1
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Coleman RT, Morantte I, Koreman GT, Cheng ML, Ding Y, Ruta V. A modular circuit coordinates the diversification of courtship strategies. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-08028-1. [PMID: 39385031 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08028-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 10/11/2024]
Abstract
Mate recognition systems evolve rapidly to reinforce the reproductive boundaries between species, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain enigmatic. Here we leveraged the rapid coevolution of female pheromone production and male pheromone perception in Drosophila1,2 to gain insight into how the architecture of mate recognition circuits facilitates their diversification. While in some Drosophila species females produce unique pheromones that act to arouse their conspecific males, the pheromones of most species are sexually monomorphic such that females possess no distinguishing chemosensory signatures that males can use for mate recognition3. We show that Drosophila yakuba males evolved the ability to use a sexually monomorphic pheromone, 7-tricosene, as an excitatory cue to promote courtship. By comparing key nodes in the pheromone circuits across multiple Drosophila species, we reveal that this sensory innovation arises from coordinated peripheral and central circuit adaptations: a distinct subpopulation of sensory neurons has acquired sensitivity to 7-tricosene and, in turn, selectively signals to a distinct subset of P1 neurons in the central brain to trigger courtship. Such a modular circuit organization, in which different sensory inputs can independently couple to parallel courtship control nodes, may facilitate the evolution of mate recognition systems by allowing novel sensory modalities to become linked to male arousal. Together, our findings suggest how peripheral and central circuit adaptations can be flexibly coordinated to underlie the rapid evolution of mate recognition strategies across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory T Coleman
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ianessa Morantte
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gabriel T Koreman
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan L Cheng
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Chen J, Jiang Y, Gao Z, Dai J, Jia C, Lu Y, Cheng D. The Sexual Dimorphism in Rectum and Protein Digestion Pathway Influence Sex Pheromone Synthesis in Male Bactrocera Dorsalis. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2407353. [PMID: 39377305 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202407353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Revised: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is a crucial aspect of mating and reproduction in many animals, yet the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In Bactrocera dorsalis, sex pheromones trimethylpyrazine (TMP) and tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP) are specifically synthesized by Bacillus strains in the male rectum. In the female rectum, Bacillus strains are found, but TMP and TTMP are not, indicating sexually dimorphic differences in sex pheromone synthesis. Our anatomical observations and precursor measurements revealed significant differences in rectal structure and ammonium levels between sexes. In vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that ammonium is vital for sex pheromone synthesis in rectal Bacillus strains. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified ammonium-producing genes (carboxypeptidase B and peptide transporter) in the protein digestion pathway that show much higher expression in the male rectum than in the female rectum. Knocking down the expression of either carboxypeptidase B (or inhibiting enzyme activity) or peptide transporter decreases rectal ammonium levels significantly, resulting in the failure of sex pheromone synthesis in the male rectum. This study provides insights into the presence of sexual dimorphism in internal organs and their functionalities in male-specific sex pheromone synthesis and has significant implications for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying sex pheromone synthesis by symbionts in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxiang Chen
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation of Food and Medicinal Resources in Northern Region, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, 512005, China
| | - Yanling Jiang
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Zijie Gao
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Jiawang Dai
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Chunsheng Jia
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation of Food and Medicinal Resources in Northern Region, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, 512005, China
| | - Yongyue Lu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Daifeng Cheng
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
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3
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De Pasqual C, Selenius E, Burdfield-Steel E, Mappes J. Morph-linked variation in female pheromone signalling and male response in a polymorphic moth. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39295575 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the maintenance of genetic variation in reproductive strategies and polymorphisms in the wild requires a comprehensive examination of the complex interactions between genetic basis, behaviour and environmental factors. We tested the association between three colour genotypes and variation in female pheromone signalling and male antennal morphology in the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis). These moths have genetically determined white (WW, Wy) and yellow (yy) hindwings that are linked to mating success and fitness, with heterozygotes (Wy) having an advantage. We hypothesized that attractiveness and reproductive success are correlated, with Wy females being more attractive than the other two genotypes which could contribute to maintaining the polymorphism. Female attractiveness was tested by baiting traps with females of the three colour genotypes both in low- (i.e. field set-up) and in high-population density (i.e. large enclosure set-up). Male's ability to reach females was correlated to their own colour genotype and antennal morphology (length, area and lamellae count). Contrary to our prediction, morph-related reproductive success and attractiveness were not correlated. Heavier Wy females attracted a lower proportion of males compared to WW and yy females. Specifically, an increase in weight corresponded to a decreased Wy but increased yy female attractiveness. yy females were generally more attractive than others likely due to earlier pheromone release. In males, lamellae count and genetic colour morph were linked to the male's ability to locate females. Furthermore, male traits affected their ability to reach females in a context-specific way. Males with denser antennae (i.e. higher lamellae count) and white males reached the females faster than yellows in the enclosure, while yellow males located females faster than whites in the field. Our results indicate that higher yy female attractiveness was likely affected by the combined effect of early pheromone release, female weight and higher population density. Males' searching success was affected by morph-specific behavioural strategies and local population density. Ultimately, the combined effect of genotype-related pheromone signalling strategies of females together with environment-dependent male behaviour affect male response and potentially contribute to maintaining variation in fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara De Pasqual
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eetu Selenius
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emily Burdfield-Steel
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Sahm J, Brobeil B, Grubmüller E, Conrad T, Schott M, Stökl J, Steiger S. The scent of offspring: chemical profiles of larvae change during development and affect parental behavior in a burying beetle. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae061. [PMID: 39139623 PMCID: PMC11319877 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemical cues and signals, especially in insects, play a pivotal role in mediating interactions between individuals. Past studies have largely focused on adult semiochemicals and have neglected those of juvenile stages. Especially in the context of parental care, the larval odor might have a profound impact on parenting behavior, guiding parents in how much resources they should allocate to the different developmental stages. However, whether ontogenetic changes occur in subsocial species and whether larval-emitted scents influence parent-offspring interactions is largely unknown. Using 3 different sampling techniques, we analyzed the cuticular and VOC profile of the 3 larval instars of the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, which is known for its elaborate parental care. We found distinct differences in the cuticular and VOC profiles across the 3 larval stages. Second-instar larvae, which receive more frequent feedings from parents than the other larval stages, released greater amounts of acetophenone, methyl geranate, and octanoic acid isopropyl ester than the first and third instar. Additionally, using a newly developed bioassay with automated video tracking, we found that adding the odor of second-instar larvae to first-instar larvae increased the number of maternal feeding trips. Our results suggest that the odor produced by larvae plays an important role in mediating parent-offspring interactions. Given these findings, burying beetles might emerge as a promising candidate for identifying a potential begging pheromone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Sahm
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Beatrice Brobeil
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Eric Grubmüller
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Taina Conrad
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Matthias Schott
- Department of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Johannes Stökl
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Sandra Steiger
- Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
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5
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Almeida DA, Twomey E, Vargas-Salinas F, Meyer C, Schulte LM. Sexy fingers: Pheromones in the glands of male dendrobatid frogs. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17476. [PMID: 39034599 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Many animals exchange chemicals during courtship and mating. In some amphibians, sexual chemical communication is mediated by pheromones produced in male breeding glands that are transferred to the female's nostrils during mating. This has been mostly studied in salamanders, despite frogs having similar glands and courtship behaviours suggestive of chemical communication. In Neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae and Aromobatidae), males of many species develop breeding glands in their fingers, causing certain fingers to visibly swell. Many also engage in cephalic amplexus, whereby the male's swollen fingers are placed in close contact with the female's nares during courtship. Here, we investigate the possible roles of swollen fingers in pheromone production using whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq). We examined differential gene expression in the swollen versus non-swollen fingers and toes of two dendrobatid species, Leucostethus brachistriatus and Epipedobates anthonyi, both of which have specialised mucous glands in finger IV, the latter of which has cephalic amplexus. The overwhelming pattern of gene expression in both species was strong upregulation of sodefrin precursor-like factors (SPFs) in swollen fingers, a well-known pheromone system in salamanders. The differentially expressed SPF transcripts in each species were very high (>40), suggesting a high abundance of putative protein pheromones in both species. Overall, the high expression of SPFs in the swollen fingers in both species, combined with cephalic amplexus, supports the hypothesis that these traits, widespread across members of the subfamilies Colostethinae and Hyloxalinae (ca. 141 species), are involved in chemical signalling during courtship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Abondano Almeida
- Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Evan Twomey
- Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fernando Vargas-Salinas
- Grupo de Investigación en Evolución, Ecología y Conservación (EECO), Programa de Biología, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Carmen Meyer
- Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lisa M Schulte
- Department of Wildlife-/Zoo-Animal-Biology and Systematics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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6
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Adams K, Roux O. No sexual pheromones in Anopheles mosquitoes? CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 64:101227. [PMID: 38936474 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Swarming behavior is the cornerstone of the anopheline mating system. At dusk, males congregate in monospecific swarms in which females come to find a mate once in their lives. Although many Anopheles species coexist in sympatry, hybrids are infrequent, suggesting the existence of strong premating reproductive barriers. Chemical cues, particularly pheromones, often play a crucial role in bringing sexes together in a species-specific manner among insects. While the existence of sexual pheromones in Anopheles species has been postulated, only a few studies developed experimental designs to investigate their presence. Here, we discuss the contrasting and debatable findings regarding both long-range and contact sex pheromones in the context of swarm ecology in Anopheles species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Adams
- Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, USA
| | - Olivier Roux
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
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7
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Cui W, Ge J, Chen D, Nie X, Dong L, Wang X, Kang L. Dibutyl phthalate released by solitary female locusts mediates sexual communication at low density. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401926121. [PMID: 39018190 PMCID: PMC11287119 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401926121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex pheromones play a crucial role in mate location and reproductive success. Insects face challenges in finding mates in low-density environments. The population dynamics of locusts vary greatly, ranging from solitary individuals to high-density swarms, leading to multiple-trait divergence between solitary and gregarious phases. However, differences in sexual communication between solitary and gregarious locusts have not been sufficiently explored. Herein, we found that solitary locusts but not gregarious ones heavily rely on a single compound, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), for sexual communication. DBP is abundantly released by solitary female locusts and elicits strong attraction of male solitary and gregarious locusts. Solitary adult males display much higher electrophysiological responses to DBP than adult females. Additionally, LmigOr13 was identified as the DBP-specific odorant receptor expressed in neurons housed in basiconic sensilla. Male LmigOr13-/- mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 have low electrophysiological responses and behavioral attraction to DBP in both laboratory and field cage experiments. Notably, the attractiveness of DBP to male locusts becomes more evident at lower population densities imposed by controlling the cage size. This finding sheds light on the utilization of a sex pheromone to promote reproductive success in extremely low-density conditions and provides important insights into alternative approaches for population monitoring of locusts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, China
| | - Jin Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Dafeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Xin Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Liushu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Xianhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Le Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100193, China
- Institute of Life Science and Green Development, College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding071002, China
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8
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Lorrain-Soligon L, Muller K, Delaby C, Thiéry D, Moreau J. Interaction between females and males grapevine moth Lobesia botrana modifies further mating preference. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 156:104668. [PMID: 38942138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
During reproduction, females may boost their fitness by being selective based on direct material benefits provided by the males, such as nuptial gifts. In Lepidoptera, male provides a spermatophore containing nutrients. However, virgin males produce a bigger spermatophore, containing spermatozoa and nutrients, allowing higher female fertility. Lepidoptera females that could detect the sexual status of males may thus prefer a male without previous mating experience (i.e. a virgin male). This mate selection could be achieved by the use of chemical indices, such as sexual pheromones and cuticular compounds, known to be possibly exchanged during reproduction, and which can be indicators of a previous mating experience and known to be possibly sources of information exchanged. In this study, we experimentally presented Lobesia botrana virgin males with females in order for them to be exposed to females' natural sexual pheromones or cuticular compounds. 12 or 48 h after the exposure of males to either females' sexual pheromones or cuticular compounds, these males were confronted to naïve females, which have a choice between them or a virgin non-exposed males. We highlighted that, despite producing a spermatophore of similar volume, all exposed virgin males were less likely to mate with females 12 h after exposure, while after 48 h of exposure this is only the case for virgin males exposed to sexual pheromones. L. botrana females may thus discriminate male sexual experience based on chemical cues (either from cues transferred directly from females to males, or from changes in the cuticular or pheromone males' profile) indicating past mating experiences. Mating duration was longer for males exposed to sexual pheromones after 12 h only, and for males exposed to cuticular compounds after 48 h only. Pheromones signal might be more persistent over time and seems to more easily gather information for males. The physiological reasoning behind this result still needs to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Muller
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Camille Delaby
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Denis Thiéry
- INRA UMR 1065 Santé et Agroecologie du Vignoble, Institut des Science de la Vigne et du Vin, Ave E. Bourleaux, F-33883 Villenave d'Ornon Cedex, France; Université de bordeaux, INRA UMR 1065, Save, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Ave E. Bourleaux, 33883 Villenave d'Ornon Cedex, France
| | - Jérôme Moreau
- Biogéosciences, UMR 6282 CNRS, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21000 Dijon, France; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS & La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-bois, France
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9
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Wang W, Ge J, Zhang Y, Zhang J. The male's scent triggered a neural response in females despite ambiguous behavioral response in Asian house rats. Integr Zool 2024; 19:694-709. [PMID: 37804522 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Pheromones and olfactory communication play vital roles in sex recognition and mate choice in rodents. Asian house rats (Rattus tanezumi) (RT) often startle easily, making behavioral measurements difficult to carry out accurately in the laboratory. Here, the behavioral and olfactory preferences of the female RT between males and females were not observed using a conventional two-choice device; we then explored the neuro-immunohistochemical evidence in the brains of RT females. We found that male urine elicited significantly higher c-fos expression in the accessory olfactory system and sex-related brain regions in females than female urine did. On the other hand, the differences of volatile compounds and major urinary proteins (MUPs) in both voided urine and preputial glands (PGs) of the RT were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing electrophoresis, and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. We found that PG-derived 1-(4,5-dihydro-2-thiazolyl)-ethanone and total MUPs were more abundant in males versus females, suggesting these sexually divergent components might activate the female's accessory olfactory system. In conclusion, the neuro-immunohistochemical evidence indicated that potential sex pheromones might exist in RT; however, the strength of the chemical signal might be too weak to cause behavioral responses in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingru Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaohua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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10
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Rahman-Soad A, Bittner N, Hilker M. Pine Response to Sawfly Pheromones: Effects on Sawfly's Oviposition and Larval Growth. INSECTS 2024; 15:458. [PMID: 38921172 PMCID: PMC11203435 DOI: 10.3390/insects15060458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Insect pheromones have been intensively studied with respect to their role in insect communication. However, scarce knowledge is available on the impact of pheromones on plant responses, and how these in turn affect herbivorous insects. A previous study showed that exposure of pine (Pinus sylvestris) to the sex pheromones of the pine sawfly Diprion pini results in enhanced defenses against the eggs of this sawfly; the egg survival rate on pheromone-exposed pine needles was lower than that on unexposed pine. The long-lasting common evolutionary history of D. pini and P. sylvestris suggests that D. pini has developed counter-adaptations to these pine responses. Here, we investigated by behavioral assays how D. pini copes with the defenses of pheromone-exposed pine. The sawfly females did not discriminate between the odor of pheromone-exposed and unexposed pine. However, when they had the chance to contact the trees, more unexposed than pheromone-exposed trees received eggs. The exposure of pine to the pheromones did not affect the performance of larvae and their pupation success. Our findings indicate that the effects that responses of pine to D. pini sex pheromones exert on the sawfly eggs and sawfly oviposition behavior do not extend to effects on the larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifur Rahman-Soad
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
| | - Norbert Bittner
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
- Institute of Translational Genomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12163 Berlin, Germany; (A.R.-S.); (N.B.)
