Roles of Female and Male Genotype in Post-Mating Responses in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT We have identified cells in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster that are required to be of female genotype for receptivity to copulation with males. To do this, we determined experimental conditions in which female flies virtually always copulate, then measured the minimum amount of male courtship that is required to stimulate females to indicate their receptivity to copulation. We then observed gynandromorphs with female genitalia to determine whether the sex mosaics elicited at least the minimum amount of courtship and, if so, whether they copulated. By analyzing these gynandromorphs, in which the genotype of external and internal tissues could be ascertained, we were able to identify a group of cells in the dorsal anterior brain that, when bilaterally female, is necessary and sufficient for receptivity to copulation. This group of cells is anatomically distinct from those that are required to be of male genotype for the performance of courtship behaviors.

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Expression and amplification of the genes for ribosomal RNA in bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics Research ◽

10.1017/s0016672300022084 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 155-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

F. Lee Dutton ◽

Hallie M. Krider

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Sexual Dimorphism ◽

Ribosomal Rna ◽

Dosage Compensation ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Rdna Genes ◽

Diploid Genome ◽

Minimum Dose ◽

Phenotypic Character ◽

Male Genotype

SummaryWe have employed stocks bearing clonally derived X chromosomes to investigate several features of the bobbed mutant syndrome, and the amplification of rDNA genes in D. melanogaster. We report that posterior macroscutellar bristle length correlates well with the rDNA content (i.e. dose of ivs–, or uninterrupted genes) in cloned X derivative strains. X/O males and X/X females with statistically indistinguishable rDNA contents have virtually identical bristle lengths. This indicates that (with respect to this phenotypic character) the rDNAs in these two genotypes are expressed equally, without apparent sexual dimorphism or dosage compensation. However, the severity of bobbed phenotype in terms of bristle morphology, turgite etching, and delayed eclosion is greater in the Xbb/XNO− female than in the Xbb/O male genotype for the alleles examined. We estimate the minimum dose of functioning rRNA genes required for viability at 26 δC to be 70 genes per diploid genome. We have examined the capacity of several X chromosomes which bear bobbed mutant alleles to compensate in X/O males, and find that disproportionate replication of these rDNAs does not take place. In contrast, at least one of the non-compensating bobbed alleles does appear to undergo rDNA magnification.

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MALE GENOTYPE AFFECTS FEMALE LONGEVITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Evolution ◽

10.1111/j.0014-3820.2001.tb00819.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (4) ◽

pp. 834-839

Author(s):

Ryan Sawby ◽

Kimberly A. Hughes

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Female Longevity ◽

Male Genotype

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Male genotype influences female reproductive investment in Drosophila melanogaster

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2010.2272 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 278 (1715) ◽

pp. 2165-2172 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Alison Pischedda ◽

Andrew D. Stewart ◽

Monica K. Little ◽

William R. Rice

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Egg Size ◽

Direct Evidence ◽

Reproductive Investment ◽

Male Quality ◽

Isofemale Lines ◽

Female Fecundity ◽

Short Term ◽

Male Genotype

In many species, males can influence the amount of resources their mates invest in reproduction. Two favoured hypotheses for this observation are that females assess male quality during courtship or copulation and alter their investment in offspring accordingly, or that males manipulate females to invest heavily in offspring produced soon after mating. Here, we examined whether there is genetic variation for males to influence female short-term reproductive investment in Drosophila melanogaster , a species with strong sexual selection and substantial sexual conflict. We measured the fecundity and egg size of females mated to males from multiple isofemale lines collected from populations around the globe. Although these traits were not strongly influenced by the male's population of origin, we found that 22 per cent of the variation in female short-term reproductive investment was attributable to the genotype of her mate. This is the first direct evidence that male D. melanogaster vary genetically in their proximate influence on female fecundity, egg size and overall reproductive investment.

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MALE GENOTYPE AFFECTS FEMALE LONGEVITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Evolution ◽

10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[0834:mgafli]2.0.co;2 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 55 (4) ◽

pp. 834 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Ryan Sawby ◽

Kimberly A. Hughes

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Female Longevity ◽

Male Genotype

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The effects of male genotype on some aspects of population dynamics in lozenge—Muller-5 system of Drosophila melanogaster

Journal of Heredity ◽

10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a109356 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 71 (4) ◽

pp. 235-240

Author(s):

SERGEY POLIVANOV ◽

PAUL PECK ◽

KAREN A. DORNAN-KENDIG

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Male Genotype

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STUDIES OF ESTERASE 6 IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. VI. EJACULATE COMPETITIVE ABILITIES OF MALES HAVING NULL OR ACTIVE ALLELES

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/97.1.85 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 97 (1) ◽

pp. 85-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Donald G Gilbert ◽

Rollin C Richmond

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Sexual Selection ◽

Competitive Ability ◽

Seminal Fluid ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Competition Mechanism ◽

Esterase 6 ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Female Genotype ◽

Male Genotype

ABSTRACT Recent studies of the function of the polymorphic seminal fluid enzyme, esterase 6, of Drosophila melanogaster suggested that it may act in the process of sperm displacement (Gilbert, Richmond and Sheehan, 1981a). This report examines the competitive ability of ejaculates from males homozygous for null or active alleles of esterase 6 under three experimental conditions that model aspects of sexual selection affecting males. The results demonstrate no significant difference in ejaculate competition between esterase 6 null or active male types, but marker males used for paternity identification had poorly competitive ejaculates. The proportion of second-male progeny, P 2, used as an index of competition is primarily influenced by second-male genotype and uninfluenced by female genotype. P2 can change with time from remating and be unaffected by different intensities of competition, which suggests a complex ejaculate competition mechanism.

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