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Ye C, Ho R, Moberg KH, Zheng JQ. Sexual Dimorphism in Age-Dependent Neurodegeneration After Mild Head Trauma in Drosophila : Unveiling the Adverse Impact of Female Reproductive Signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583747. [PMID: 38496515 PMCID: PMC10942469 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Environmental insults, including mild head trauma, significantly increase the risk of neurodegeneration. However, it remains challenging to establish a causative connection between early-life exposure to mild head trauma and late-life emergence of neurodegenerative deficits, nor do we know how sex and age compound the outcome. Using a Drosophila model, we demonstrate that exposure to mild head trauma causes neurodegenerative conditions that emerge late in life and disproportionately affect females. Increasing age-at-injury further exacerbates this effect in a sexually dimorphic manner. We further identify Sex Peptide (SP) signaling as a key factor in female susceptibility to post-injury brain deficits. RNA sequencing highlights a reduction in innate immune defense transcripts specifically in mated females during late life. Our findings establish a causal relationship between early head trauma and late-life neurodegeneration, emphasizing sex differences in injury response and the impact of age-at-injury. Finally, our findings reveal that reproductive signaling adversely impacts female response to mild head insults and elevates vulnerability to late-life neurodegeneration.
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2
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Joyce M, Falconio FA, Blackhurst L, Prieto-Godino L, French AS, Gilestro GF. Divergent evolution of sleep in Drosophila species. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5091. [PMID: 38876988 PMCID: PMC11178934 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49501-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Living organisms synchronize their biological activities with the earth's rotation through the circadian clock, a molecular mechanism that regulates biology and behavior daily. This synchronization factually maximizes positive activities (e.g., social interactions, feeding) during safe periods, and minimizes exposure to dangers (e.g., predation, darkness) typically at night. Beyond basic circadian regulation, some behaviors like sleep have an additional layer of homeostatic control, ensuring those essential activities are fulfilled. While sleep is predominantly governed by the circadian clock, a secondary homeostatic regulator, though not well-understood, ensures adherence to necessary sleep amounts and hints at a fundamental biological function of sleep beyond simple energy conservation and safety. Here we explore sleep regulation across seven Drosophila species with diverse ecological niches, revealing that while circadian-driven sleep aspects are consistent, homeostatic regulation varies significantly. The findings suggest that in Drosophilids, sleep evolved primarily for circadian purposes. The more complex, homeostatically regulated functions of sleep appear to have evolved independently in a species-specific manner, and are not universally conserved. This laboratory model may reproduce and recapitulate primordial sleep evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Joyce
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Research Institute, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Alice S French
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- The Francis Crick Research Institute, London, UK.
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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3
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Eiman MN, Kumar S, Serrano Negron YL, Tansey TR, Harbison ST. Genome-wide association in Drosophila identifies a role for Piezo and Proc-R in sleep latency. Sci Rep 2024; 14:260. [PMID: 38168575 PMCID: PMC10761942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50552-z] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep latency, the amount of time that it takes an individual to fall asleep, is a key indicator of sleep need. Sleep latency varies considerably both among and within species and is heritable, but lacks a comprehensive description of its underlying genetic network. Here we conduct a genome-wide association study of sleep latency. Using previously collected sleep and activity data on a wild-derived population of flies, we calculate sleep latency, confirming significant, heritable genetic variation for this complex trait. We identify 520 polymorphisms in 248 genes contributing to variability in sleep latency. Tests of mutations in 23 candidate genes and additional putative pan-neuronal knockdown of 9 of them implicated CG44153, Piezo, Proc-R and Rbp6 in sleep latency. Two large-effect mutations in the genes Proc-R and Piezo were further confirmed via genetic rescue. This work greatly enhances our understanding of the genetic factors that influence variation in sleep latency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N Eiman
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shailesh Kumar
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Division of Neuroscience and Behavior, National Institute On Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yazmin L Serrano Negron
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Terry R Tansey
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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4
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Diaz AV, Stephenson D, Nemkov T, D’Alessandro A, Reis T. Spenito-dependent metabolic sexual dimorphism intrinsic to fat storage cells. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad164. [PMID: 37738330 PMCID: PMC10627258 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad164] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolism in males and females is distinct. Differences are usually linked to sexual reproduction, with circulating signals (e.g. hormones) playing major roles. In contrast, sex differences prior to sexual maturity and intrinsic to individual metabolic tissues are less understood. We analyzed Drosophila melanogaster larvae and find that males store more fat than females, the opposite of the sexual dimorphism in adults. We show that metabolic differences are intrinsic to the major fat storage tissue, including many differences in the expression of metabolic genes. Our previous work identified fat storage roles for Spenito (Nito), a conserved RNA-binding protein and regulator of sex determination. Nito knockdown specifically in the fat storage tissue abolished fat differences between males and females. We further show that Nito is required for sex-specific expression of the master regulator of sex determination, Sex-lethal (Sxl). "Feminization" of fat storage cells via tissue-specific overexpression of a Sxl target gene made larvae lean, reduced the fat differences between males and females, and induced female-like metabolic gene expression. Altogether, this study supports a model in which Nito autonomously controls sexual dimorphisms and differential expression of metabolic genes in fat cells in part through its regulation of the sex determination pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arely V Diaz
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Daniel Stephenson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Travis Nemkov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Tânia Reis
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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5
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Salzberg Y, Haque R, Oren-Suissa M. The synaptic basis for sexual dimorphism in the invertebrate nervous system. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 82:102757. [PMID: 37572555 PMCID: PMC10506627 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Many animal behaviors are manifested differently in the two sexes of a given species, but how such sexual dimorphism is imprinted in the nervous system is not always clear. One mechanism involved is synaptic dimorphism, by which the same neurons exist in the two sexes, but form synapses that differ in features such as anatomy, molecular content or fate. While some evidence for synaptic dimorphism exists in humans and mammals, identifying these mechanisms in invertebrates has proven simpler, due to their smaller nervous systems and absence of external regulation by sex hormones. This review aims to present the current status of the field in invertebrates, the available toolkit for the study of synaptic dimorphism, and the standing questions that still remain incompletely answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yehuda Salzberg
- Department of Brain Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Rizwanul Haque
- Department of Brain Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
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6
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Seong KH, Uemura T, Kang S. Road to sexual maturity: Behavioral event schedule from eclosion to first mating in each sex of Drosophila melanogaster. iScience 2023; 26:107502. [PMID: 37636050 PMCID: PMC10448111 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals achieve their first mating through the process of sexual maturation. This study examined the precise and detailed timing of a series of behavioral events, including wing expansion, first feeding, first excretion, and courtship, during sexual maturation from eclosion to first mating in D. melanogaster. We found that the time of first mating is genetically invariant and is not affected by light/dark cycle or food intake after eclosion. We also found sexual dimorphism in locomotor activity after eclosion, with females increasing locomotor activity earlier than males. In addition, we found a time rapidly changing from extremely low to high sexual activity in males post eclosion (named "drastic male courtship arousal" or DMCA). These behavioral traits leading up to the first mating could serve as clear indicators of sexual maturation and establish precisely timed developmental landmarks to explore further the mechanisms underlying the integration of behavioral and physiological sexual maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Hyeon Seong
- Department of Liberal Arts and Human Development, Kanagawa University of Human Services, 1-10-1 Heiseicho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-8522, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Tadashi Uemura
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Center for Living Systems Information Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Siu Kang
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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7
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Téfit MA, Budiman T, Dupriest A, Yew JY. Environmental microbes promote phenotypic plasticity in reproduction and sleep behaviour. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5186-5200. [PMID: 37577956 PMCID: PMC10544802 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17095] [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: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The microbiome has been hypothesized as a driving force of phenotypic variation in host organisms that is capable of extending metabolic processes, altering development and in some cases, conferring novel functions that are critical for survival. Only a few studies have directly shown a causal role for the environmental microbiome in altering host phenotypic features. To assess the extent to which environmental microbes induce variation in host life-history traits and behaviour, we inoculated axenic Drosophila melanogaster with microbes isolated from drosophilid populations collected from two different field sites and generated two populations with distinct bacterial and fungal profiles. We show that microbes isolated from environmental sites with modest abiotic differences induce large variation in host reproduction, fatty acid levels, stress tolerance and sleep behaviour. Importantly, clearing microbes from each experimental population removed the phenotypic differences. The results support the causal role of environmental microbes as drivers of host phenotypic plasticity and potentially, rapid adaptation and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélisandre A Téfit
- School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Tifanny Budiman
- School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Adrianna Dupriest
- School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Joanne Y Yew
- School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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8
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Mishra S, Sharma N, Lone SR. Understanding the impact of sociosexual interactions on sleep using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1220140. [PMID: 37670770 PMCID: PMC10476103 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1220140] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is conserved across species, and it is believed that a fixed amount of sleep is needed for normal neurobiological functions. Sleep rebound follows sleep deprivation; however, continuous sleep deprivation for longer durations is believed to be detrimental to the animal's wellbeing. Under some physiologically demanding situations, such as migration in birds, the birth of new offspring in cetaceans, and sexual interactions in pectoral sandpipers, animals are known to forgo sleep. The mechanisms by which animals forgo sleep without having any obvious negative impact on the proper functioning of their neurobiological processes are yet unknown. Therefore, a simple assay is needed to study how animals forgo sleep. The assay should be ecologically relevant so it can offer insights into the physiology of the organisms. Equally important is that the organism should be genetically amenable, which helps in understanding the cellular and molecular processes that govern such behaviors. This paper presents a simple method of sociosexual interaction to understand the process by which animals forgo sleep. In the case of Drosophila melanogaster, when males and females are in proximity, they are highly active and lose a significant amount of sleep. In addition, there is no sleep rebound afterward, and instead, males engaged in sexual interactions continue to show normal sleep. Thus, sexual drive in the fruit flies is a robust assay to understand the underlying mechanism by which animals forgo sleep.