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11
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Adams SA, Gurajapu A, Qiang A, Gerbaulet M, Schulz S, Tsutsui ND, Ramirez SR, Gillespie RG. Chemical species recognition in an adaptive radiation of Hawaiian Tetragnatha spiders (Araneae: Tetragnathidae). Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232340. [PMID: 38593845 PMCID: PMC11003775 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies of adaptive radiations have played a central role in our understanding of reproductive isolation. Yet the focus has been on human-biased visual and auditory signals, leaving gaps in our knowledge of other modalities. To date, studies on chemical signals in adaptive radiations have focused on systems with multimodal signalling, making it difficult to isolate the role chemicals play in reproductive isolation. In this study we examine the use of chemical signals in the species recognition and adaptive radiation of Hawaiian Tetragnatha spiders by focusing on entire communities of co-occurring species, and conducting behavioural assays in conjunction with chemical analysis of their silks using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Male spiders significantly preferred the silk extracts of conspecific mates over those of sympatric heterospecifics. The compounds found in the silk extracts, long chain alkyl methyl ethers, were remarkably species-specific in the combination and quantity. The differences in the profile were greatest between co-occurring species and between closely related sibling species. Lastly, there were significant differences in the chemical profile between two populations of a particular species. These findings provide key insights into the role chemical signals play in the attainment and maintenance of reproductive barriers between closely related co-occurring species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seira A. Adams
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, 2320 Storer Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, 2320 Storer Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Anjali Gurajapu
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Albert Qiang
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Moritz Gerbaulet
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Neil D. Tsutsui
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Santiago R. Ramirez
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, 2320 Storer Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, 2320 Storer Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Rosemary G. Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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12
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Henske J, Eltz T. Age-dependent perfume development in male orchid bees, Euglossa imperialis. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246995. [PMID: 38511547 PMCID: PMC11006377 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Male neotropical orchid bees concoct complex perfume blends by collecting exogenous volatiles from various sources, including orchids. These perfumes, stored in specialized hind-leg pouches and released during courtship, serve as inter-sexual signals. It has been hypothesized that male perfumes honestly indicate aspects of male fitness. If perfume traits such as quantity or complexity increase over individual lifetime, perfumes could reflect age (survival) and cumulative foraging success of males. We conducted a two-season mark-recapture study with Euglossa imperialis in Costa Rica, monitoring the balance of perfume uptake and expenditure over individual male lifetime. We sealed one hind-leg pouch upon initial capture, 'freezing' the perfume status on one side, and compared it with the other side at recapture to assess changes in perfume traits over time. Additionally, we used a novel method to estimate individual age by combining two parameters of wing degradation. Contrary to predictions, young to intermediate-aged bees had the highest quantities of perfume and the highest diversity of detected compounds. At the same time, the change in perfume between recaptures was positive (increase in amount and complexity) in young bees, whereas it was neutral to negative in older bees. Although these findings do not disprove an indicator function of male perfume, they shift the emphasis to non-cumulative fitness components such as sensory acuteness or cognitive capacity as likely targets of selection. Females preferring strong perfume signals in mates would maximize speed of foraging in offspring rather than their lifetime cumulative yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henske
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Eltz
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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13
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Buchinger TJ, Li W. Chemical communication and its role in sexual selection across Animalia. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1178. [PMID: 37985853 PMCID: PMC10662023 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05572-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection has been studied as a major evolutionary driver of animal diversity for roughly 50 years. Much evidence indicates that competition for mates favors elaborate signaling traits. However, this evidence comes primarily from a few taxa, leaving sexual selection as a salient evolutionary force across Animalia largely untested. Here, we reviewed the evidence for sexual selection on communication across all animal phyla, classes, and orders with emphasis on chemoreception, the only sense shared across lifeforms. An exhaustive literature review documented evidence for sexual selection on chemosensory traits in 10 of 34 animal phyla and indications of sexual selection on chemosensory traits in an additional 13 phyla. Potential targets of sexual selection include structures and processes involved in production, delivery, and detection of chemical signals. Our review suggests sexual selection plays a widespread role in the evolution of communication and highlights the need for research that better reflects animal diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J Buchinger
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Biology Department, Albion College, Albion, MI, USA.
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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14
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Fischer A, Roman-Torres AC, Vurdela J, Lee Y, Bahar N, Gries R, Alamsetti S, Chen H, Gries G. Non-targeted metabolomics aids in sex pheromone identification: a proof-of-concept study with the triangulate cobweb spider, Steatoda triangulosa. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18426. [PMID: 37891331 PMCID: PMC10611747 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44948-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted metabolomics has been widely used in pheromone research but may miss pheromone components in study organisms that produce pheromones in trace amount and/or lack bio-detectors (e.g., antennae) to readily locate them in complex samples. Here, we used non-targeted metabolomics-together with high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), gas chromatography-MS, and behavioral bioassays-to unravel the sex pheromone of the triangulate cobweb spider, Steatoda triangulosa. A ternary blend of three contact pheromone components [N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine (5), N-3-methylbutyryl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine (11), and N-3-methylbutyryl-O-butyroyl-L-serine (12)] elicited courtship by S. triangulosa males as effectively as female web extract. Hydrolysis of 5, 11 and 12 at the ester bond gave rise to two mate-attractant pheromone components [butyric acid (7) and isobutyric acid (8)] which attracted S. triangulosa males as effectively as female webs. Pheromone components 11 and 12 are reported in spiders for the first time, and were discovered only through the use of non-targeted metabolomics and GC-MS. All compounds resemble pheromone components previously identified in widow spiders. Our study provides impetus to apply non-targeted metabolomics for pheromone research in a wide range of animal taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Fischer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
- Department of General and Systematic Zoology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Andrea C Roman-Torres
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jane Vurdela
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Yerin Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Nastaran Bahar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Regine Gries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Santosh Alamsetti
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Hongwen Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Gerhard Gries
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
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15
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Scott AM, Johnson NS, Siefkes MJ, Li W. Synergistic behavioral antagonists of a sex pheromone reduce reproduction of invasive sea lamprey. iScience 2023; 26:107744. [PMID: 37810212 PMCID: PMC10550721 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex pheromones impart maximal attraction when their components are present at optimal ratios that confer balanced olfactory inputs in potential mates. Altering ratios or adding pheromone analogs to optimal mixtures may disrupt balanced olfactory antagonism and result in reduced attraction, however, tests in natural populations are lacking. We tested this hypothesis in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a fish whose male sex pheromone attracts females when two critical components, 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate (3kPZS) and petromyzonol sulfate (PZS), are present at certain ratios. Here, we report a pheromone analog, petromyzonol tetrasulfate (3sPZS), reduced female attraction to 3kPZS but not to PZS. 3sPZS mixed with additional PZS synergistically disrupted female attraction to the male pheromone and reduced spawning by 97% in a high-density population. Our results provide evidence of balanced olfactory antagonism in a vertebrate and establish a tactic to disrupt spawning of sea lamprey, a destructive invader of the Laurentian Great Lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Scott
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nicholas S. Johnson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA
| | | | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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16
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Zhan YD, Liu YJ, Liu JH, Liu Y. Pheromones emitted by both female and male moths regulate coordination between the sexes for Agriphila aeneociliella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:1481-1492. [PMID: 36606503 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The complex and efficient sex pheromone communication system in insects is essential for reproduction and for reproductive isolation of species. In moths, sex pheromone communication starts with male attraction to compounds emitted by females; only a few species act in the reverse. However, how the pheromones that are emitted by both sexes co-regulate and coordinate mate finding and mating remains unknown. Here, we identified both the male and female pheromones of Eastern Grass Veneer moth, Agriphila aeneociliella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), and demonstrated their efficiency in manipulating behavioral responses of the opposite sex. Combining data from analysis of gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and olfactory behavior assays, the female pheromone of A. aeneociliella was identified as (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienal and (Z)-9-hexadecenyl acetate, while the male pheromone was determined to be 1-nonanal. Both the 2 individual components of the female pheromone and their binary mixture were significantly attractive to males, and the 1-nonanal male pheromone induced strong electrophysiological responses in females and induced attraction of females in a Y-tube olfactory test. Depending on the concentration of 1-nonanal, its addition to the binary mixture of the female pheromone either enhanced (10-3 or 10-2 μg/μL) or reduced (1 μg/μL) the aphrodisiac effect of the mixture on males. In wind-tunnel bioassays, different concentrations of pheromones, including the binary mixture of female pheromone and the mixture of male and female pheromones, had significant effects on male behavior. Our findings suggested that the blend of both female and male pheromones plays a significant role in the sexual communication system in some moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Di Zhan
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ying-Jie Liu
- Staff Development Institute of China National Tobacco Corporation, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jia-Hui Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Yong Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong Province, China
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17
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Murali G, Meiri S, Roll U. Chemical signaling glands are unlinked to species diversification in lizards. Evolution 2023; 77:1829-1841. [PMID: 37279331 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has long been thought to increase species diversification. Sexually selected traits, such as sexual signals that contribute to reproductive isolation, were thought to promote diversification. However, studies exploring links between sexually selected traits and species diversification have thus far primarily focused on visual or acoustic signals. Many animals often employ chemical signals (i.e., pheromones) for sexual communications, but large-scale analyses on the role of chemical communications in driving species diversification have been missing. Here, for the first time, we investigate whether traits associated with chemical communications-the presence of follicular epidermal glands-promote diversification across 6,672 lizard species. In most analyses, we found no strong association between the presence of follicular epidermal glands and species diversification rates, either across all lizard species or at lower phylogenetic scales. Previous studies suggest that follicular gland secretions act as species recognition signals that prevent hybridization during speciation in lizards. However, we show that geographic range overlap was no different in sibling species pairs with and without follicular epidermal glands. Together, these results imply that either follicular epidermal glands do not primarily function in sexual communications or sexually selected traits in general (here chemical communication) have a limited effect on species diversification. In our additional analysis accounting for sex-specific differences in glands, we again found no detectable effect of follicular epidermal glands on species diversification rates. Thus, our study challenges the general role of sexually selected traits in broad-scale species diversification patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Murali
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Beersheva, Sede-Boqer Campus, 8499000, Israel
| | - Uri Roll
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environments and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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18
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Henske J, Saleh NW, Chouvenc T, Ramírez SR, Eltz T. Function of environment-derived male perfumes in orchid bees. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2075-2080.e3. [PMID: 37054713 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Perfume making in male orchid bees is a unique behavior that has given rise to an entire pollination syndrome in the neotropics.1,2 Male orchid bees concoct and store species-specific perfume mixtures in specialized hind-leg pockets3 using volatiles acquired from multiple environmental sources, including orchid flowers.4,5 However, the function and the ultimate causes of this behavior have remained elusive.2,6 Although previous observations suggested that male perfumes serve as chemical signals, the attractiveness for females has not be shown.7,8 Here, we demonstrate that the possession of perfume increases male mating success and paternity in Euglossa dilemma, a species of orchid bees recently naturalized in Florida. We supplemented males reared from trap-nests with perfume loads harvested from wild conspecifics. In dual-choice experiments, males supplemented with perfumes mated with more females, and sired more offspring, than untreated, equal-aged, control males. Although perfume supplementation had little effect on the intensity of male courtship display, it changed the dynamics of male-male interactions. Our results demonstrate that male-acquired perfumes are sexual signals that stimulate females for mating and suggest that sexual selection is key in shaping the evolution of perfume communication in orchid bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henske
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, NRW 44801, Germany.
