genotypes (bwD and B3-09, a third-chromosome isogenic line from Beltsville, MD) was quantified by doubly mating female lines that had been rendered homozygous for X, second, or third chromosomes isolated from natural populations. The composite sperm displacement parameter, P2′, was highly heterogeneous among lines, whether or not viability effects were compensated, implying the presence of polymorphic genes affecting access of sperm to eggs. Genetic variation of this type is completely neutral in the absence of pleiotropy or interaction between variation in the two sexes.

scholarly journals Production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species both affect reproductive success in male and female Drosophila melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biz R. Turnell ◽  
Luisa Kumpitsch ◽  
Klaus Reinhardt
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Reactive Oxygen ◽  
Cellular Aging ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Ros Scavenging ◽  
Respiratory Pathway ◽  
Male And Female

AbstractSperm aging is accelerated by the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause oxidative damage to various cellular components. Aging can be slowed by limiting the production of mitochondrial ROS and by increasing the production of antioxidants, both of which can be generated in the sperm cell itself or in the surrounding somatic tissues of the male and female reproductive tracts. However, few studies have compared the separate contributions of ROS production and ROS scavenging to sperm aging, or to cellular aging in general. We measured reproductive fitness in two lines of Drosophila melanogaster genetically engineered to (1) produce fewer ROS via expression of alternative oxidase (AOX), an alternative respiratory pathway; or (2) scavenge fewer ROS due to a loss-of-function mutation in the antioxidant gene dj-1β. Wild-type females mated to AOX males had increased fecundity and longer fertility durations, consistent with slower aging in AOX sperm. Contrary to expectations, fitness was not reduced in wild-type females mated to dj-1β males. Fecundity and fertility duration were increased in AOX and decreased in dj-1β females, indicating that female ROS levels may affect aging rates in stored sperm and/or eggs. Finally, we found evidence that accelerated aging in dj-1β sperm may have selected for more frequent mating. Our results help to clarify the relative roles of ROS production and ROS scavenging in the male and female reproductive systems.

scholarly journals A hobo Transgene That Encodes the P-Element Transposase in Drosophila melanogaster: Autoregulation and Cytotype Control of Transposase Activity

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Simmons ◽  
Kevin J Haley ◽  
Craig D Grimes ◽  
John D Raymond ◽  
Jarad B Niemi
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Gonadal Dysgenesis ◽  
P Element ◽  
Hsp70 Gene ◽  
Alternate Splicing ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
P Elements ◽  
Male Germline ◽  
Female Germline ◽  
Transposase Expression

Abstract Drosophila were genetically transformed with a hobo transgene that contains a terminally truncated but otherwise complete P element fused to the promoter from the Drosophila hsp70 gene. Insertions of this H(hsp/CP) transgene on either of the major autosomes produced the P transposase in both the male and female germlines, but not in the soma. Heat-shock treatments significantly increased transposase activity in the female germline; in the male germline, these treatments had little effect. The transposase activity of two insertions of the H(hsp/CP) transgene was not significantly greater than their separate activities, and one insertion of this transgene reduced the transposase activity of P(ry+, Δ2-3)99B, a stable P transgene, in the germline as well as in the soma. These observations suggest that, through alternate splicing, the H(hsp/CP) transgene produces a repressor that feeds back negatively to regulate transposase expression or function in both the somatic and germline tissues. The H(hsp/CP) transgenes are able to induce gonadal dysgenesis when the transposase they encode has P-element targets to attack. However, this ability and the ability to induce P-element excisions are repressed by the P cytotype, a chromosomal/cytoplasmic state that regulates P elements in the germline.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document