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9
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Laturney M, Sterne GR, Scott K. Mating activates neuroendocrine pathways signaling hunger in Drosophila females. eLife 2023; 12:e85117. [PMID: 37184218 PMCID: PMC10229122 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85117] [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: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mated females reallocate resources to offspring production, causing changes to nutritional requirements and challenges to energy homeostasis. Although observed across species, the neural and endocrine mechanisms that regulate the nutritional needs of mated females are not well understood. Here, we find that mated Drosophila melanogaster females increase sugar intake, which is regulated by the activity of sexually dimorphic insulin receptor (Lgr3) neurons. In virgins, Lgr3+ cells have reduced activity as they receive inhibitory input from active, female-specific pCd-2 cells, restricting sugar intake. During copulation, males deposit sex peptide into the female reproductive tract, which silences a three-tier mating status circuit and initiates the female postmating response. We show that pCd-2 neurons also become silenced after mating due to the direct synaptic input from the mating status circuit. Thus, in mated females pCd-2 inhibition is attenuated, activating downstream Lgr3+ neurons and promoting sugar intake. Together, this circuit transforms the mated signal into a long-term hunger signal. Our results demonstrate that the mating circuit alters nutrient sensing centers to increase feeding in mated females, providing a mechanism to increase intake in anticipation of the energetic costs associated with reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristin Scott
- University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
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10
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Ye C, Behnke JA, Hardin KR, Zheng JQ. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study age and sex differences in brain injury and neurodegeneration after mild head trauma. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1150694. [PMID: 37077318 PMCID: PMC10106652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive physical insults to the head, including those that elicit mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), are a known risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although most individuals who sustain mTBI typically achieve a seemingly full recovery within a few weeks, a subset experience delayed-onset symptoms later in life. As most mTBI research has focused on the acute phase of injury, there is an incomplete understanding of mechanisms related to the late-life emergence of neurodegeneration after early exposure to mild head trauma. The recent adoption of Drosophila-based brain injury models provides several unique advantages over existing preclinical animal models, including a tractable framework amenable to high-throughput assays and short relative lifespan conducive to lifelong mechanistic investigation. The use of flies also provides an opportunity to investigate important risk factors associated with neurodegenerative conditions, specifically age and sex. In this review, we survey current literature that examines age and sex as contributing factors to head trauma-mediated neurodegeneration in humans and preclinical models, including mammalian and Drosophila models. We discuss similarities and disparities between human and fly in aging, sex differences, and pathophysiology. Finally, we highlight Drosophila as an effective tool for investigating mechanisms underlying head trauma-induced neurodegeneration and for identifying therapeutic targets for treatment and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine R. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James Q. Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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11
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Yang YT, Hu SW, Li X, Sun Y, He P, Kohlmeier KA, Zhu Y. Sex peptide regulates female receptivity through serotoninergic neurons in Drosophila. iScience 2023; 26:106123. [PMID: 36876123 PMCID: PMC9976462 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106123] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The courtship ritual is a dynamic interplay between males and females. Courtship successfully leading to copulation is determined by the intention of both parties which is conveyed by complex action sequences. In Drosophila, the neural mechanisms controlling the female's willingness to mate, or sexual receptivity, have only recently become the focus of investigations. Here, we report that pre-mating sexual receptivity in females requires activity within a subset of serotonergic projection neurons (SPNs), which positively regulate courtship success. Of interest, a male-derived sex peptide, SP, which was transferred to females during copulation acted to inhibit the activity of SPN and suppressed receptivity. Downstream of 5-HT, subsets of 5-HT7 receptor neurons played critical roles in SP-induced suppression of sexual receptivity. Together, our study reveals a complex serotonin signaling system in the central brain of Drosophila which manages the female's desire to mate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kristi Anne Kohlmeier
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China.,Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100190, China
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12
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Diaz AV, Matheny T, Stephenson D, Nemkov T, D’Alessandro A, Reis T. Spenito-dependent metabolic sexual dimorphism intrinsic to fat storage cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.17.528952. [PMID: 36824729 PMCID: PMC9949119 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.17.528952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Metabolism in males and females is distinct. Differences are usually linked to sexual reproduction, with circulating signals (e.g. hormones) playing major roles. By contrast, sex differences prior to sexual maturity and intrinsic to individual metabolic tissues are less understood. We analyzed Drosophila melanogaster larvae and find that males store more fat than females, the opposite of the sexual dimorphism in adults. We show that metabolic differences are intrinsic to the major fat storage tissue, including many differences in the expression of metabolic genes. Our previous work identified fat storage roles for Spenito (Nito), a conserved RNA-binding protein and regulator of sex determination. Nito knockdown specifically in the fat storage tissue abolished fat differences between males and females. We further show that Nito is required for sex-specific expression of the master regulator of sex determination, Sex-lethal (Sxl). "Feminization" of fat storage cells via tissue-specific overexpression of a Sxl target gene made larvae lean, reduced the fat differences between males and females, and induced female-like metabolic gene expression. Altogether, this study supports a model in which Nito autonomously controls sexual dimorphisms and differential expression of metabolic genes in fat cells in part through its regulation of the sex determination pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arely V. Diaz
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Tyler Matheny
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Daniel Stephenson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Travis Nemkov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Tânia Reis
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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13
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Duhart JM, Inami S, Koh K. Many faces of sleep regulation: beyond the time of day and prior wake time. FEBS J 2023; 290:931-950. [PMID: 34908236 PMCID: PMC9198110 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The two-process model of sleep regulation posits two main processes regulating sleep: the circadian process controlled by the circadian clock and the homeostatic process that depends on the history of sleep and wakefulness. The model has provided a dominant conceptual framework for sleep research since its publication ~ 40 years ago. The time of day and prior wake time are the primary factors affecting the circadian and homeostatic processes, respectively. However, it is critical to consider other factors influencing sleep. Since sleep is incompatible with other behaviors, it is affected by the need for essential behaviors such as eating, foraging, mating, caring for offspring, and avoiding predators. Sleep is also affected by sensory inputs, sickness, increased need for memory consolidation after learning, and other factors. Here, we review multiple factors influencing sleep and discuss recent insights into the mechanisms balancing competing needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Manuel Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia PA
- These authors contributed equally
- Present address: Fundación Instituto Leloir, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sho Inami
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia PA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia PA
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14
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Time series transcriptome analysis implicates the circadian clock in the Drosophila melanogaster female's response to sex peptide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2214883120. [PMID: 36706221 PMCID: PMC9945991 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2214883120] [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: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex peptide (SP), a seminal fluid protein of Drosophila melanogaster males, has been described as driving a virgin-to-mated switch in females, through eliciting an array of responses including increased egg laying, activity, and food intake and a decreased remating rate. While it is known that SP achieves this, at least in part, by altering neuronal signaling in females, the genetic architecture and temporal dynamics of the female's response to SP remain elusive. We used a high-resolution time series RNA-sequencing dataset of female heads at 10 time points within the first 24 h after mating to learn about the genetic architecture, at the gene and exon levels, of the female's response to SP. We find that SP is not essential to trigger early aspects of a virgin-to-mated transcriptional switch, which includes changes in a metabolic gene regulatory network. However, SP is needed to maintain and diversify metabolic changes and to trigger changes in a neuronal gene regulatory network. We further find that SP alters rhythmic gene expression in females and suggests that SP's disruption of the female's circadian rhythm might be key to its widespread effects.
