scholarly journals Sexual Dimorphism in Metabolic Responses to Western Diet in Drosophila melanogaster

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Sofie De Groef ◽  
Tom Wilms ◽  
Séverine Balmand ◽  
Federica Calevro ◽  
Patrick Callaerts
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Lipid Content ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Fruit Flies ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Obesogenic Diet ◽  
Ovarian Size

Obesity is a chronic disease affecting millions of people worldwide. The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is an interesting research model to study metabolic and transcriptomic responses to obesogenic diets. However, the sex-specific differences in these responses are still understudied and perhaps underestimated. In this study, we exposed adult male and female Dahomey fruit flies to a standard diet supplemented with sugar, fat, or a combination of both. The exposure to a diet supplemented with 10% sugar and 10% fat efficiently induced an increase in the lipid content in flies, a hallmark for obesity. This increase in the lipid content was more prominent in males, while females displayed significant changes in the glycogen content. The strong effects of the diets on the ovarian size and number of mature oocytes were also present in females exposed to diets supplemented with fat and a combination of fat and sugar. In both males and females, the fat body morphology changed and was associated with an increase in the lipid content of fat cells in response to the diets. The expression of metabolism-related genes also displayed a strong sexually dimorphic response under normal conditions and in response to the sugar and/or fat-supplemented diets. Here, we showed that the exposure of adult fruit flies to an obesogenic diet containing both sugar and fat allowed studying sexual dimorphism in metabolism and the expression of genes regulating metabolism.

Locomotion is not influenced by denticle number in larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 368-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J Fitzpatrick ◽  
Evelyn Szewczyk
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Natural Variation ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Fruit Flies ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Locomotory Performance ◽  
Locomotion Speed

Denticles are small projections on the underside of larval fruit flies that are used to grip the substrate while crawling. Previous studies have shown that (i) there is natural variation in denticle number and pattern between Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen, 1830) and several closely related species and (ii) mutations affecting denticle morphology have negative effects on locomotory performance. We hypothesized that there would be a correlation between denticle number and locomotory performance within populations of D. melanogaster. Despite finding considerable variation in denticle number, we found no correlation between denticle number and three measurements of larval locomotion: speed, acceleration, and absolute turning rate.

scholarly journals A ‘phenotypic hangover’ – the predictive adaptive response and multigenerational effects of altered nutrition on the transcriptome of Drosophila melanogaster

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J. Osborne ◽  
Peter K. Dearden
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Adaptive Response ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Postnatal Environment ◽  
Predictive Adaptive Response ◽  
Epigenetic Processes

AbstractThe Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis predicts that early-life environmental exposures can be detrimental to later-life health, and that mismatch between the pre- and postnatal environment may contribute to the growing non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic. Within this is an increasingly recognised role for epigenetic mechanisms; epigenetic modifications can be influenced by, e.g., nutrition, and can alter gene expression in mothers and offspring. Currently, there are no whole-genome transcriptional studies of response to nutritional alteration. Thus, we sought to explore how nutrition affects the expression of genes involved in epigenetic processes in Drosophila melanogaster. We manipulated Drosophila food macronutrient composition at the F0 generation, mismatched F1 offspring back to a standard diet, and analysed the transcriptome of the F0 – F3 generations by RNA-sequencing. At F0, the altered (high protein, low carbohydrate, HPLC) diet increased expression of genes involved in epigenetic processes, with coordinated downregulation of genes involved in immunity, neurotransmission and neurodevelopment, oxidative stress and metabolism. Upon reversion to standard nutrition, mismatched F1 and F2 generations displayed multigenerational inheritance of altered gene expression. By the F3 generation, gene expression had reverted to F0 (matched) levels. These nutritionally-induced gene expression changes demonstrate that dietary alteration can upregulate epigenetic genes, which may influence the expression of genes with broad biological functions. Further, the multigenerational inheritance of the gene expression changes in F1 and F2 mismatched generations suggests a predictive adaptive response (PAR) to maternal nutrition. Our findings may help to understand the interaction between maternal diet and future offspring health, and have direct implications for the current NCD epidemic.

