Courtship-Like Tracking Behaviour in Wild-Type Female Drosophila melanogaster

1981 ◽  
Vol 36 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 475-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Cook
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Control System ◽  
Functional Relationship ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Wild Type Female ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Sex Specificity ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Both male and female Drosophila melanogaster possess systems which enable them to track other walking flies visually. Males use this system predominantly in courtship; females, when of sufficient age but still unmated, have been observed to track other flies, at rates of up to 18 bouts per hour. This behaviour is most conveniently studied in groups of females. Although similar to the courtship tracking of males, fem ale/female tracking lacks the “circling” component of courtship. The data suggest a functional relationship of female/female tracking to reproductive behaviour, although none has yet been identified. Bouts of tracking by females are most frequently terminated by the following female, especially when the target female remains motionless. Comparison of the tracking parameters of males and females has revealed differences in the velocity and pathlength of tracking bouts, and in the position of the fly with respect to the target. Males of Canton and Kapelle strains differ in the translatory component of their courtship tracking, but such a difference was not evident between females of these strains. Furthermore, tracking females do not allow their distance to the target to rise to that permissible in males, which suggests some sex-specificity in a part of the control system for tracking.

Variation with Age in the Susceptibility to DDT and the Respiration Rate of male and female Drosophila melanogaster Mg.

1954 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Respiration Rate ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Males And Females

DDT in odourless distillate was topically applied to individual males and females of the Rothamated wild type of Drosophila melanogaster Mg. The lines for the regression of mortality in probits on log. dosage of DDT for males and females, five days old, were parallel, and males were 1·86 times as susceptible as females. Susceptibility was high in young flies, but rapidly decreased with age, to a minimum at about five days, thereafter increasing rapidly in males and not significantly in females. The need for sexing and standardising age in flies used for toxicological investigations was thus demonstrated.Respiration rate in untreated flies was measured by a modified Barcroft method. In males it increased with age up to five days, and then decreased; in females it increased with age up to nine days. Variations with age in respiration rate and susceptibility to DDT were negatively correlated.

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.

Sex determination in the germ line of Drosophila melanogaster: activation of the gene Sex-lethal

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 813-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Granadino ◽  
P. Santamaria ◽  
L. Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Germ Cells ◽  
Germ Line ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Female Development ◽  
Pole Cell ◽  
Somatic Tissues ◽  
Wild Type Female ◽  
Sex Lethal ◽  
Pole Cell Transplantation

The germ line exhibits sexual dimorphism as do the somatic tissues. Cells with the 2X;2A chromosome constitution will follow the oogenic pathway and X;2A cells will develop into sperm. In both somatic and germ-line tissues, the sexual pathway chosen by the cells depends on the gene Sex-lethal (Sxl), whose function is continuously needed for female development. In the soma, the sex of the cells is autonomously determined by the X:A signal while, in the germ line, the sex is determined by cell autonomous (the X:A signal) and somatic inductive signals. Three X-linked genes have been identified, scute (sc), sisterless-a (sis-a) and runt (run), that determine the initial functional state of Sxl in the soma. Using pole cell transplantation, we have tested whether these genes are also needed to activate Sxl in the germ line. We found that germ cells simultaneously heterozygous for sc, sis-a, run and a deficiency for Sxl transplanted into wild-type female hosts develop into functional oocytes. We conclude that the genes sc, sis-a and run needed to activate Sxl in the soma seem not to be required to activate this gene in the germ line; therefore, the X:A signal would be made up by different genes in somatic and germ-line tissues. The Sxlf7M1/Sxlfc females do not have developed ovaries. We have shown that germ cells of this genotype transplanted into wild-type female hosts produce functional oocytes. We conclude that the somatic component of the gonads in Sxlf7M1/Sxlfc females is affected, and consequently germ cells do not develop.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals Length-weight relationship and condition factor of endemic fish Bilih (Mystacoleucus padangensis Blkr.) in Lake Singkarak, West Sumatra, Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 322 ◽  
pp. 01036
Author(s):  
Syahroma H. Nasution ◽  
Ira Akhdiana ◽  
M. Suhaemi Syawal ◽  
Agus Nurhidyat
Keyword(s):  
Condition Factor ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Female Fish ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Weight Relationship ◽  
West Sumatra ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Relationship Of