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15
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Riva S, Ispizua JI, Breide MT, Polcowñuk S, Lobera JR, Ceriani MF, Risau-Gusman S, Franco DL. Mating disrupts morning anticipation in Drosophila melanogaster females. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010258. [PMID: 36548223 PMCID: PMC9779042 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
After mating, the physiology of Drosophila females undergo several important changes, some of which are reflected in their rest-activity cycles. To explore the hypothesis that mating modifies the temporal organization of locomotor activity patterns, we recorded fly activity by a video tracking method. Monitoring rest-activity patterns under light/dark (LD) cycles indicated that mated females lose their ability to anticipate the night-day transition, in stark contrast to males and virgins. This postmating response is mediated by the activation of the sex peptide receptor (SPR) mainly on pickpocket (ppk) expressing neurons, since reducing expression of this receptor in these neurons restores the ability to anticipate the LD transition in mated females. Furthermore, we provide evidence of connectivity between ppk+ neurons and the pigment-dispersing factor (PDF)-positive ventral lateral neurons (sLNv), which play a central role in the temporal organization of daily activity. Since PDF has been associated to the generation of the morning activity peak, we hypothesized that the mating signal could modulate PDF levels. Indeed, we confirm that mated females have reduced PDF levels at the dorsal protocerebrum; moreover, SPR downregulation in ppk+ neurons mimics PDF levels observed in males. In sum, our results are consistent with a model whereby mating-triggered signals reach clock neurons in the fly central nervous system to modulate the temporal organization of circadian behavior according to the needs of the new status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Riva
- Medical Physics Department, Bariloche Atomic Center, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Juan Ignacio Ispizua
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir—IIBBA—CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Trinidad Breide
- Medical Physics Department, Bariloche Atomic Center, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Sofía Polcowñuk
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir—IIBBA—CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - José Ricardo Lobera
- Medical Physics Department, Bariloche Atomic Center, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda Ceriani
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir—IIBBA—CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sebastian Risau-Gusman
- Medical Physics Department, Bariloche Atomic Center, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- * E-mail: (SRG); (DLF)
| | - Diana Lorena Franco
- Medical Physics Department, Bariloche Atomic Center, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- * E-mail: (SRG); (DLF)
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16
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Misra S, Buehner NA, Singh A, Wolfner MF. Female factors modulate Sex Peptide's association with sperm in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Biol 2022; 20:279. [PMID: 36514080 PMCID: PMC9749180 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01465-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male-derived seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) that enter female fruitflies during mating induce a myriad of physiological and behavioral changes, optimizing fertility of the mating pair. Some post-mating changes in female Drosophila melanogaster persist for ~10-14 days. Their long-term persistence is because the seminal protein that induces these particular changes, the Sex Peptide (SP), is retained long term in females by binding to sperm, with gradual release of its active domain from sperm. Several other "long-term response SFPs" (LTR-SFPs) "prime" the binding of SP to sperm. Whether female factors play a role in this process is unknown, though it is important to study both sexes for a comprehensive physiological understanding of SFP/sperm interactions and for consideration in models of sexual conflict. RESULTS We report here that sperm in male ejaculates bind SP more weakly than sperm that have entered females. Moreover, we show that the amount of SP, and other SFPs, bound to sperm increases with time and transit of individual seminal proteins within the female reproductive tract (FRT). Thus, female contributions are needed for maximal and appropriate binding of SP, and other SFPs, to sperm. Towards understanding the source of female molecular contributions, we ablated spermathecal secretory cells (SSCs) and/or parovaria (female accessory glands), which contribute secretory proteins to the FRT. We found no dramatic change in the initial levels of SP bound to sperm stored in mated females with ablated or defective SSCs and/or parovaria, indicating that female molecules that facilitate the binding of SP to sperm are not uniquely derived from SSCs and parovaria. However, we observed higher levels of SP (and sperm) retention long term in females whose SSCs and parovaria had been ablated, indicating secretions from these female tissues are necessary for the gradual release of Sex Peptide's active region from stored sperm. CONCLUSION This study reveals that the SP-sperm binding pathway is not entirely male-derived and that female contributions are needed to regulate the levels of SP associated with sperm stored in their storage sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,Present address: School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, UK, 248007, India
| | - Norene A Buehner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Akanksha Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,Present address: Centre for Life Sciences, Mahindra University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500043, India
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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17
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Knapp EM, Kaiser A, Arnold RC, Sampson MM, Ruppert M, Xu L, Anderson MI, Bonanno SL, Scholz H, Donlea JM, Krantz DE. Mutation of the Drosophila melanogaster serotonin transporter dSERT impacts sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010289. [PMID: 36409783 PMCID: PMC9721485 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Serotonin Transporter (SERT) regulates extracellular serotonin levels and is the target of most current drugs used to treat depression. The mechanisms by which inhibition of SERT activity influences behavior are poorly understood. To address this question in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, we developed new loss of function mutations in Drosophila SERT (dSERT). Previous studies in both flies and mammals have implicated serotonin as an important neuromodulator of sleep, and our newly generated dSERT mutants show an increase in total sleep and altered sleep architecture that is mimicked by feeding the SSRI citalopram. Differences in daytime versus nighttime sleep architecture as well as genetic rescue experiments unexpectedly suggest that distinct serotonergic circuits may modulate daytime versus nighttime sleep. dSERT mutants also show defects in copulation and food intake, akin to the clinical side effects of SSRIs and consistent with the pleomorphic influence of serotonin on the behavior of D. melanogaster. Starvation did not overcome the sleep drive in the mutants and in male dSERT mutants, the drive to mate also failed to overcome sleep drive. dSERT may be used to further explore the mechanisms by which serotonin regulates sleep and its interplay with other complex behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Knapp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Andrea Kaiser
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Albertus-Magnus University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rebecca C. Arnold
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Maureen M. Sampson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Manuela Ruppert
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Albertus-Magnus University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Albertus-Magnus University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Shivan L. Bonanno
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Henrike Scholz
- Department of Biology, Institute of Zoology, Albertus-Magnus University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jeffrey M. Donlea
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - David E. Krantz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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18
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Sleep Modulates Alcohol Toxicity in Drosophila. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012091. [PMID: 36292943 PMCID: PMC9603330 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol abuse is a significant public health problem. While considerable research has shown that alcohol use affects sleep, little is known about the role of sleep deprivation in alcohol toxicity. We investigated sleep as a factor modulating alcohol toxicity using Drosophila melanogaster, a model for studies of sleep, alcohol, and aging. Following 24 h of sleep deprivation using a paradigm that similarly affects males and females and induces rebound sleep, flies were given binge-like alcohol exposures. Sleep deprivation increased mortality, with no sex-dependent differences. Sleep deprivation also abolished functional tolerance measured at 24 h after the initial alcohol exposure, although there was no effect on alcohol absorbance or clearance. We investigated the effect of chronic sleep deprivation using mutants with decreased sleep, insomniac and insulin-like peptide 2, finding increased alcohol mortality. Furthermore, we investigated whether pharmacologically inducing sleep prior to alcohol exposure using the GABAA-receptor agonist 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo(5,4-c)pyridin-3-ol (THIP) mitigated the effects of alcohol toxicity on middle-aged flies, flies with environmentally disrupted circadian clocks, and flies with short sleep. Pharmacologically increasing sleep prior to alcohol exposure decreased alcohol-induced mortality. Thus, sleep prior to binge-like alcohol exposure affects alcohol-induced mortality, even in vulnerable groups such as aging flies and those with circadian dysfunction.
