Specificity and localization of lipolytic activity in adult Drosophila melanogaster

The triacylglycerol lipases present in adult Drosophila melanogaster have been investigated. Different lipase activities are present in various tissues in the fly. In particular, an abundant lipase activity is present in the male accessory gland. An esterase null mutant was used to confirm that the enzyme activity was due to a distinct lipase and not non-specific activity from esterase 6 which is also abundant in accessory glands. The properties of the accessory-gland lipase were investigated, and pH optima and substrate utilization suggest that it has some similarities to vertebrate bile-salt-stimulated lipase. Lipase activity is significantly reduced in males and increased in females shortly after mating. This finding suggests that lipase activity is transferred to the female and may be important in mating and reproduction in Drosophila.

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Male accessory gland substance: an egg-laying stimulant in Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.) (Orthoptera:Acrididae)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z69-186 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 1199-1203 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

R. Pickford ◽

Al B. Ewen ◽

C. Gillott

Keyword(s):

Seminal Vesicle ◽

Chemical Substance ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Melanoplus Sanguinipes ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Accessory Glands ◽

Egg Deposition ◽

Complete Set ◽

Per Se

The rate of egg deposition by mature virgin females of the migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.), increased markedly after implantation of accessory glands from mature males. Implants consisting of one-half of a complete set of glands, or of the 10 short hyaline glands alone, were about equally effective in increasing the rate of egg deposition. However, in each case the oviposition rate was less than that of normally mated females of the same age. Implanting only the white glands of the accessory gland complex had a lesser effect on egg-laying and implants of the long hyaline gland or of the seminal vesicle had little or no effect.Our results indicate that the physical act of mating per se or the presence of sperm probably do not provide the primary stimulus to egg-laying. The abdominal location of the implanted accessory gland does, however, suggest that some diffusible chemical substance is responsible for increasing egg deposition in these virgin females.

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Cost of mating in Drosophila melanogaster females is mediated by male accessory gland products

Nature ◽

10.1038/373241a0 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 373 (6511) ◽

pp. 241-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 959

Author(s):

Tracey Chapman ◽

Lindsay F. Liddle ◽

John M. Kalb ◽

Mariana F. Wolfner ◽

Linda Partridge

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Male Accessory Gland

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Studies of esterase 6 in Drosophila melanogaster: XI. Modification of esterase 6 activity by unlinked genes

Genetics Research ◽

10.1017/s0016672300018991 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 109-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Craig S. Tepper ◽

Rollin C. Richmond ◽

Anne L. Terry ◽

Alayne Senior

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Structural Gene ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Allelic Variation ◽

Regulatory Gene ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Gene Products ◽

Gene Variation ◽

Esterase 6 ◽

Regulatory Loci

SUMMARYThe often remarkable similarity in structural gene products among related species has led to the hypothesis that species differences may reside largely in changes at regulatory gene loci. This hypothesis assumes that groups capable of speciating have allelic variation at regulatory loci in their natural populations. We have undertaken an analysis of the mode of regulation of the esterase 6 (Est 6) locus in Drosophila melanogaster to determine the nature and extent of regulatory gene variation in natural populations. Analyses of esterase 6 (EST 6) activity among strains carrying the same thermostability variants reveal that significant, specific-activity differences are present. Reciprocal crosses between lines having high and low EST 6 activity show that loci other than the Est 6 structural gene influence EST 6 activity. Analyses of male hybrids from crosses between D. melanogaster and simulans indicate that the X chromosome of these flies affects the expression of the Est 6 locus, resulting in unequal levels of enzyme activity from the two alleles. The effect is sex and tissue specific. Female hybrids carrying the X chromosomes of both species exhibit equal expression of the two Est 6 alleles. We have determined whether natural populations are polymorphic for X chromosomes which affect EST 6 activity by extracting single X chromosomes from wild-collected males and placing these chromosomes in identical genetic backgrounds. Stocks which are otherwise genetically identical but carry independently derived X chromosomes show significant differences in the activity of EST 6. These data suggest that regulatory loci may be commonly polymorphic in natural populations.