Bilih (Mystacoleucus padangensis) is an endemic species of Lake Singkarak and has important economic value. Overfishing of Bilih fish using non-selective fishing gear has led to a decline in its population. High demand, resulting in decreased production and size of Bilih fish. This research aims to determine this endemic fish's length-weight relationship and condition factor as basic data to the effort conservation. The fish was captured with experimental gillnet mesh sized 5/8, ¾, and 1 inch in Sumani, Batu Taba, Paninggahan, and PLTA intake stations. The total length and the weight of Bilih fish ranged from 40 – 95 mm and 10 – 74 mg, respectively. The highest length and weight of Bilih were 80.3 mm, and 45.0 mg were found at the Sumani station. The growth pattern of male and female fish was a negative allometric characteristic. The length-weight relationship of male and female fish was W = 0.00137 L2.368 and W = 0.00179 L2.312, respectively. Condition factors of males and females are 1.02 and 1.004, respectively. The result of condition factor value for males is higher than the female. The water quality values are within the normal range that supports fish life.

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 Disparate regulation of imd drives sex differences in infection pathology in Drosophila melanogaster

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal M. Vincent ◽  
Marc S. Dionne
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Functional Importance ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Immune Activity ◽  
Imd Pathway ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
Female Specific

AbstractMale and female animals exhibit differences in infection outcomes. One possible source of sexually dimorphic immunity is sex-specific costs of immune activity or pathology, but little is known about the independent effects of immune-induced versus microbe-induced pathology, and whether these may differ for the sexes. Here, through measuring metabolic and physiological outputs in wild-type and immune-compromised Drosophila melanogaster, we test whether the sexes are differentially impacted by these various sources of pathology and identify a critical regulator of this difference. We find that the sexes exhibit differential immune activity but similar bacteria-derived metabolic pathology. We show that female-specific immune-inducible expression of PGRP-LB, a negative regulator of the Imd pathway, enables females to reduce immune activity in response to reductions in bacterial numbers. In the absence of PGRP-LB, females are more resistant of infection, confirming the functional importance of this regulation and suggesting that female-biased immune restriction comes at a cost.

scholarly journals Multiple Toll-Spätzle Pathways in Drosophila melanogaster Immunity

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Munmun Chowdhury ◽  
Chun-Feng Li ◽  
Zhen He ◽  
Yuzhen Lu ◽  
Xusheng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Systemic Infection ◽  
Defense Responses ◽  
Immune Defense ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Vesicular Stomatitis ◽  
Males And Females

AbstractThe Drosophila melanogaster Toll-Spätzle pathway plays an important role in development and immunity. Drosophila genome encodes nine Toll receptors and six Spätzle (Spz) proteins, and only the canonical Toll-Spz (Toll-1-Spz-1) pathway has been well investigated. In this study, we compared the nine Drosophila Tolls and showed that similarly to Toll, Toll-7 also strongly activated drosomycin promoter. Importantly, we showed that both Toll and Toll-7 interacted with Spz, Spz-2 and Spz-5, and co-expression of Toll or Toll-7 with Spz, Spz-2 and Spz-5 activated the drosomycin promoter. Furthermore, Toll and Toll-7 both recognized vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) by binding to the VSV glycoprotein. Septic infection in Toll and Toll-7 mutant flies suggested that Toll and Toll-7 differentially affected defense responses in adult males and females after systemic infection by Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans or VSV. Our results suggest multiple Toll family members activate the expression of antimicrobial peptides. Our results also provide evidence that Toll and Toll-7 bind multiple Spätzle proteins and differentially affect immune defense against different pathogens in adult male and female flies.