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19
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Endocrine cybernetics: neuropeptides as molecular switches in behavioural decisions. Open Biol 2022; 12:220174. [PMID: 35892199 PMCID: PMC9326288 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticity in animal behaviour relies on the ability to integrate external and internal cues from the changing environment and hence modulate activity in synaptic circuits of the brain. This context-dependent neuromodulation is largely based on non-synaptic signalling with neuropeptides. Here, we describe select peptidergic systems in the Drosophila brain that act at different levels of a hierarchy to modulate behaviour and associated physiology. These systems modulate circuits in brain regions, such as the central complex and the mushroom bodies, which supervise specific behaviours. At the top level of the hierarchy there are small numbers of large peptidergic neurons that arborize widely in multiple areas of the brain to orchestrate or modulate global activity in a state and context-dependent manner. At the bottom level local peptidergic neurons provide executive neuromodulation of sensory gain and intrinsically in restricted parts of specific neuronal circuits. The orchestrating neurons receive interoceptive signals that mediate energy and sleep homeostasis, metabolic state and circadian timing, as well as external cues that affect food search, aggression or mating. Some of these cues can be triggers of conflicting behaviours such as mating versus aggression, or sleep versus feeding, and peptidergic neurons participate in circuits, enabling behaviour choices and switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland Würzburg 97074, Germany
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20
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Anderson L, Camus MF, Monteith KM, Salminen TS, Vale PF. Variation in mitochondrial DNA affects locomotor activity and sleep in Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity (Edinb) 2022; 129:225-232. [PMID: 35764697 PMCID: PMC9519576 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00554-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are organelles that produce cellular energy in the form of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, and this primary function is conserved among many taxa. Locomotion is a trait that is highly reliant on metabolic function and expected to be greatly affected by disruptions to mitochondrial performance. To this end, we aimed to examine how activity and sleep vary between Drosophila melanogaster strains with different geographic origins, how these patterns are affected by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation, and how breaking up co-evolved mito-nuclear gene combinations affect the studied activity traits. Our results demonstrate that Drosophila strains from different locations differ in sleep and activity, and that females are generally more active than males. By comparing activity and sleep of mtDNA variants introgressed onto a common nuclear background in cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) strains, we were able to quantify the among-line variance attributable to mitochondrial DNA, and we establish that mtDNA variation affects both activity and sleep, in a sex-specific manner. Altogether our study highlights the important role that mitochondrial genome variation plays on organismal physiology and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Anderson
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - M Florencia Camus
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Katy M Monteith
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tiina S Salminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pedro F Vale
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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21
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Andreani T, Rosensweig C, Sisobhan S, Ogunlana E, Kath W, Allada R. Circadian programming of the ellipsoid body sleep homeostat in Drosophila. eLife 2022; 11:e74327. [PMID: 35735904 PMCID: PMC9270026 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic and circadian processes collaborate to appropriately time and consolidate sleep and wake. To understand how these processes are integrated, we scheduled brief sleep deprivation at different times of day in Drosophila and find elevated morning rebound compared to evening. These effects depend on discrete morning and evening clock neurons, independent of their roles in circadian locomotor activity. In the R5 ellipsoid body sleep homeostat, we identified elevated morning expression of activity dependent and presynaptic gene expression as well as the presynaptic protein BRUCHPILOT consistent with regulation by clock circuits. These neurons also display elevated calcium levels in response to sleep loss in the morning, but not the evening consistent with the observed time-dependent sleep rebound. These studies reveal the circuit and molecular mechanisms by which discrete circadian clock neurons program a homeostatic sleep center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Andreani
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Clark Rosensweig
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Shiju Sisobhan
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Emmanuel Ogunlana
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - William Kath
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Ravi Allada
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
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22
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Hopkins BR, Perry JC. The evolution of sex peptide: sexual conflict, cooperation, and coevolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1426-1448. [PMID: 35249265 PMCID: PMC9256762 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A central paradigm in evolutionary biology is that the fundamental divergence in the fitness interests of the sexes (‘sexual conflict’) can lead to both the evolution of sex‐specific traits that reduce fitness for individuals of the opposite sex, and sexually antagonistic coevolution between the sexes. However, clear examples of traits that evolved in this way – where a single trait in one sex demonstrably depresses the fitness of members of the opposite sex, resulting in antagonistic coevolution – are rare. The Drosophila seminal protein ‘sex peptide’ (SP) is perhaps the most widely cited example of a trait that appears to harm females while benefitting males. Transferred in the ejaculate by males during mating, SP triggers profound and wide‐ranging changes in female behaviour and physiology. Early studies reported that the transfer of SP enhances male fitness while depressing female fitness, providing the foundations for the widespread view that SP has evolved to manipulate females for male benefit. Here, we argue that this view is (i) a simplification of a wider body of contradictory empirical research, (ii) narrow with respect to theory describing the origin and maintenance of sexually selected traits, and (iii) hard to reconcile with what we know of the evolutionary history of SP's effects on females. We begin by charting the history of thought regarding SP, both at proximate (its production, function, and mechanism of action) and ultimate (its fitness consequences and evolutionary history) levels, reviewing how studies of SP were central to the development of the field of sexual conflict. We describe a prevailing paradigm for SP's evolution: that SP originated and continues to evolve to manipulate females for male benefit. In contrast to this view, we argue on three grounds that the weight of evidence does not support the view that receipt of SP decreases female fitness: (i) results from studies of SP's impact on female fitness are mixed and more often neutral or positive, with fitness costs emerging only under nutritional extremes; (ii) whether costs from SP are appreciable in wild‐living populations remains untested; and (iii) recently described confounds in genetic manipulations of SP raise the possibility that measures of the costs and benefits of SP have been distorted. Beyond SP's fitness effects, comparative and genetic data are also difficult to square with the idea that females suffer fitness costs from SP. Instead, these data – from functional and evolutionary genetics and the neural circuitry of female responses to SP – suggest an evolutionary history involving the evolution of a dedicated SP‐sensing apparatus in the female reproductive tract that is likely to have evolved because it benefits females, rather than harms them. We end by exploring theory and evidence that SP benefits females by functioning as a signal of male quality or of sperm receipt and storage (or both). The expanded view of the evolution of SP that we outline recognises the context‐dependent and fluctuating roles played by both cooperative and antagonistic selection in the origin and maintenance of reproductive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben R. Hopkins
- Department of Evolution and Ecology University of California – Davis One Shields Avenue Davis CA 95616 U.S.A
| | - Jennifer C. Perry
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ U.K
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23
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Pasquier C, Robichon A. Temporal and sequential order of nonoverlapping gene networks unraveled in mated female Drosophila. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 5:5/2/e202101119. [PMID: 34844981 PMCID: PMC8645335 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating triggers successive waves of temporal transcriptomic changes within independent gene networks in female Drosophila, suggesting a recruitment of interconnected modules that vanish in late life. In this study, we reanalyzed available datasets of gene expression changes in female Drosophila head induced by mating. Mated females present metabolic phenotypic changes and display behavioral characteristics that are not observed in virgin females, such as repulsion to male sexual aggressiveness, fidelity to food spots selected for oviposition, and restriction to the colonization of new niches. We characterize gene networks that play a role in female brain plasticity after mating using AMINE, a novel algorithm to find dysregulated modules of interacting genes. The uncovered networks of altered genes revealed a strong specificity for each successive period of life span after mating in the female head, with little conservation between them. This finding highlights a temporal order of recruitment of waves of interconnected genes which are apparently transiently modified: the first wave disappears before the emergence of the second wave in a reversible manner and ends with few consolidated gene expression changes at day 20. This analysis might document an extended field of a programmatic control of female phenotypic traits by male seminal fluid.