| | - Nicholas W Saleh
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL 33314, USA
| | - Thomas Chouvenc
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL 33314, USA
| | - Santiago R Ramírez
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Thomas Eltz
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, NRW 44801, Germany
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19
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Verschut TA, Ng R, Doubovetzky NP, Le Calvez G, Sneep JL, Minnaard AJ, Su CY, Carlsson MA, Wertheim B, Billeter JC. Aggregation pheromones have a non-linear effect on oviposition behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1544. [PMID: 36941252 PMCID: PMC10027874 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37046-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Female fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) oviposit at communal sites where the larvae may cooperate or compete for resources depending on group size. This offers a model system to determine how females assess quantitative social information. We show that the concentration of pheromones found on a substrate increases linearly with the number of adult flies that have visited that site. Females prefer oviposition sites with pheromone concentrations corresponding to an intermediate number of previous visitors, whereas sites with low or high concentrations are unattractive. This dose-dependent decision is based on a blend of 11-cis-Vaccenyl Acetate (cVA) indicating the number of previous visitors and heptanal (a novel pheromone deriving from the oxidation of 7-Tricosene), which acts as a dose-independent co-factor. This response is mediated by detection of cVA by odorant receptor neurons Or67d and Or65a, and at least five different odorant receptor neurons for heptanal. Our results identify a mechanism allowing individuals to transform a linear increase of pheromones into a non-linear behavioral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Verschut
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Renny Ng
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Nicolas P Doubovetzky
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Le Calvez
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan L Sneep
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan J Minnaard
- Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chih-Ying Su
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Mikael A Carlsson
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bregje Wertheim
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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20
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Gouzerh F, Ganem G, Pichevin A, Dormont L, Thomas F. Ability of animals to detect cancer odors. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188850. [PMID: 36528192 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The olfactory capacity of animals has long been used by humans to help with various activities, e.g., hunting, detecting mines, locating people, and diagnosing diseases. Cancer is among the leading diseases causing death worldwide. Several recent studies have underscored the benefit of using scent to detect cancer, and this paper will review the studies using animals to detect tumor scents. A large variety of animals have been used for this purpose-dogs, rodents, insects, and nematodes-and have shown their capacity to detect cancer, with a success rate close to 90%. Here we discuss these studies, their methodologies, and the animal models used. Finally, we discuss the medical perspectives for cancer diagnosis using odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Gouzerh
- Centre de Recherches Écologiques et Évolutives sur le Cancer, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, UMR IRD 224- CNRS 5290- Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France; Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université́ de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34293 Montpellier, France.
| | - Guila Ganem
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, ISEM, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Anaïs Pichevin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université́ de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Laurent Dormont
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université́ de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- Centre de Recherches Écologiques et Évolutives sur le Cancer, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, UMR IRD 224- CNRS 5290- Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
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21
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Vernier CL, Leitner N, Zelle KM, Foltz M, Dutton S, Liang X, Halloran S, Millar JG, Ben-Shahar Y. A pleiotropic chemoreceptor facilitates the production and perception of mating pheromones. iScience 2022; 26:105882. [PMID: 36691619 PMCID: PMC9860498 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Optimal mating decisions depend on the robust coupling of signal production and perception because independent changes in either could carry a fitness cost. However, since the perception and production of mating signals are often mediated by different tissues and cell types, the mechanisms that drive and maintain their coupling remain unknown for most animal species. Here, we show that in Drosophila, behavioral responses to, and the production of, a putative inhibitory mating pheromone are co-regulated by Gr8a, a member of the Gustatory receptor gene family. Specifically, through behavioral and pheromonal data, we found that Gr8a independently regulates the behavioral responses of males and females to a putative inhibitory pheromone, as well as its production in the fat body and oenocytes of males. Overall, these findings provide a relatively simple molecular explanation for how pleiotropic receptors maintain robust mating signaling systems at the population and species levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassondra L. Vernier
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Nicole Leitner
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Kathleen M. Zelle
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Merrin Foltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Sophia Dutton
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Xitong Liang
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sean Halloran
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Jocelyn G. Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yehuda Ben-Shahar
- Department of Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA,Corresponding author
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22
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Fischer A, Gries R, Alamsetti SK, Hung E, Roman Torres AC, Fernando Y, Meraj S, Ren W, Britton R, Gries G. Origin, structure and functional transition of sex pheromone components in a false widow spider. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1156. [DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04072-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractFemale web-building spiders disseminate pheromone from their webs that attracts mate-seeking males and deposit contact pheromone on their webs that induces courtship by males upon arrival. The source of contact and mate attractant pheromone components, and the potential ability of females to adjust their web’s attractiveness, have remained elusive. Here, we report three new contact pheromone components produced by female false black widow spiders, Steatoda grossa: N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-butyroyl-L-serine, N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-isobutyroyl-L-serine and N-4-methylvaleroyl-O-hexanoyl-L-serine. The compounds originate from the posterior aggregate silk gland, induce courtship by males, and web pH-dependently hydrolyse at the carboxylic-ester bond, giving rise to three corresponding carboxylic acids that attract males. A carboxyl ester hydrolase (CEH) is present on webs and likely mediates the functional transition of contact sex pheromone components to the carboxylic acid mate attractant pheromone components. As CEH activity is pH-dependent, and female spiders can manipulate their silk’s pH, they might also actively adjust their webs’ attractiveness.
