Occurrence of Unequal Amounts of Free Methionine in Male and Female Drosophila melanogaster

Science ◽  
1958 ◽  
Vol 127 (3296) ◽  
pp. 473-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. KAPLAN ◽  
J. T. HOLDEN ◽  
B. HOCHMAN
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Male And Female

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.

Drosophila melanogaster Importin α1 and α3 Can Replace Importin α2 During Spermatogenesis but Not Oogenesis

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 161 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Adam Mason ◽  
Robert J Fleming ◽  
David S Goldfarb
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Female Sterility ◽  
Degenerate Pcr ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Importin Α ◽  
Localization Signal ◽  
Male And Female Sterility ◽  
A Site ◽  
Female Gametogenesis

Abstract Importin α’s mediate the nuclear transport of many classical nuclear localization signal (cNLS)-containing proteins. Multicellular animals contain multiple importin α genes, most of which fall into three conventional phylogenetic clades, here designated α1, α2, and α3. Using degenerate PCR we cloned Drosophila melanogaster importin α1, α2, and α3 genes, demonstrating that the complete conventional importin α gene family arose prior to the split between invertebrates and vertebrates. We have begun to analyze the genetic interactions among conventional importin α genes by studying their capacity to rescue the male and female sterility of importin α2 null flies. The sterility of α2 null males was rescued to similar extents by importin α1, α2, and α3 transgenes, suggesting that all three conventional importin α’s are capable of performing the important role of importin α2 during spermatogenesis. In contrast, sterility of α2 null females was rescued only by importin α2 transgenes, suggesting that it plays a paralog-specific role in oogenesis. Female infertility was also rescued by a mutant importin α2 transgene lacking a site that is normally phosphorylated in ovaries. These rescue experiments suggest that male and female gametogenesis have distinct requirements for importin α2.

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