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24
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Nallasivan MP, Haussmann IU, Civetta A, Soller M. Channel nuclear pore protein 54 directs sexual differentiation and neuronal wiring of female reproductive behaviors in Drosophila. BMC Biol 2021; 19:226. [PMID: 34666772 PMCID: PMC8527774 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01154-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Female reproductive behaviors and physiology change profoundly after mating. The control of pregnancy-associated changes in physiology and behaviors are largely hard-wired into the brain to guarantee reproductive success, yet the gene expression programs that direct neuronal differentiation and circuit wiring at the end of the sex determination pathway in response to mating are largely unknown. In Drosophila, the post-mating response induced by male-derived sex-peptide in females is a well-established model to elucidate how complex innate behaviors are hard-wired into the brain. Here, we use a genetic approach to further characterize the molecular and cellular architecture of the sex-peptide response in Drosophila females. Results Screening for mutations that affect the sensitivity to sex-peptide, we identified the channel nuclear pore protein Nup54 gene as an essential component for mediating the sex-peptide response, with viable mutant alleles leading to the inability of laying eggs and reducing receptivity upon sex-peptide exposure. Nup54 directs correct wiring of eight adult brain neurons that express pickpocket and are required for egg-laying, while additional channel Nups also mediate sexual differentiation. Consistent with links of Nups to speciation, the Nup54 promoter is a hot spot for rapid evolution and promoter variants alter nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. Conclusions These results implicate nuclear pore functionality to neuronal wiring underlying the sex-peptide response and sexual differentiation as a response to sexual conflict arising from male-derived sex-peptide to direct the female post-mating response. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01154-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohanakarthik P Nallasivan
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Irmgard U Haussmann
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.,Department of Life Science, School of Health Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, B15 3TN, UK
| | - Alberto Civetta
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Matthias Soller
- School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. .,Birmingham Centre for Genome Biology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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25
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Traoré AS, Porciani A, Moiroux N, Dabiré RK, Simard F, Costantini C, Mouline K. Effects of insemination and blood-feeding on locomotor activity of wild-derived females of the malaria mosquito Anopheles coluzzii. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:457. [PMID: 34493324 PMCID: PMC8422633 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04967-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Behavioural shifts in the canonical location and timing of biting have been reported in natural populations of anopheline malaria vectors following the implementation of insecticide-based indoor vector control interventions. These modifications increase the likelihood of human-vector contact and allow mosquitoes to avoid insecticides, both conditions being favourable to residual transmission of the malarial parasites. The biting behaviour of mosquitoes follows rhythms that are under the control of biological clocks and environmental conditions, modulated by physiological states. In this work we explore modifications of spontaneous locomotor activity expressed by mosquitoes in different physiological states to highlight phenotypic variability associated to circadian control that may contribute to explain residual transmission in the field. METHODS The F10 generation progeny of field-collected Anopheles coluzzii from southwestern Burkina Faso was tested using an automated recording apparatus (Locomotor Activity Monitor, TriKinetics Inc.) under LD 12:12 or DD light regimens in laboratory-controlled conditions. Activity recordings of each test were carried out for a week with 6-day-old females belonging to four experimental treatments, representing factorial combinations of two physiological variables: insemination status (virgin vs inseminated) and gonotrophic status (glucose fed vs blood fed). Chronobiological features of rhythmicity in locomotor activity were explored using periodograms, diversity indices, and generalized linear mixed modelling. RESULTS The average strength of activity, onset of activity, and acrophase were modulated by both nutritional and insemination status as well as by the light regimen. Inseminated females showed a significant excess of arrhythmic activity under DD. When rhythmicity was observed in DD, females displayed sustained activity also during the subjective day. CONCLUSIONS Insemination and gonotrophic status influence the underlying light and circadian control of chronobiological features of locomotor activity. Overrepresentation of arrhythmic chronotypes as well as the sustained activity of inseminated females during the subjective day under DD conditions suggests potential activity of natural populations of A. coluzzii during daytime under dim conditions, with implications for residual transmission of malarial parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadou S Traoré
- MIVEGEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
- Agro Paris Tech, Institut Des Sciences Et Industries du Vivant Et de L'environnement, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France.
| | | | - Nicolas Moiroux
- MIVEGEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Roch K Dabiré
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - Karine Mouline
- MIVEGEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de La Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
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26
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Nässel DR. Leucokinin and Associated Neuropeptides Regulate Multiple Aspects of Physiology and Behavior in Drosophila. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1940. [PMID: 33669286 PMCID: PMC7920058 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Leucokinins (LKs) constitute a family of neuropeptides identified in numerous insects and many other invertebrates. LKs act on G-protein-coupled receptors that display only distant relations to other known receptors. In adult Drosophila, 26 neurons/neurosecretory cells of three main types express LK. The four brain interneurons are of two types, and these are implicated in several important functions in the fly's behavior and physiology, including feeding, sleep-metabolism interactions, state-dependent memory formation, as well as modulation of gustatory sensitivity and nociception. The 22 neurosecretory cells (abdominal LK neurons, ABLKs) of the abdominal neuromeres co-express LK and a diuretic hormone (DH44), and together, these regulate water and ion homeostasis and associated stress as well as food intake. In Drosophila larvae, LK neurons modulate locomotion, escape responses and aspects of ecdysis behavior. A set of lateral neurosecretory cells, ALKs (anterior LK neurons), in the brain express LK in larvae, but inconsistently so in adults. These ALKs co-express three other neuropeptides and regulate water and ion homeostasis, feeding, and drinking, but the specific role of LK is not yet known. This review summarizes Drosophila data on embryonic lineages of LK neurons, functional roles of individual LK neuron types, interactions with other peptidergic systems, and orchestrating functions of LK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, S-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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27
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Dashti HS, Daghlas I, Lane JM, Huang Y, Udler MS, Wang H, Ollila HM, Jones SE, Kim J, Wood AR, Weedon MN, Aslibekyan S, Garaulet M, Saxena R. Genetic determinants of daytime napping and effects on cardiometabolic health. Nat Commun 2021; 12:900. [PMID: 33568662 PMCID: PMC7876146 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20585-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Daytime napping is a common, heritable behavior, but its genetic basis and causal relationship with cardiometabolic health remain unclear. Here, we perform a genome-wide association study of self-reported daytime napping in the UK Biobank (n = 452,633) and identify 123 loci of which 61 replicate in the 23andMe research cohort (n = 541,333). Findings include missense variants in established drug targets for sleep disorders (HCRTR1, HCRTR2), genes with roles in arousal (TRPC6, PNOC), and genes suggesting an obesity-hypersomnolence pathway (PNOC, PATJ). Association signals are concordant with accelerometer-measured daytime inactivity duration and 33 loci colocalize with loci for other sleep phenotypes. Cluster analysis identifies three distinct clusters of nap-promoting mechanisms with heterogeneous associations with cardiometabolic outcomes. Mendelian randomization shows potential causal links between more frequent daytime napping and higher blood pressure and waist circumference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan S Dashti
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Iyas Daghlas
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Lane
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Miriam S Udler
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heming Wang
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanna M Ollila
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Institute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Samuel E Jones
- Institute for Molecular Medicine FIMM, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Genetics of Complex Traits, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Andrew R Wood
- Genetics of Complex Traits, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael N Weedon
- Genetics of Complex Traits, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Marta Garaulet
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Physiology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
- IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Richa Saxena
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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28
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Wainwright SM, Hopkins BR, Mendes CC, Sekar A, Kroeger B, Hellberg JEEU, Fan SJ, Pavey A, Marie PP, Leiblich A, Sepil I, Charles PD, Thézénas ML, Fischer R, Kessler BM, Gandy C, Corrigan L, Patel R, Wigby S, Morris JF, Goberdhan DCI, Wilson C. Drosophila Sex Peptide controls the assembly of lipid microcarriers in seminal fluid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2019622118. [PMID: 33495334 PMCID: PMC7865141 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2019622118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid plays an essential role in promoting male reproductive success and modulating female physiology and behavior. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, Sex Peptide (SP) is the best-characterized protein mediator of these effects. It is secreted from the paired male accessory glands (AGs), which, like the mammalian prostate and seminal vesicles, generate most of the seminal fluid contents. After mating, SP binds to spermatozoa and is retained in the female sperm storage organs. It is gradually released by proteolytic cleavage and induces several long-term postmating responses, including increased ovulation, elevated feeding, and reduced receptivity to remating, primarily signaling through the SP receptor (SPR). Here, we demonstrate a previously unsuspected SPR-independent function for SP. We show that, in the AG lumen, SP and secreted proteins with membrane-binding anchors are carried on abundant, large neutral lipid-containing microcarriers, also found in other SP-expressing Drosophila species. These microcarriers are transferred to females during mating where they rapidly disassemble. Remarkably, SP is a key microcarrier assembly and disassembly factor. Its absence leads to major changes in the seminal proteome transferred to females upon mating. Males expressing nonfunctional SP mutant proteins that affect SP's binding to and release from sperm in females also do not produce normal microcarriers, suggesting that this male-specific defect contributes to the resulting widespread abnormalities in ejaculate function. Our data therefore reveal a role for SP in formation of seminal macromolecular assemblies, which may explain the presence of SP in Drosophila species that lack the signaling functions seen in Dmelanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mark Wainwright