scholarly journals Regulation of Fat Cell Mass by Insulin in Drosophila melanogaster

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (24) ◽  
pp. 6341-6352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin R. DiAngelo ◽  
Morris J. Birnbaum
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Insulin Signaling ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Fat Cell ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Adipocyte Cell

ABSTRACT A phylogenetically conserved response to nutritional abundance is an increase in insulin signaling, which initiates a set of biological responses dependent on the species. Consequences of augmented insulin signaling include developmental progression, cell and organ growth, and the storage of carbohydrates and lipids. Here, we address the evolutionary origins of insulin's positive effects on anabolic lipid metabolism by selectively modulating insulin signaling in the fat body of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Analogous to the actions of insulin in higher vertebrates, those in Drosophila include expansion of the insect fat cell mass both by increasing the adipocyte number and by promoting lipid accumulation. The ability of insulin to accomplish the former depends on its capacity to bring about phosphorylation and inhibition of the transcription factor Drosophila FOXO (dFOXO) and the serine/threonine protein kinase shaggy, the fly ortholog of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). Increasing the amount of triglyceride per cell also depends on the phosphorylation of shaggy but is independent of dFOXO. Thus, the findings of this study provide evidence that the control of fat mass by insulin is a conserved process and place dFOXO and shaggy/GSK3 downstream of the insulin receptor in controlling adipocyte cell number and triglyceride storage, respectively.

scholarly journals The use of Drosophila Melanogaster as a Model Organism to study the effect of Innate Immunity on Metabolism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abeer Mohbeddin ◽  
Nawar Haj Ahmed ◽  
Layla Kamareddine
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Janus Kinase ◽  
Signal Transducer ◽  
Metabolic Homeostasis ◽  
Stat Signaling ◽  
Stat Pathway

Apart from its traditional role in disease control, recent body of evidence has implicated a role of the immune system in regulating metabolic homeostasis. Owing to the importance of this “immune-metabolic alignment” in dictating a state of health or disease, a proper mechanistic understanding of this alignment is crucial in opening up for promising therapeutic approaches against a broad range of chronic, metabolic, and inflammatory disorders like obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel syndrome. In this project, we addressed the role of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) innate immune pathway in regulating different metabolic parameters using the Drosophila melanogaster (DM) fruit fly model organism. Mutant JAK/STAT pathway flies with a systemic knockdown of either Domeless (Dome) [domeG0282], the receptor that activates JAK/STAT signaling, or the signal-transducer and activator of transcription protein at 92E (Stat92E) [stat92EEY10528], were used. The results of the study revealed that blocking JAK/STAT signaling alters the metabolic profile of mutant flies. Both domeG0282 and stat92EEY10528 mutants had an increase in body weight, lipid deprivation from their fat body (lipid storage organ in flies), irregular accumulation of lipid droplets in the gut, systemic elevation of glucose and triglyceride levels, and differential down-regulation in the relative gene expression of different peptide hormones (Tachykinin, Allatostatin C, and Diuretic hormone 31) known to regulate metabolic homeostasis in flies. Because the JAK/STAT pathway is evolutionary conserved between invertebrates and vertebrates, our potential findings in the fruit fly serves as a platform for further immune-metabolic translational studies in more complex mammalian systems including humans.

scholarly journals Neural and non-neural contributions to sexual dimorphism of mid-day sleep in Drosophila: A pilot study

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Khericha ◽  
J.B. Kolenchery ◽  
E. Tauber
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Hormone Secretion ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Mushroom Bodies ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Neural Tissues ◽  
Circadian Clock Output ◽  
The Brain