scholarly journals Selection for and against a canalized phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster

1967 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Y. Young
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Lower Proportion ◽  
Modifier Genes ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Appreciable Change ◽  
Bristle Number ◽  
Alternative Hypotheses ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Relative Change

Selection for and against the canalized phenotype in scutellar bristles was attempted in two selection lines and a randomly selected line was used as control. The selection lines were the Decanalization line (D) and the Canalization line (N). The D line was maintained by matings of scute males (scwbl) with three scutellars with wild-type females (scwbl/yw) with five bristles, in the N line scute males with four bristles were mated with wild-type females also with four bristles, while in the C line males and females of the above genotypes were selected at random. The lines were established from a sample of flies taken from a line selected for high scutellar numbers.After eighteen generations of selection the C line was characterized by a regression of mean bristle number without appreciable change in variance. Relative to the N line, the D population showed a lower proportion of flies having four scutellars, a higher variance in bristle numbers, and a higher proportion of four-bristle scute flies having abnormal patterns.Two alternative hypotheses were advanced to account for the results of this experiment. The first postulated a relative change in the widths of the four-bristle canalization zones in the selection lines, while the second suggested a relative change in frequencies of specific modifier genes for scutellars in scute and in wild-type genotypes of the lines. The evidence favours the latter hypothesis.

scholarly journals Drosophila melanogaster Y Chromosome Genes Affect Male Sensitivity to Microbial Infections

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Gloria Bartolo ◽  
Leandra O. Gonzalez ◽  
Anastasia Levitin ◽  
Mikhail Martchenko Shilman
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Y Chromosome ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Gastrointestinal Infections ◽  
Related Function ◽  
Microbial Infections ◽  
Wild Type Female ◽  
Increased Sensitivity

The genders of Drosophila melanogaster vary in their sensitivities to microbial pathogens. While many of the immunity-related genes are located on the X chromosome, the polymorphisms within the Y chromosome were also shown to affect the immunity of flies. In this study, we investigated the necessity of individual genes on the Y chromosome (Y-genes) for male sensitivity to microbes. We identified several Y-genes whose genetic inactivation either increases or decreases the sensitivity of males to gastrointestinal infections with fungal Saccharomyces cerevisiae and bacterial Serratia liquefaciens. Specifically, the loss of function mutations in fly kl-5 and Ppr-Y Y-genes lead to increased and decreased sensitivity of males to fungal challenge, respectively, compared to female sensitivity. In contrast, mutations in Drosophila Pp1-Y1, kl-5, kl-3, Ppr-Y, CCY, and FDY Y-genes lead to increased sensitivity of males to bacterial infection, compared to females. Moreover, while these Y-genes are necessary, the Y chromosome is not sufficient for the sensitivity of males to microbes, since the sensitivity of XXY females to fungal and bacterial challenges was not different from the sensitivity of wild-type female flies, compared to males. This study assigns a new immunity-related function to numerous Y-genes in D.melanogaster.

Relationship of blood pressure level in chickens to resistance to physical stresses

1961 ◽  
Vol 200 (6) ◽  
pp. 1155-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Sturkie ◽  
Kurt Textor
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Blood Pressure Level ◽  
Pressure Level ◽  
White Leghorn ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Exercise Treadmill ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Relationship Of

Hypertensive and hypotensive White Leghorn male and female chickens were subjected to low and high temperatures and to exercise. There were no significant differences in the response of hypertensive and hypotensive birds to high temperature. When hypothermia was induced by placing the birds in water at 20 C, survival times of the hypertensive males and females were significantly greater than for the hypotensive birds. When hypertensive and hypotensive birds were made to exercise (treadmill walking) the resistance to fatigue was significantly greater in the females with high blood pressure, but no differences were observed between the two groups of males; both hypertensive and hypotensive male birds exhibited considerably greater resistance to fatigue than did the females.

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