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23
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Cama B, Ehlers S, Szczerbowski D, Thomas-Oates J, Jiggins CD, Schulz S, McMillan WO, Dasmahapatra KK. Exploitation of an ancestral pheromone biosynthetic pathway contributes to diversification in Heliconius butterflies. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220474. [PMID: 35892212 PMCID: PMC9326301 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During courtship, male butterflies of many species produce androconial secretions containing male sex pheromones (MSPs) that communicate species identity and affect female choice. MSPs are thus likely candidates as reproductive barriers, yet their role in speciation remains poorly studied. Although Heliconius butterflies are a model system in speciation, their MSPs have not been investigated from a macroevolutionary perspective. We use GC/MS to characterize male androconial secretions in 33 of the 69 species in the Heliconiini tribe. We found these blends to be species-specific, consistent with a role in reproductive isolation. We detected a burst in blend diversification rate at the most speciose genus, Heliconius; a consequence of Heliconius and Eueides species using a fatty acid (FA) metabolic pathway to unlock more complex blends than basal Heliconiini species, whose secretions are dominated by plant-like metabolites. A comparison of 10 sister species pairs demonstrates a striking positive correlation between blend dissimilarity and range overlap, consistent with character displacement or reinforcement in sympatry. These results demonstrate for the first time that MSP diversification can promote reproductive isolation across this group of butterflies, showcasing how implementation of an ancestral trait, the co-option of the FA metabolic pathway for pheromone production, can facilitate rapid speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Cama
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Stephanie Ehlers
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Daiane Szczerbowski
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
| | - Jane Thomas-Oates
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, Braunschweig 38106, Germany
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24
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Zozaya SM, Teasdale LC, Moritz C, Higgie M, Hoskin CJ. Composition of a chemical signalling trait varies with phylogeny and precipitation across an Australian lizard radiation. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:919-933. [PMID: 35665557 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The environment presents challenges to the transmission and detection of animal signalling systems, resulting in selective pressures that can drive signal divergence amongst populations in disparate environments. For chemical signals, climate is a potentially important selective force because factors such as temperature and moisture influence the persistence and detection of chemicals. We investigated an Australian lizard radiation (Heteronotia) to explore relationships between a sexually dimorphic chemical signalling trait (epidermal pore secretions) and two key climate variables: temperature and precipitation. We reconstructed the phylogeny of Heteronotia with exon capture phylogenomics, estimated phylogenetic signal in amongst-lineage chemical variation and assessed how chemical composition relates to temperature and precipitation using multivariate phylogenetic regressions. High estimates of phylogenetic signal indicate that the composition of epidermal pore secretions varies amongst lineages in a manner consistent with Brownian motion, although there are deviations to this, with stark divergences coinciding with two phylogenetic splits. Accounting for phylogenetic non-independence, we found that amongst-lineage chemical variation is associated with geographic variation in precipitation but not temperature. This contrasts somewhat with previous lizard studies, which have generally found an association between temperature and chemical composition. Our results suggest that geographic variation in precipitation can affect the evolution of chemical signalling traits, possibly influencing patterns of divergence amongst lineages and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Zozaya
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Luisa C Teasdale
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.,Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Craig Moritz
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Megan Higgie
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Conrad J Hoskin
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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25
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Strachecka A, Chobotow J, Kuszewska K, Olszewski K, Skowronek P, Bryś M, Paleolog J, Woyciechowski M. Morphology of Nasonov and Tergal Glands in Apis mellifera Rebels. INSECTS 2022; 13:401. [PMID: 35621739 PMCID: PMC9146257 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Social insect societies are characterized by a high level of organization. This is made possible through a remarkably complex array of pheromonal signals produced by all members of the colony. The queen's pheromones signal the presence of a fertile female and induce daughter workers to remain sterile. However, the lack of the queen mandibular pheromone leads to the emergence of rebels, i.e., workers with increased reproductive potential. We suggested that the rebels would have developed tergal glands and reduced Nasonov glands, much like the queen but contrary to normal workers. Our guess turned out to be correct and may suggest that the rebels are more queen-like than previously thought. The tergal gland cells found in the rebels were numerous but they did not adhere as closely to one another as they did in queens. In the rebels, the number of Nasonov gland cells was very limited (from 38 to 53) and there were fat body trophocytes between the glandular cells. The diameters of the Nasonov gland cell nuclei were smaller in the rebels than in the normal workers. These results are important for understanding the formation of the different castes of Apis mellifera females, as well as the division of labor in social insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.); (J.P.)
| | - Jacek Chobotow
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-400 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Karolina Kuszewska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Krakow, Poland; (K.K.); (M.W.)
| | - Krzysztof Olszewski
- Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Patrycja Skowronek
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.); (J.P.)
| | - Maciej Bryś
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.); (J.P.)
| | - Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Invertebrate Ecophysiology and Experimental Biology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Doświadczalna 50a, 20-280 Lublin, Poland; (P.S.); (M.B.); (J.P.)
| | - Michał Woyciechowski
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Krakow, Poland; (K.K.); (M.W.)
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26
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Gouzerh F, Buatois B, Hervé MR, Mancini M, Maraver A, Dormont L, Thomas F, Ganem G. Odours of cancerous mouse congeners: detection and attractiveness. Biol Open 2022; 11:275010. [PMID: 35403195 PMCID: PMC9065363 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a major role in social interactions. Cancer, by inducing changes in body odours, may alter interactions between individuals. In the framework of research targeting non-invasive methods to detect early stages of cancer development, this study asked whether untrained mice could detect odour changes in cancerous congeners. If yes, were they able to detect cancer at an early developmental stage? Did it influence female preference? Did variations in volatile organic components of the odour source paralleled mice behavioural responses? We used transgenic mice strains developing or not lung cancer upon antibiotic ingestion. We sampled soiled bedding of cancerous mice (CC) and not cancerous mice (NC), at three experimental conditions: before (T0), early stage (T2) and late stage (T12) of cancer development. Habituation/generalisation and two-way preference tests were performed where soiled beddings of CC and NC mice were presented to wild-derived mice. The composition and relative concentration of volatile organic components (VOC) in the two stimuli types were analysed. Females did not show directional preference at any of the experimental conditions, suggesting that cancer did not influence their choice behaviour. Males did not discriminate between CC and NC stimuli at T0 but did so at T2 and T12, indicating that wild-derived mice could detect cancer at an early stage of development. Finally, although the VOC bouquet differed between CC and NC it did not seem to parallel the observed behavioural response suggesting that other types of odorant components might be involved in behavioural discrimination between CC and NC mice. Summary: Male mice could discriminate the smell of cancerous congeners even when the tumour was hardly detectable by other means; however, females did not discriminate against the smell of males carrying cancerous tumours. Odorant molecules other than volatile organic compounds analysed here might explain the observed behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Gouzerh
- CREEC/ MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Bruno Buatois
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Maxime R Hervé
- IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Laurent Dormont
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- CREEC/ MIVEGEC, UMR IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Guila Ganem
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
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27
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Weiss K, Schneider JM. Female sex pheromone emission is affected by body condition, but not immune system function, in the orb‐web spider
Argiope bruennichi. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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28
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Pham HT, Elgar MA, van Lieshout E, McNamara KB. Experimental immune challenges reduce the quality of male antennae and female pheromone output. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3578. [PMID: 35246550 PMCID: PMC8897396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07100-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual signalling is a key feature of reproductive investment, yet the effects of immune system activation on investment into chemical signalling, and especially signal receiver traits such as antennae, are poorly understood. We explore how upregulation of juvenile immunity affects male antennal functional morphology and female pheromone attractiveness in the gumleaf skeletonizer moth, Uraba lugens. We injected final-instar larvae with a high or low dose of an immune elicitor or a control solution and measured male antennal morphological traits, gonad investment and female pheromone attractiveness. Immune activation affected male and female signalling investment: immune challenged males had a lower density of antennal sensilla, and the pheromone of immune-challenged females was less attractive to males than their unchallenged counterparts. Immune challenge affected female investment into ovary development but not in a linear, dose-dependent manner. While there was no effect of immune challenge on testes size, there was a trade-off between male pre- and post-copulatory investment: male antennal length was negatively correlated with testes size. Our study highlights the costs of elaborate antennae and pheromone production and demonstrates the capacity for honest signalling in species where the costs of pheromone production were presumed to be trivial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hieu T Pham
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agronomy, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Emile van Lieshout
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Kathryn B McNamara
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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29
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Genetic Variability of the Mating Recognition Gene in Populations of Brachionus plicatilis. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14030155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The development of reproductive barriers promotes within-species divergence and is a requisite for speciation to occur. Mate recognition in the rotifer B. plicatilis is mediated through a surface glycoprotein called Mating Recognition Protein (MRP). Here we investigate the genetic variation of the mmr-b, MRP coding, gene in different natural populations of B. plicatilis from the Iberian Peninsula, that present different degree of population differentiation, with known adaptive divergence in some cases. The MRP gene consists of several nearly identical tandem repeats. We found a relatively high diversity within and among populations both in the number of repeats, as well as in the nucleotide sequence. Despite that most changes are neutral, variation that can potentially affect the protein function was found in two polymorphic sites within a repeat in some of these populations. Although being mostly subject to stabilizing selection, we have found a noticeable pattern of increasing mmr-b gene diversification correlated to increasing differences in environmental factors. The interplay between genetic differentiation, local adaptation and differentiation of the mating recognition system can lead to speciation events in nearly sympatric populations.