AbstractMany of the characteristics associated with mammalian sleep are also observed in Drosophila, making the fruit-fly a powerful model organism for studying the genetics of this important process. Among these similarities is the presence of sexual dimorphic sleep patterns, which in flies, is manifested as increased mid-day sleep (‘siesta’) in males, compared to females. Here, we have used targeted miss-expression of the gene transformer (tra) and tra2 to either feminise or masculinise specific neural and non-neural tissues in the fly. Feminization of males using three different GAL4 drivers which are expressed in the mushroom bodies induced a female-like reduced siesta, while the masculinisation of females using these drivers triggered the male-like increased siesta. We also observed a similar reversal of sex-specific sleep by miss-expressing tra in the fat body, a key tissue in energy metabolism and hormone secretion. In addition, the daily expression levels of takeout, an important circadian clock output gene, were sexually dimorphic. Taken together, our experiments suggest that sleep-sexual dimorphism in Drosophila is driven by multiple neural and non-neural circuits, within and outside the brain.

scholarly journals Impact of Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel (Rutaceae) extracts on lifespan and oxidative stress markers in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830 (Diptera)

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (15) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
Dinesh Kumar ◽  
Sunita Sunita ◽  
Veer Bhan
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Free Radicals ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme ◽  
Enzyme System ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
Murraya Koenigii ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme System

The free radicals (ROS and RNS) damage to proteins, DNA, lipids of the cell. These free radicals creates the imbalance in physiological functions and acts as a prevalent cause of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, aging, oxidative stress and metabolic syndrome by dysfunction of antioxidant enzyme system of cell. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830 (Diptera) as a model we examined the antioxidant properties of Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel (Rutaceae) on the life history parameters. We demonstrate a novel physiological interaction between free radicals, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme system by using extracts of M. koenigii in standard diet of the fly. This study describes how this interaction impacts a very early cellular defect associated with ageing and ageing associate diseases. We also describe progressive deficits in flies expressing the superoxide dismutase gene, catalase and lipid peroxidation. Collectively, our work demonstrates that Drosophila can be used to study the cellular, physiological and behavioral basis of human ageing related diseases.

scholarly journals Manipulation of feeding regime alters sexual dimorphism for lifespan and reduces sexual conflict in Drosophila melanogaster

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1854) ◽  
pp. 20170391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. L. Duxbury ◽  
Wayne G. Rostant ◽  
Tracey Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Life History ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Experimental Evolution ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Developmental Time ◽  
Feeding Regime ◽  
Focal Female ◽  
Feeding Regimes

Sexual dimorphism for lifespan (SDL) is widespread, but poorly understood. A leading hypothesis, which we test here, is that strong SDL can reduce sexual conflict by allowing each sex to maximize its sex-specific fitness. We used replicated experimental evolution lines of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , which had been maintained for over 360 generations on either unpredictable ‘Random’ or predictable ‘Regular’ feeding regimes. This evolutionary manipulation of feeding regime led to robust, enhanced SDL in Random over control, Regular lines. Enhanced SDL was associated with a significant increase in the fitness of focal males, tested with wild-type (WT) females. This was due to sex-specific changes to male life history, manifested as increased early reproductive output and reduced survival. In contrast, focal female fitness, tested with WT males, did not differ across regimes. Hence increased SDL was associated with a reduction in sexual conflict, which increased male fitness and maintained fitness in females. Differences in SDL were not associated with developmental time or developmental survival. Overall, the results showed that the expression of enhanced SDL, resulting from experimental evolution of feeding regimes, was associated with male-specific changes in life history, leading to increased fitness and reduced sexual conflict.

scholarly journals The Drosophila melanogaster Metabolic Response against Parasitic Nematode Infection Is Mediated by TGF-β Signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 971
Author(s):  
Yaprak Ozakman ◽  
Trishya Pagadala ◽  
Dhaivat Raval ◽  
Ioannis Eleftherianos
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Metabolic Response ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Sugar Metabolism ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽  
Nematode Infection ◽  
Bmp Signaling ◽  
Host Metabolism

The nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, its mutualistic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster establish a unique system to study the basis of infection in relation to host metabolism. Our previous results indicate that the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway participates in the D. melanogaster metabolic response against nematode parasitism. However, our understanding of whether the presence of Photorhabdus bacteria in Heterorhabditis nematodes affects the metabolic state of D. melanogaster during infection is limited. Here, we investigated the involvement of TGF-β signaling branches, Activin and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP), in the D. melanogaster metabolic response against axenic (lacking bacteria) or symbiotic (containing bacteria) H. bacteriophora infection. We show that BMP signaling mediates lipid metabolism against axenic or symbiotic H. bacteriophora and alters the size of fat body lipid droplets against symbiotic nematode infection. Also, following symbiotic H. bacteriophora infection, Activin signaling modulates sugar metabolism. Our results indicate that Activin and BMP signaling interact with the D. melanogaster metabolic response to H. bacteriophora infection regardless of the presence or absence of Photorhabdus. These findings provide evidence for the role of TGF-β signaling in host metabolism, which could lead to the development of novel treatments for parasitic diseases.

scholarly journals The production of elevated flight force compromises manoeuvrability in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

2001 ◽  
Vol 204 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.O. Lehmann ◽  
M.H. Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Aerodynamic Force ◽  
Force Production ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Fruit Flies ◽  
Force Coefficient ◽  
Stroke Frequency ◽  
Wing Kinematics ◽  
Stroke Amplitude

In this study, we have investigated how enhanced total flight force production compromises steering performance in tethered flying fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster. The animals were flown in a closed-loop virtual-reality flight arena in which they modulated total flight force production in response to vertically oscillating visual patterns. By simultaneously measuring stroke amplitude and stroke frequency, we recorded the ability of each fly to modulate its wing kinematics at different levels of aerodynamic force production. At a flight force that exactly compensates body weight, the temporal deviations with which fruit flies vary their stroke amplitude and frequency are approximately 2.7 degrees and 4.8 Hz of their mean value, respectively. This variance in wing kinematics decreases with increasing flight force production, and at maximum force production fruit flies are restricted to a unique combination of stroke amplitude, stroke frequency and mean force coefficient. This collapse in the kinematic envelope during peak force production could greatly attenuate the manoeuvrability and stability of animals in free flight.

scholarly journals Population Growth of Fruit Flies (Drosophilla melanogaster) Using The Barangan Banana (Musa paradisiaca) was tested in the FKIP UISU Medan Laboratory

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusri Fefiani ◽  
Pandu Prabowo Warsodirejo
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Fruit Flies ◽  
Logistic Growth ◽  
Working Principle ◽  
External Genital Organs

This study aims to: 1) recognize fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), 2) morphologically distinguish adult fruit fly sex, 3) study the growth of fruit fly populations. The practicum was held on August 20, 2019 in the Biology Education Laboratory FKIP UISU. The working principle of practicum is making food as a medium for fruit fly culture (a mixture of bananas, cassava tape, benzoate), etherization and observation, observing the growth of fruit fly populations. Observations were made by counting the number of live flies and dead flies, the sex ratio of flies. Observations were carried out every day, for 15 days (20 August 2019 - 3 September 2019). The results of the analysis show that: 1) population growth of Drosophila melanogaster includes logistic growth models with S-shaped curves, 2) sex of adult fruit flies can be morphologically distinguished through body size, abdominal shape, genital comb and external genital organs in the abdomen. Based on the results and discussion, the following conclusions are obtained: 1) fruit flies including insects undergoing perfect metamorphosis (egg phase, larvae, pupa, imago), 2) differences in adult fruit fly sex can be seen from body size, abdomen shape, presence of genital comb, external genital organs in the abdomen, 3) population growth of fruit flies including logistic growth models in the form of S curves, influenced by environmental factors

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document