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MALE ACCESSORY GLAND FACTORS ELICIT CHANGE FROM ‘VIRGIN’ TO ‘MATED’ BEHAVIOUR IN THE FEMALE CORN EARWORM MOTH HELICOVERPA ZEA

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.183.1.61 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 183 (1) ◽

pp. 61-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T. G. Kingan ◽

P. A. Thomas-Laemont ◽

A. K. Raina

Keyword(s):

Sex Pheromone ◽

Helicoverpa Zea ◽

High Performance ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Corn Earworm ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Reverse Phase ◽

Accessory Glands ◽

Calling Behaviour ◽

Chemical Messenger

After mating, the females of many species of moths become depleted of sex pheromone, calling behaviour is terminated, and they become transiently or permanently unreceptive to additional matings. In the corn earworm moth, Helicoverpa zea, we have found that the male accessory gland/duplex is required for evoking the post-mating depletion of sex pheromone but apparently not for the cessation of calling. The latter change requires the receipt of a spermatophore or a chemical messenger derived from non-accessory gland/duplex sources. Desalted extracts of combined accessory glands and duplexes caused a depletion of pheromone in injected females. Proteinaceous components in extracts purified by fractionation in cation-exchange cartridges and by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromotography retain their pheromonostatic activity. In addition, this fractionated material shuts off calling behaviour and prevents mating in injected females, raising the possibility that redundant mechanisms exist in eliciting the different components of ‘mated’ behaviour.

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Causes and consequences of esterase 6 enzyme activity variation in pre-adult Drosophila melanogaster

Heredity ◽

10.1038/hdy.1994.115 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 160-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

John G Oakeshott ◽

Marlene Saad ◽

Anne Y Game ◽

Marion J Healy

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Activity ◽

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Activity Variation ◽

Esterase 6 ◽

Enzyme Activity Variation ◽

Adult Drosophila

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Structure, cell-specific expression, and mating-induced regulation of a Drosophila melanogaster male accessory gland gene

Developmental Biology ◽

10.1016/0012-1606(90)90284-p ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 139 (1) ◽

pp. 134-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Angela J. DiBenedetto ◽

Heidi A. Harada ◽

Mariana F. Wolfner

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Specific Expression

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The Female Post-Mating Response Requires Genes Expressed in the Secondary Cells of the Male Accessory Gland in Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics ◽

10.1534/genetics.115.181644 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 202 (3) ◽

pp. 1029-1041 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

J. L. Sitnik ◽

D. Gligorov ◽

R. K. Maeda ◽

F. Karch ◽

M. F. Wolfner

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Mating Response

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FUNCTIONS OF THE MALE ACCESSORY GLAND SECRETIONS OF AEDES MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE): TRANSPLANTATION STUDIES

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/ent108955-9 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 108 (9) ◽

pp. 955-960 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

S. Ramalingam ◽

G. B. Craig

Keyword(s):

Aedes Aegypti ◽

Secretory Granules ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Anterior Region ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Male Accessory Glands ◽

Accessory Glands ◽

Aedes Mosquitoes ◽

Species Specific

AbstractIn Aedes aegypti, the ’matrone’ substance which caused mating inhibition and stimulated oviposition in females, was present in the anterior secretory region of the male accessory glands. In the divided accessory glands of male A. triseriatus, however, it was present in the posterior glands. The posterior gland substance in A. triseriatus was not species specific. It stimulated oviposition in A. aegypti and caused mating inhibition in A. atropalpus. The secretory substance of the posteriormost region in the glands of both species of mosquitoes was mucin in nature. This mucin substance effectively glued the secretory granules of the anterior region(s).

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The structure, formation, histochemistry, fate, and functions of the spermatophore of Lytta nuttalli Say (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z71-231 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 49 (12) ◽

pp. 1595-1610 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

G. H. Gerber ◽

N. S. Church ◽

J. G. Rempel

Keyword(s):

Tube Wall ◽

Anterior Part ◽

Posterior Part ◽

Accessory Gland ◽

Male Accessory Gland ◽

Male And Female ◽

Male Accessory Glands ◽

Accessory Glands ◽

Sequence Of Events ◽

Probable Form

The spermatophore of Lytta nuttalli consists of a unique tubular structure and a mass of jelly-like material (JLM). The spermatozoa are located in the JLM at its junction with the tube. The tube wall is composed of three layers of "histochemically" different substances produced by the first pair of male accessory glands. The JLM is secreted by the vasa deferentia. During copulation, usually of 8 to 10 h duration, the tube is molded and hardened in the vagina and posterior part of the spermatophoral receptacle duct and the JLM in the anterior part of the duct. The tube of the spermatophore serves as an intromittent "organ" in the absence of an internal penial sac. The sequence of events in spermatophore formation and the roles of the materials from the second and third pairs of male accessory glands are described. After copulation, usually within 2 h, the tube is ejected by the female. Within 24 h after copulation, most of the spermatozoa are transferred to the spermatheca. The secretion of the female accessory gland apparently is involved in this process. The JLM and third male accessory gland materials are retained in the spermatophoral receptacle and apparently are absorbed. The histochemical composition of the male and female secretions and the components of the spermatophore and the cytology and secretory cycles of the glands are described. The spermatophore of L. nuttalli is compared with those of other insects and the probable form of the spermatophore in other Meloidae is considered.

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