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ben R Hopkins
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Cláudia C Mendes
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aashika Sekar
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Kroeger
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine E E U Hellberg
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Shih-Jung Fan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail Pavey
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Pauline P Marie
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aaron Leiblich
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Philip D Charles
- Target Discovery Institute Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marie L Thézénas
- Target Discovery Institute Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benedikt M Kessler
- Target Discovery Institute Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7BN Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Carina Gandy
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Corrigan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Patel
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Wigby
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3PS Oxford, United Kingdom
- Applied Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden D-01069, Germany
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John F Morris
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah C I Goberdhan
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Wilson
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX1 3QX Oxford, United Kingdom;
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Souto-Maior C, Serrano Negron YL, Harbison ST. Natural selection on sleep duration in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20652. [PMID: 33244154 PMCID: PMC7691507 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77680-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is ubiquitous across animal species, but why it persists is not well understood. Here we observe natural selection act on Drosophila sleep by relaxing bi-directional artificial selection for extreme sleep duration for 62 generations. When artificial selection was suspended, sleep increased in populations previously selected for short sleep. Likewise, sleep decreased in populations previously selected for long sleep when artificial selection was relaxed. We measured the corresponding changes in the allele frequencies of genomic variants responding to artificial selection. The allele frequencies of these variants reversed course in response to relaxed selection, and for short sleepers, the changes exceeded allele frequency changes that would be expected under random genetic drift. These observations suggest that the variants are causal polymorphisms for sleep duration responding to natural selection pressure. These polymorphisms may therefore pinpoint the most important regions of the genome maintaining variation in sleep duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caetano Souto-Maior
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, Systems Biology Center, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yazmin L Serrano Negron
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, Systems Biology Center, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, Systems Biology Center, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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30
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Interactions between the microbiome and mating influence the female's transcriptional profile in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18168. [PMID: 33097776 PMCID: PMC7584617 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75156-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster females undergo a variety of post-mating changes that influence their activity, feeding behavior, metabolism, egg production and gene expression. These changes are induced either by mating itself or by sperm or seminal fluid proteins. In addition, studies have shown that axenic females-those lacking a microbiome-have altered fecundity compared to females with a microbiome, and that the microbiome of the female's mate can influence reproductive success. However, the extent to which post-mating changes in transcript abundance are affected by microbiome state is not well-characterized. Here we investigated fecundity and the post-mating transcript abundance profile of axenic or control females after mating with either axenic or control males. We observed interactions between the female's microbiome and her mating status: transcripts of genes involved in reproduction and genes with neuronal functions were differentially abundant depending on the females' microbiome status, but only in mated females. In addition, immunity genes showed varied responses to either the microbiome, mating, or a combination of those two factors. We further observed that the male's microbiome status influences the fecundity of both control and axenic females, while only influencing the transcriptional profile of axenic females. Our results indicate that the microbiome plays a vital role in the post-mating switch of the female's transcriptome.
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31
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Duhart JM, Baccini V, Zhang Y, Machado DR, Koh K. Modulation of sleep-courtship balance by nutritional status in Drosophila. eLife 2020; 9:60853. [PMID: 33084567 PMCID: PMC7609064 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is essential but incompatible with other behaviors, and thus sleep drive competes with other motivations. We previously showed Drosophila males balance sleep and courtship via octopaminergic neurons that act upstream of courtship-regulating P1 neurons (Machado et al., 2017). Here, we show nutrition modulates the sleep-courtship balance and identify sleep-regulatory neurons downstream of P1 neurons. Yeast-deprived males exhibited attenuated female-induced nighttime sleep loss yet normal daytime courtship, which suggests male flies consider nutritional status in deciding whether the potential benefit of pursuing female partners outweighs the cost of losing sleep. Trans-synaptic tracing and calcium imaging identified dopaminergic neurons projecting to the protocerebral bridge (DA-PB) as postsynaptic partners of P1 neurons. Activation of DA-PB neurons led to reduced sleep in normally fed but not yeast-deprived males. Additional PB-projecting neurons regulated male sleep, suggesting several groups of PB-projecting neurons act downstream of P1 neurons to mediate nutritional modulation of the sleep-courtship balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Victoria Baccini
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Yanan Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Daniel R Machado
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States.,Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Portugal
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United States
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32
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Hague MTJ, Caldwell CN, Cooper BS. Pervasive Effects of Wolbachia on Host Temperature Preference. mBio 2020; 11:e01768-20. [PMID: 33024036 PMCID: PMC7542361 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01768-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Heritable symbionts can modify a range of ecologically important host traits, including behavior. About half of all insect species are infected with maternally transmitted Wolbachia, a bacterial endosymbiont known to alter host reproduction, nutrient acquisition, and virus susceptibility. Here, we broadly test the hypothesis that Wolbachia modifies host behavior by assessing the effects of eight different Wolbachia strains on the temperature preference of six Drosophila melanogaster subgroup species. Four of the seven host genotypes infected with A-group Wolbachia strains (wRi in Drosophila simulans, wHa in D. simulans, wSh in Drosophila sechellia, and wTei in Drosophila teissieri) prefer significantly cooler temperatures relative to uninfected genotypes. Contrastingly, when infected with divergent B-group wMau, Drosophila mauritiana prefers a warmer temperature. For most strains, changes to host temperature preference do not alter Wolbachia titer. However, males infected with wSh and wTei tend to experience an increase in titer when shifted to a cooler temperature for 24 h, suggesting that Wolbachia-induced changes to host behavior may promote bacterial replication. Our results indicate that Wolbachia modifications to host temperature preference are likely widespread, which has important implications for insect thermoregulation and physiology. Understanding the fitness consequences of these Wolbachia effects is crucial for predicting evolutionary outcomes of host-symbiont interactions, including how Wolbachia spreads to become common.IMPORTANCE Microbes infect a diversity of species, influencing the performance and fitness of their hosts. Maternally transmitted Wolbachia bacteria infect most insects and other arthropods, making these bacteria some of the most common endosymbionts in nature. Despite their global prevalence, it remains mostly unknown how Wolbachia influence host physiology and behavior to proliferate. We demonstrate pervasive effects of Wolbachia on Drosophila temperature preference. Most hosts infected with A-group Wolbachia prefer cooler temperatures, whereas the one host species infected with divergent B-group Wolbachia prefers warmer temperatures, relative to uninfected genotypes. Changes to host temperature preference generally do not alter Wolbachia abundance in host tissues, but for some A-group strains, adult males have increased Wolbachia titer when shifted to a cooler temperature. This suggests that Wolbachia-induced changes to host behavior may promote bacterial replication. Our results help elucidate the impact of endosymbionts on their hosts amid the global Wolbachia pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T J Hague
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Chelsey N Caldwell
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Brandon S Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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33