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30
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Cetraro N, Yew JY. In situ lipid profiling of insect pheromone glands by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry. Analyst 2022; 147:3276-3284. [PMID: 35713158 PMCID: PMC9390970 DOI: 10.1039/d2an00840h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of biological tissues by Direct Analysis in Real Time mass spectrometry produces semi-quantitative lipid profiles that can be used to distinguish insect species and identify abnormal phenotypes in genetic screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Cetraro
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Environment and Ocean Science Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- Molecular Bioscience and Bio-Engineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1955 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Joanne Y. Yew
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Environment and Ocean Science Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- Molecular Bioscience and Bio-Engineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 1955 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822
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31
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Weiss K, Schneider JM. Strategic pheromone signalling by mate searching females of the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211806. [PMID: 35116167 PMCID: PMC8767209 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction often requires finding a mating partner. To this end, females of many arthropods advertise their presence to searching males via volatile chemical signals. Such pheromones are considered low-cost signals, although this notion is based on little evidence and has recently been challenged. Even when using comparatively low-cost signals, females should signal as little as possible to minimize costs while still ensuring mate attraction. Here, we test the strategic-signalling hypothesis using Argiope bruennichi. In this orb-weaving spider, egg maturation commences with adult moult, and females that do not attract a male in time will lay a large batch of unfertilized eggs approximately three weeks after maturation. Using GC-MS analyses, we show that virgin females enhance their signalling effort, i.e. pheromone quantity per unit body mass, with increasing age and approaching oviposition. We further demonstrate that pheromone release is condition dependent, suggesting the occurrence of physiological costs. Mate choice assays revealed that pheromone quantity is the only predictor of female attractiveness for males. In support of the strategic-signalling hypothesis, pheromone signals by female A. bruennichi become stronger with increased need as well as body condition, and might thus qualify as an honest signal of female quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Weiss
- Institute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jutta M. Schneider
- Institute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany
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32
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Zhong L, Wang W, Cao X. Species-Specific Duplication and Adaptive Evolution of a Candidate Sex Pheromone Receptor Gene in Weather Loach. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1845. [PMID: 34946797 PMCID: PMC8701048 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The release and sensation of sex pheromone play a role in the reproductive success of vertebrates including fish. Previous studies have shown that the weather loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus perceives sex pheromones by olfaction to stimulate courtship behavior. It was speculated that weather loaches use smell to recognize intraspecific mates. However, the identification of loach pheromone receptor has not been reported. By comparative transcriptomic approach, we found that the olfactory receptor gene or114-1 was male-biasedly expressed in the olfactory epithelium of M. anguillicaudatus, M. bipartitus and the closely related species Paramisgurnus dabryanus. This sex-biased expression pattern implicated that or114-1 presumably encoded a sex pheromone receptor in loaches. M. bipartitus and P. dabryanus, like zebrafish, possess one or114-1 only. However, in M. anguillicaudatus, or114-1 has two members: Ma_or114-1a and Ma_or114-1b. Ma_or114-1a, not Ma_or114-1b, showed sex-differential expression in olfactory epithelium. Ma_or114-1b has base insertions that delayed the stop codon, causing the protein sequence length to be extended by 8 amino acids. Ma_or114-1a was subject to positive selection resulting in adaptive amino acid substitutions, which indicated that its ligand binding specificity has probably changed. This adaptive evolution might be driven by the combined effects of sexual selection and reinforcement of premating isolation between the sympatric loach species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhong
- Fisheries Research Institute, Wuhan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430207, China;
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education/Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
| | - Weimin Wang
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education/Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
| | - Xiaojuan Cao
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education/Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China;
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Oviedo-Diego M, Costa-Schmidt L, Mattoni C, Peretti A. Interaction between sexual communication functions leads to reproductive interference in two syntopic scorpion species. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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34
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Mangiacotti M, Baeckens S, Scali S, Martín J, Van Damme R, Sacchi R. Evolutionary and biogeographical support for species-specific proteins in lizard chemical signals. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The species-specific components of animal signals can facilitate species recognition and reduce the risks of mismatching and interbreeding. Nonetheless, empirical evidence for species-specific components in chemical signals is scarce and mostly limited to insect pheromones. Based on the proteinaceous femoral gland secretions of 36 lizard species (Lacertidae), we examine the species-specific component potential of proteins in lizard chemical signals. By quantitative comparison of the one-dimensional electrophoretic patterns of the protein fraction from femoral gland secretions, we first reveal that the protein composition is species specific, accounting for a large part of the observed raw variation and allowing us to discriminate species on this basis. Secondly, we find increased protein pattern divergence in sympatric, closely related species. Thirdly, lizard protein profiles show a low phylogenetic signal, a recent and steep increase in relative disparity and a high rate of evolutionary change compared with non-specifically signal traits (i.e. body size and shape). Together, these findings provide support for the species specificity of proteins in the chemical signals of a vertebrate lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Mangiacotti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Simon Baeckens
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | | | - José Martín
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raoul Van Damme
- Laboratory for Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Roberto Sacchi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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35
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Fissette SD, Busy U, Huerta B, Brant CO, Li K, Johnson NS, Li W. Diel Patterns of Pheromone Release By Male Sea Lamprey. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1795-1810. [PMID: 34477864 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Costs to producing sexual signals can create selective pressures on males to invest signaling effort in particular contexts. When the benefits of signaling vary consistently across time, males can optimize signal investment to specific temporal contexts using biological rhythms. Sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, have a semelparous life history, are primarily nocturnal, and rely on pheromone communication for reproduction; however, whether male investment in pheromone transport and release matches increases in spawning activity remains unknown. By measuring 1) 3keto-petromyzonol sulfate (3kPZS, a main pheromone component) and its biosynthetic precursor petromyzonol sulfate (PZS) in holding water and tissue samples at 6 points over the course of 24 hours, and 2) 3kPZS release over the course of several days, we demonstrate that 3kPZS release exhibits a consistent diel pattern across several days with elevated pheromone release just prior to sunset and at night. Trends in hepatic concentrations and circulatory transport of PZS and 3kPZS were consistent with patterns of 3kPZS release and suggest the possibility of direct upregulation in pheromone transport and release rather than observed release patterns being solely a byproduct of increased behavioral activity. Our results suggest males evolved a signaling strategy that synchronizes elevated pheromone release with nocturnal increases in sea lamprey behavior. This may be imperative to ensure that male signaling effort is not wasted in a species having a single, reproductive event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skye D Fissette
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ugo Busy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Belinda Huerta
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Cory O Brant
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nicholas S Johnson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Rd., Millersburg, MI 49759, USA
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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36
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Zweerus NL, van Wijk M, Schal C, Groot AT. Experimental evidence for female mate choice in a noctuid moth. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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37
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Pheromone communication among sexes of the garden cross spider Araneus diadematus. Naturwissenschaften 2021; 108:38. [PMID: 34448943 PMCID: PMC8397638 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-021-01747-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a fundamental role in many aspects of an animal’s life from assessing habitat quality to finding mating partners. Behavioural observations show that chemical communication likewise plays an important role in spiders, but the contexts and the substances involved are little explored. Here, we investigate the chemical communication in the garden cross spider Araneus diadematus (Clerck, 1757) between and within the sexes. Using choice trials, we demonstrate that males are attracted to odours of adult females, but not to those of subadult females. Our data further suggest that adult females avoid odours of conspecific adult females, possibly in order to reduce reproductive competition with other females. Cuticle and silk extracts as well as headspace samples of subadult and adult virgin females were analysed via GC–MS. Available candidate compounds for the female sex pheromone were tested via electroantennography on palps (electropalpography) of adult virgin females and on females in behavioural trials. We propose sulcatone (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one) as a candidate substance for the female volatile pheromone and several long-chained alkanes and alcohols as candidates for contact pheromones. Apart from demonstrating that attraction of males to females depends on the latter’s developmental stage, our study suggests that pheromones can also play an important role between females, an aspect that requires further attention.
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Herrboldt MA, Steffen MA, McGouran CN, Bonett RM. Pheromone Gene Diversification and the Evolution of Courtship Glands in Plethodontid Salamanders. J Mol Evol 2021; 89:576-587. [PMID: 34392385 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-021-10026-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Proteinaceous pheromones that diversify through gene duplication can result in shifts in courtship cocktails that may serve as a mechanism for reproductive isolation. The molecular evolution of pheromones has been extensively studied in salamanders, but how these genes and associated novel courtship glands have codiversified has not been evaluated. In this study we used transcriptional analyses to examine the relationship between pheromone diversification and gland type in three divergent lineages of plethodontid salamanders. Our results revealed that plethodontid salamanders express up to eight divergent Sodefrin Precursor-like Factor genes (spf, representing both alpha and beta subfamilies) along with Plethodontid Modulating Factor (pmf) and Plethodontid Receptivity Factor (prf). Expression of pheromone genes is tissue specific with pmf, prf, and some spf genes restricted to the mental gland. In contrast, the caudal gland shows strong expression of the other spf genes. We found evidence for punctuated changes in pheromone cocktail composition related to the loss of metamorphosis, and subsequent extreme reduction of the mental gland, in a paedomorphic lineage. Our study provides insight into how pheromone diversification can be partitioned into unique glands, which may lead to cocktail specificity in behavioral modules during courtship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison A Herrboldt
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, 74104, USA.
| | - Michael A Steffen
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, 74104, USA
| | - Carissa N McGouran
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, 74104, USA
| | - Ronald M Bonett
- Department of Biological Science, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, 74104, USA
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How healthy is your mate? Sex-specific consequences of parasite infections in the moth Helicoverpa armigera. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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40
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Large-scale characterization of sex pheromone communication systems in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4165. [PMID: 34230464 PMCID: PMC8260797 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24395-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects use sex pheromones as a reproductive isolating mechanism to attract conspecifics and repel heterospecifics. Despite the profound knowledge of sex pheromones, little is known about the coevolutionary mechanisms and constraints on their production and detection. Using whole-genome sequences to infer the kinship among 99 drosophilids, we investigate how phylogenetic and chemical traits have interacted at a wide evolutionary timescale. Through a series of chemical syntheses and electrophysiological recordings, we identify 52 sex-specific compounds, many of which are detected via olfaction. Behavioral analyses reveal that many of the 43 male-specific compounds are transferred to the female during copulation and mediate female receptivity and/or male courtship inhibition. Measurement of phylogenetic signals demonstrates that sex pheromones and their cognate olfactory channels evolve rapidly and independently over evolutionary time to guarantee efficient intra- and inter-specific communication systems. Our results show how sexual isolation barriers between species can be reinforced by species-specific olfactory signals. Despite the profound knowledge of sex pheromones, little is known about the coevolutionary mechanisms and constraints on their production and detection. Whole-genome sequences from 99 drosophilids, with chemical and behavioural data, show that sex pheromones and their cognate olfactory channels evolve rapidly and independently.
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Abstract
Males of the olive fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis team up with Bacillus bacteria in their rectal glands to synthesize 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine (TMP) and 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine (TTMP) from glucose and threonine. The bacterially produced TMP and TTMP are utilized as sex pheromones to attract virgin females.
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Ibáñez A, Fritz U, Auer M, Martínez-Silvestre A, Praschag P, Załugowicz E, Podkowa D, Pabijan M. Evolutionary history of mental glands in turtles reveals a single origin in an aquatic ancestor and recurrent losses independent of macrohabitat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10396. [PMID: 34001926 PMCID: PMC8129087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89520-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the relevance of chemical communication in vertebrates, comparative examinations of macroevolutionary trends in chemical signaling systems are scarce. Many turtle and tortoise species are reliant on chemical signals to communicate in aquatic and terrestrial macrohabitats, and many of these species possess specialized integumentary organs, termed mental glands (MGs), involved in the production of chemosignals. We inferred the evolutionary history of MGs and tested the impact of macrohabitat on their evolution. Inference of ancestral states along a time-calibrated phylogeny revealed a single origin in the ancestor of the subclade Testudinoidea. Thus, MGs represent homologous structures in all descending lineages. We also inferred multiple independent losses of MGs in both terrestrial and aquatic clades. Although MGs first appeared in an aquatic turtle (the testudinoid ancestor), macrohabitat seems to have had little effect on MG presence or absence in descendants. Instead, we find clade-specific evolutionary trends, with some clades showing increased gland size and morphological complexity, whereas others exhibiting reduction or MG loss. In sister clades inhabiting similar ecological niches, contrasting patterns (loss vs. maintenance) may occur. We conclude that the multiple losses of MGs in turtle clades have not been influenced by macrohabitat and that other factors have affected MG evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ibáñez
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland ,grid.10789.370000 0000 9730 2769Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Uwe Fritz
- grid.438154.f0000 0001 0944 0975Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | - Markus Auer
- grid.438154.f0000 0001 0944 0975Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Dresden, 01109 Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Emilia Załugowicz
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Dagmara Podkowa
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Pabijan
- grid.5522.00000 0001 2162 9631Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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43
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Sprenger PP, Hartke J, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Feldmeyer B. Candidate genes involved in cuticular hydrocarbon differentiation between cryptic, parabiotic ant species. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6174692. [PMID: 33729492 PMCID: PMC8104948 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Insect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are highly diverse and have multiple functions, including communication and waterproofing. CHC profiles form species-specific, complex blends of up to 150 compounds. Especially in ants, even closely related species can have largely different profiles, raising the question how CHC differences are mirrored in the regulation of biosynthetic pathways. The neotropical ants Crematogaster levior and Camponotus femoratus both consist of two cryptic species each that are morphologically similar, but express strongly different CHC profiles. This is ideal to study the molecular basis of CHC differences. We thus investigated gene expression differences in fat-body transcriptomes of these ants. Despite common garden conditions, we found several thousand differentially expressed transcripts within each cryptic species pair. Many of these were related to metabolic processes, probably accounting for physiological differences. Moreover, we identified candidate genes from five gene families involved in CHC biosynthesis. By assigning candidate transcripts to orthologs in Drosophila, we inferred which CHCs might be influenced by differential gene expression. Expression of these candidate genes was often mirrored in the CHC profiles. For example, Cr. levior A, which has longer CHCs than its cryptic sister species, had a higher expression of elongases and a lower expression of fatty acyl- CoA reductases. This study is one of the first to identify CHC candidate genes in ants and will provide a basis for further research on the genetic basis of CHC biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp P Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Hartke
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.,Senckenberg Research Institute, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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McLean S, Nichols DS, Davies NW. Volatile scent chemicals in the urine of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248961. [PMID: 33784329 PMCID: PMC8009367 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The red fox is a highly adaptable mammal that has established itself world-wide in many different environments. Contributing to its success is a social structure based on chemical signalling between individuals. Urine scent marking behaviour has long been known in foxes, but there has not been a recent study of the chemical composition of fox urine. We have used solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the urinary volatiles in 15 free-ranging wild foxes (2 female) living in farmlands and bush in Victoria, Australia. Foxes here are routinely culled as feral pests, and the urine was collected by bladder puncture soon after death. Compounds were identified from their mass spectra and Kovats retention indices. There were 53 possible endogenous scent compounds, 10 plant-derived compounds and 5 anthropogenic xenobiotics. Among the plant chemicals were several aromatic apocarotenoids previously found in greater abundance in the fox tail gland. They reflect the dietary consumption of carotenoids, essential for optimal health. One third of all the endogenous volatiles were sulfur compounds, a highly odiferous group which included thiols, methylsulfides and polysulfides. Five of the sulfur compounds (3-isopentenyl thiol, 1- and 2-phenylethyl methyl sulfide, octanethiol and benzyl methyl sulfide) have only been found in foxes, and four others (isopentyl methyl sulfide, 3-isopentenyl methyl sulfide, and 1- and 2-phenylethane thiol) only in some canid, mink and skunk species. This indicates that they are not normal mammalian metabolites and have evolved to serve a specific role. This role is for defence in musteloids and most likely for chemical communication in canids. The total production of sulfur compounds varied greatly between foxes (median 1.2, range 0.4–32.3 μg ‘acetophenone equivalents’/mg creatinine) as did the relative abundance of different chemical types. The urinary scent chemistry may represent a highly evolved system of semiochemicals for communication between foxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart McLean