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Kanaya HJ, Park S, Kim JH, Kusumi J, Krenenou S, Sawatari E, Sato A, Lee J, Bang H, Kobayakawa Y, Lim C, Itoh TQ. A sleep-like state in Hydra unravels conserved sleep mechanisms during the evolutionary development of the central nervous system. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/41/eabb9415. [PMID: 33028524 PMCID: PMC7541080 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb9415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Sleep behaviors are observed even in nematodes and arthropods, yet little is known about how sleep-regulatory mechanisms have emerged during evolution. Here, we report a sleep-like state in the cnidarian Hydra vulgaris with a primitive nervous organization. Hydra sleep was shaped by homeostasis and necessary for cell proliferation, but it lacked free-running circadian rhythms. Instead, we detected 4-hour rhythms that might be generated by ultradian oscillators underlying Hydra sleep. Microarray analysis in sleep-deprived Hydra revealed sleep-dependent expression of 212 genes, including cGMP-dependent protein kinase 1 (PRKG1) and ornithine aminotransferase. Sleep-promoting effects of melatonin, GABA, and PRKG1 were conserved in Hydra However, arousing dopamine unexpectedly induced Hydra sleep. Opposing effects of ornithine metabolism on sleep were also evident between Hydra and Drosophila, suggesting the evolutionary switch of their sleep-regulatory functions. Thus, sleep-relevant physiology and sleep-regulatory components may have already been acquired at molecular levels in a brain-less metazoan phylum and reprogrammed accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki J Kanaya
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Sungeon Park
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyung Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Junko Kusumi
- Department of Environmental Changes, Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | | | - Etsuko Sawatari
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Aya Sato
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Jongbin Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Bang
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Chunghun Lim
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
| | - Taichi Q Itoh
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
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Sarikaya DP, Cridland J, Tarakji A, Sheehy H, Davis S, Kochummen A, Hatmaker R, Khan N, Chiu J, Begun DJ. Phenotypic coupling of sleep and starvation resistance evolves in D. melanogaster. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:126. [PMID: 32962630 PMCID: PMC7507639 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01691-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One hypothesis for the function of sleep is that it serves as a mechanism to conserve energy. Recent studies have suggested that increased sleep can be an adaptive mechanism to improve survival under food deprivation in Drosophila melanogaster. To test the generality of this hypothesis, we compared sleep and its plastic response to starvation in a temperate and tropical population of Drosophila melanogaster. RESULTS We found that flies from the temperate population were more starvation resistant, and hypothesized that they would engage in behaviors that are considered to conserve energy, including increased sleep and reduced movement. Surprisingly, temperate flies slept less and moved more when they were awake compared to tropical flies, both under fed and starved conditions, therefore sleep did not correlate with population-level differences in starvation resistance. In contrast, total sleep and percent change in sleep when starved were strongly positively correlated with starvation resistance within the tropical population, but not within the temperate population. Thus, we observe unexpectedly complex relationships between starvation and sleep that vary both within and across populations. These observations falsify the simple hypothesis of a straightforward relationship between sleep and energy conservation. We also tested the hypothesis that starvation is correlated with metabolic phenotypes by investigating stored lipid and carbohydrate levels, and found that stored metabolites partially contributed towards variation starvation resistance. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that the function of sleep under starvation can rapidly evolve on short timescales and raise new questions about the physiological correlates of sleep and the extent to which variation in sleep is shaped by natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didem P Sarikaya
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
| | - Julie Cridland
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Adam Tarakji
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Hayley Sheehy
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Sophia Davis
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Ashley Kochummen
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Ryan Hatmaker
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Nossin Khan
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Joanna Chiu
- Department of Nematology and Entomology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - David J Begun
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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35
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Sturm S, Dowle A, Audsley N, Isaac RE. The structure of the Drosophila melanogaster sex peptide: Identification of hydroxylated isoleucine and a strain variation in the pattern of amino acid hydroxylation. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 124:103414. [PMID: 32589920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster mating triggers profound changes in the behaviour and reproductive physiology of the female. Many of these post-mating effects are elicited by sex peptide (SP), a 36-mer pheromone made in the male accessory gland and passed to the female in the seminal fluid. The peptide comprises several structurally and functionally distinct domains, one of which consists of five 4-hydroxyprolines and induces a female immune response. The SP gene predicts an isoleucine (Ile14) sandwiched between two of the hydroxyprolines of the mature secreted peptide, but the identity of this residue was not established by peptide sequencing and amino acid analysis, presumably because of modification of the side chain. Here we have used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry together with Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to show that Ile14 is modified by oxidation of the side chain - a very unusual post-translational modification. Mass spectrometric analysis of glands from different geographical populations of male D. melanogaster show that SP with six hydroxylated side chains is the most common form of the peptide, but that a sub-strain of Canton-S flies held at Leeds only has two or three hydroxylated prolines and an unmodified Ile14. The D. melanogaster genome has remarkably 17 putative hydroxylase genes that are strongly and almost exclusively expressed in the male accessory gland, suggesting that the gland is a powerhouse of protein oxidation. Strain variation in the pattern of sex peptide hydroxylation might be explained by differences in the expression of individual hydroxylase genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sturm
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Adam Dowle
- Bioscience Technology Facility, Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Neil Audsley
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - R Elwyn Isaac
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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36
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Bath E, Thomson J, Perry JC. Anxiety-like behaviour is regulated independently from sex, mating status and the sex peptide receptor in Drosophila melanogaster. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Misra S, Wolfner MF. Drosophila seminal sex peptide associates with rival as well as own sperm, providing SP function in polyandrous females. eLife 2020; 9:58322. [PMID: 32672537 PMCID: PMC7398695 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When females mate with more than one male, the males’ paternity share is affected by biases in sperm use. These competitive interactions occur while female and male molecules and cells work interdependently to optimize fertility, including modifying the female’s physiology through interactions with male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs). Some modifications persist, indirectly benefiting later males. Indeed, rival males tailor their ejaculates accordingly. Here, we show that SFPs from one male can directly benefit a rival’s sperm. We report that Sex Peptide (SP) that a female Drosophila receives from a male can bind sperm that she had stored from a previous male, and rescue the sperm utilization and fertility defects of an SP-deficient first-male. Other seminal proteins received in the first mating ‘primed’ the sperm (or the female) for this binding. Thus, SP from one male can directly benefit another, making SP a key molecule in inter-ejaculate interaction. When fruit flies and other animals reproduce, a compatible male and a female mate, allowing sperm from the male to swim to and fuse with the female’s egg cells. The males also produce proteins known as seminal proteins that travel with the sperm. These proteins increase the likelihood of sperm meeting an egg and induce changes in the female that increase the number, or quality, of offspring produced. Some seminal proteins help a male to compete against its rivals by decreasing their chances to fertilize eggs. However, since many of the changes seminal proteins induce in females are long-lasting, it is possible that a subsequent male may actually benefit indirectly from the effects of a prior male’s seminal proteins. It remains unclear whether the seminal proteins of one male are also able to directly interact with and help the sperm of another male. Male fruit flies make a seminal protein known as sex peptide. Normally, a sex peptide binds to the sperm it accompanies into the female, increasing the female’s fertility and preventing her from mating again with a different male. To test whether the sex peptide from one male can bind to and help a rival male’s sperm, Misra and Wolfner mated female fruit flies with different combinations of males that did, or did not, produce the sex peptide. The experiments found that female flies that only mated with mutant males lacking the sex peptide produced fewer offspring than if they had mated with a ‘normal’ male. However, in females that mated with a mutant male followed by another male who provided the sex peptide, the second male’s sex peptide was able to bind to the mutant male’s sperm (as well as to his own). This in turn allowed the mutant male’s sperm to be efficiently used to sire offspring, at levels comparable to a normal male providing the sex peptide. These findings demonstrate that the ways individual male fruit flies interact during reproduction are more complex than just simple rivalry. Since humans and other animals also produce seminal proteins comparable to those of fruit flies, this work may aid future advances in human fertility treatments and strategies to control the fertility of livestock and pests, including mosquitoes that transmit diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States
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miRNAs and Neural Alternative Polyadenylation Specify the Virgin Behavioral State. Dev Cell 2020; 54:410-423.e4. [PMID: 32579967 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
How are diverse regulatory strategies integrated to impose appropriately patterned gene expression that underlie in vivo phenotypes? Here, we reveal how coordinated miRNA regulation and neural-specific alternative polyadenylation (APA) of a single locus controls complex behaviors. Our entry was the unexpected observation that deletion of Bithorax complex (BX-C) miRNAs converts virgin female flies into a subjective post-mated behavioral state, normally induced by seminal proteins following copulation. Strikingly, this behavioral switch is directly attributable to misregulation of homothorax (hth). We localize specific CNS abdominal neurons where de-repressed Hth compromises virgin behavior in BX-C miRNA mutants. Moreover, we use genome engineering to demonstrate that precise mutation of hth 3' UTR sites for BX-C miRNAs or deletion of its neural 3' UTR extension containing most of these sites both induce post-mated behaviors in virgins. Thus, facilitation of miRNA-mediated repression by neural APA is required for virgin females to execute behaviors appropriate to their internal state.