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - David S. Nichols
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Noel W. Davies
- Central Science Laboratory, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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45
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Pham HT, McNamara KB, Elgar MA. Age-dependent chemical signalling and its consequences for mate attraction in the gumleaf skeletonizer moth, Uraba lugens. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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46
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De Aquino NC, Ferreira LL, Tavares R, Silva CS, Mendonça A, Joachim-Bravo IS, Milet-Pinheiro P, Navarro D, De Abreu Galdino FC, Do Nascimento RR. Bioactive Male-Produced Volatiles from Anastrepha obliqua and their Role in Attraction of Conspecific Females. J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:167-174. [PMID: 33475941 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01248-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The study of insect semiochemicals, especially pheromones, is of fundamental importance for the development of strategies for controlling agricultural pests. In this study, volatile compounds involved in the communication between males and females of the fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae), for mating purposes were characterized to develop attractant formulations for females of this species. Extracts containing volatile compounds released by males of A. obliqua were obtained by the dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with an electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty-one volatile compounds were identified in the aeration extracts of males. Five of them caused EAD responses from the antennae of females: 1-heptanol, linalool, (Z)-3-nonen-1-ol, (E,Z)-3,6-nonadien-1-ol, and (Z,E)-α-farnesene. Six synthetic mixtures of these compounds, including the five-component blend and all possible four-component blends, were formulated in a biopolymer and used in behavioral bioassays conducted in the laboratory arena with conspecific virgin females. One blend of 1-heptanol, linalool, (Z)-3-nonen-1-ol, and (Z,E)-α-farnesene attracted more females than the collection of volatiles from virgin males used as control. The other mixtures were as attractive to A. obliqua females as the control treatment. This study indicates potential for use of these compounds in monitoring and control strategies for this pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaly C De Aquino
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Luana L Ferreira
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Raphael Tavares
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Claudinete S Silva
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Adriana Mendonça
- Tiradentes University Center, Maceió Unit, 5017 Gustavo Paiva Avenue, Cruz das Almas, Maceió, Alagoas, 57038-000, Brazil
| | - Iara Sordi Joachim-Bravo
- Insect Behavioral Ecology Laboratory. Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Barão do Jeremoabo Street, Ondina University Campus, Salvador, Bahia, 40.170-115, Brazil
| | - Paulo Milet-Pinheiro
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, 1235 Professor Moraes Rego Avenue, University City, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil
- Ecology Laboratory, University of Pernambuco, Campus Petrolina, BR 203 Highway, Km 2, Petrolina, Pernambuco, 56328-903, Brazil
| | - Daniela Navarro
- Ecology Laboratory, University of Pernambuco, Campus Petrolina, BR 203 Highway, Km 2, Petrolina, Pernambuco, 56328-903, Brazil
| | - Fabiane C De Abreu Galdino
- Microsystems of Analysis Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Ruth R Do Nascimento
- Chemical Ecology Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Maceió, Lourival de Melo Mota Avenue, Tabuleiro do Martins, Maceió, Alagoas, 57072-970, Brazil.
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47
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Adams SA, Gerbaulet M, Schulz S, Gillespie RG, Uhl G. Chemical Species Recognition in a Tetragnatha Spider (Araneae: Tetragnathidae). J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:63-72. [PMID: 33392896 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-020-01237-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Much of our knowledge regarding the role of chemicals in species recognition in arthropods is based on a few taxonomic groups, predominantly insect pest species. To investigate the chemical underpinnings of species recognition cues in other arthropods, we conducted mate choice experiments and analyzed the chemical profiles of two species in the long-jawed spider genus Tetragnatha from allopatric populations across two different continents. In two separate bioassays, in which male T. extensa spiders were presented with either web silk or extracts from the silk of conspecific and heterospecific females, males consistently chose the silk or silk extract of conspecific females over those of heterospecifics. We examined the chemistry affecting this response using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to analyze silk and whole-body extracts of the spiders. The major compounds in the extracts were identified as long chain aliphatic methyl ethers. The chemical profiles of the two species differed: the T. extensa profile consisted of 12,20-dimethylnonacosyl methyl ether (A), 8,14,20-trimethylnonacosyl methyl ether (B), and 6,14,20-trimethylnonacosyl methyl ether (C), while the profile of T. versicolor consisted of B and 14,20-dimethylnonacosyl methyl ether (D). Within each species, chemical profiles of females and males did not differ. Our results suggest that these methyl ethers are involved in species recognition of Tetragnatha spiders. This is the first study to propose compounds involved in species recognition in spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seira A Adams
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA.
| | - Moritz Gerbaulet
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rosemary G Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California-Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA
| | - Gabriele Uhl
- Department of General and Systematic Zoology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
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48
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Erdogan H, Stevens G, Stevens A, Shapiro-Ilan D, Kaplan F, Alborn H, Lewis E. Infected host responses across entomopathogenic nematode phylogeny. J Nematol 2021; 53:e2021-105. [PMID: 34957409 PMCID: PMC8672421 DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We used a phylogenetic framework to examine the relationship between entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) vertical dispersal and infectivity when EPNs are exposed to a mixture of compounds found in late-stage EPN-infected insect cadavers. EPNs from five phylogenetically close and distant species (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, H. georgiana, H. megidis, H. indica and Steinernema feltiae) were exposed to cadaver macerate produced by their own species’ infection and by H. bacteriophora infected hosts. We found that only three of the five species (H. bacteriophora, H. indica and S. feltiae) responded to exposure to their own macerate by increasing rates of dispersal. When we exposed all five species to a H. bacteriophora infected host macerate, we found that only H. bacteriophora responded by increasing dispersal, and that the most distantly related species (S. feltiae) essentially halted dispersal. These findings suggest that (1) responses to cadaver macerate vary, and (2) there may be a relationship between inherent dispersal rates and sensitivity to macerate exposure, as the most rapidly dispersing species (H. megidis) showed no response to macerate exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilal Erdogan
- University of Idaho, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, Moscow, ID, 83844
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biosystems Engineering, Bursa Uludağ University, Bursa, 16059, Turkey
| | - Glen Stevens
- University of Idaho, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, Moscow, ID, 83844
| | - Asa Stevens
- University of Idaho, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, Moscow, ID, 83844
| | - David Shapiro-Ilan
- USDA-ARS, Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory, Byron, GA, 31008
| | | | - Hans Alborn
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL
| | - Edwin Lewis
- University of Idaho, Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, Moscow, ID, 83844
- *E-mail:
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Rosso AA, Nicholson DJ, Logan ML, Chung AK, Curlis JD, Degon ZM, Knell RJ, Garner TWJ, McMillan WO, Cox CL. Sex-biased parasitism and expression of a sexual signal. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Given that sexual signals are often expressed more highly in one sex than the other, they can impose a sex-specific cost of reproduction through parasitism. The two primary paradigms regarding the relationship of parasites to sexual signals are the good genes hypothesis and the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis; however, there are other ecological, morphological and energetic factors that might influence parasite infections in a sex-specific fashion. We tested the relationship between expression of a sexual signal (the dewlap) and ecological, morphological and energetic factors mediating ectoparasite (mite) load between male and female Panamanian slender anoles (Anolis apletophallus). We found that males were more highly parasitized than females because of the preponderance of ectoparasites on the larger dewlap of males. Indeed, ectoparasite infection increased with both body size and dewlap size in males but not in females, and parasite infection was related to energy storage in a sex-specific fashion for the fat bodies, liver and gonads. Our work and previous work on testosterone in anoles suggests that this pattern did not arise solely from immunosuppression by testosterone, but that mites prefer the dewlap as an attachment site. Thus, the expression of this sexual signal could incur a fitness cost that might structure life-history trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Rosso
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Daniel J Nicholson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael L Logan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Albert K Chung
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John David Curlis
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zachariah M Degon
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Robert J Knell
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - W Owen McMillan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Christian L Cox
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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50
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Raya-García E, Suazo-Ortuño I, Campos-García J, Martín J, Alvarado-Díaz J, Mendoza-Ramírez E. Chemical signal divergence among populations influences behavioral discrimination in the whiptail lizard Aspidoscelis lineattissimus (squamata: teiidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02931-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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