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39
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Dissel S. Drosophila as a Model to Study the Relationship Between Sleep, Plasticity, and Memory. Front Physiol 2020; 11:533. [PMID: 32547415 PMCID: PMC7270326 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans spend nearly a third of their life sleeping, yet, despite decades of research the function of sleep still remains a mystery. Sleep has been linked with various biological systems and functions, including metabolism, immunity, the cardiovascular system, and cognitive functions. Importantly, sleep appears to be present throughout the animal kingdom suggesting that it must provide an evolutionary advantage. Among the many possible functions of sleep, the relationship between sleep, and cognition has received a lot of support. We have all experienced the negative cognitive effects associated with a night of sleep deprivation. These can include increased emotional reactivity, poor judgment, deficit in attention, impairment in learning and memory, and obviously increase in daytime sleepiness. Furthermore, many neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease often have a sleep disorder component. In some cases, the sleep disorder can exacerbate the progression of the neurological disease. Thus, it is clear that sleep plays an important role for many brain functions. In particular, sleep has been shown to play a positive role in the consolidation of long-term memory while sleep deprivation negatively impacts learning and memory. Importantly, sleep is a behavior that is adapted to an individual’s need and influenced by many external and internal stimuli. In addition to being an adaptive behavior, sleep can also modulate plasticity in the brain at the level of synaptic connections between neurons and neuronal plasticity influences sleep. Understanding how sleep is modulated by internal and external stimuli and how sleep can modulate memory and plasticity is a key question in neuroscience. In order to address this question, several animal models have been developed. Among them, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with its unparalleled genetics has proved to be extremely valuable. In addition to sleep, Drosophila has been shown to be an excellent model to study many complex behaviors, including learning, and memory. This review describes our current knowledge of the relationship between sleep, plasticity, and memory using the fly model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephane Dissel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States
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40
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Fricke C, Ávila-Calero S, Armitage SAO. Genotypes and their interaction effects on reproduction and mating-induced immune activation in Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:930-941. [PMID: 32267583 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mating causes considerable alterations in female physiology and behaviour, and immune gene expression, partly due to proteins transferred from males to females during copulation. The magnitude of these phenotypic changes could be driven by the genotypes of males and females, as well as their interaction. To test this, we carried out a series of genotype-by-genotype (G × G) experiments using Drosophila melanogaster populations from two distant geographical locations. We expected lines to have diverged in male reproductive traits and females to differ in their responses to these traits. We examined female physiological and behavioural post-mating responses to male mating traits, that is behaviour and ejaculate composition, in the short to mid-term (48 hr) following mating. We then explored whether a sexually transferred molecule, sex peptide (SP), is the mechanism behind our observed female post-mating responses. Our results show that the genotypes of both sexes as well as the interaction between male and female genotypes affect mating and post-mating reproductive traits. Immune gene expression of three candidate genes increased in response to mating and was genotype-dependent but did not show a G × G signature. Males showed genotype-dependent SP expression in the 7 days following eclosion, but female genotypes showed no differential sensitivity to the receipt of SP. The two genotypes demonstrated clear divergence in physiological traits in short- to mid-term responses to mating, but the longer-term consequences of these initial dynamics remain to be uncovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fricke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sergio Ávila-Calero
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Münster Graduate School of Evolution, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sophie A O Armitage
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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41
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The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:967-983. [PMID: 31907222 PMCID: PMC7056969 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Examining cross-tissue interactions is important for understanding physiology and homeostasis. In animals, the female gonad produces signaling molecules that act distally. We examine gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster female head tissues in 1) virgins without a germline compared to virgins with a germline, 2) post-mated females with and without a germline compared to virgins, and 3) post-mated females mated to males with and without a germline compared to virgins. In virgins, the absence of a female germline results in expression changes in genes with known roles in nutrient homeostasis. At one- and three-day(s) post-mating, genes that change expression are enriched with those that function in metabolic pathways, in all conditions. We systematically examine female post-mating impacts on sleep, food preference and re-mating, in the strains and time points used for gene expression analyses and compare to published studies. We show that post-mating, gene expression changes vary by strain, prompting us to examine variation in female re-mating. We perform a genome-wide association study that identifies several DNA polymorphisms, including four in/near Wnt signaling pathway genes. Together, these data reveal how gene expression and behavior in females are influenced by cross-tissue interactions, by examining the impact of mating, fertility, and genotype.
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42
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McGeary MK, Findlay GD. Molecular evolution of the sex peptide network in Drosophila. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:629-641. [PMID: 31991034 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Successful reproduction depends on interactions between numerous proteins beyond those involved directly in gamete fusion. Although such reproductive proteins evolve in response to sexual selection pressures, how networks of interacting proteins arise and evolve as reproductive phenotypes change remains an open question. Here, we investigated the molecular evolution of the 'sex peptide network' of Drosophila melanogaster, a functionally well-characterized reproductive protein network. In this species, the peptide hormone sex peptide (SP) and its interacting proteins cause major changes in female physiology and behaviour after mating. In contrast, females of more distantly related Drosophila species do not respond to SP. In spite of these phenotypic differences, we detected orthologs of all network proteins across 22 diverse Drosophila species and found evidence that most orthologs likely function in reproduction throughout the genus. Within SP-responsive species, we detected the recurrent, adaptive evolution of several network proteins, consistent with sexual selection acting to continually refine network function. We also found some evidence for adaptive evolution of several proteins along two specific phylogenetic lineages that correspond with increased expression of the SP receptor in female reproductive tracts or increased sperm length, respectively. Finally, we used gene expression profiling to examine the likely degree of functional conservation of the paralogs of an SP network protein that arose via gene duplication. Our results suggest a dynamic history for the SP network in which network members arose before the onset of robust SP-mediated responses and then were shaped by both purifying and positive selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan K McGeary
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
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43
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Wat LW, Chao C, Bartlett R, Buchanan JL, Millington JW, Chih HJ, Chowdhury ZS, Biswas P, Huang V, Shin LJ, Wang LC, Gauthier MPL, Barone MC, Montooth KL, Welte MA, Rideout EJ. A role for triglyceride lipase brummer in the regulation of sex differences in Drosophila fat storage and breakdown. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000595. [PMID: 31961851 PMCID: PMC6994176 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Triglycerides are the major form of stored fat in all animals. One important determinant of whole-body fat storage is whether an animal is male or female. Here, we use Drosophila, an established model for studies on triglyceride metabolism, to gain insight into the genes and physiological mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in fat storage. Our analysis of triglyceride storage and breakdown in both sexes identified a role for triglyceride lipase brummer (bmm) in the regulation of sex differences in triglyceride homeostasis. Normally, male flies have higher levels of bmm mRNA both under normal culture conditions and in response to starvation, a lipolytic stimulus. We find that loss of bmm largely eliminates the sex difference in triglyceride storage and abolishes the sex difference in triglyceride breakdown via strongly male-biased effects. Although we show that bmm function in the fat body affects whole-body triglyceride levels in both sexes, in males, we identify an additional role for bmm function in the somatic cells of the gonad and in neurons in the regulation of whole-body triglyceride homeostasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that lipid droplets are normally present in both the somatic cells of the male gonad and in neurons, revealing a previously unrecognized role for bmm function, and possibly lipid droplets, in these cell types in the regulation of whole-body triglyceride homeostasis. Taken together, our data reveal a role for bmm function in the somatic cells of the gonad and in neurons in the regulation of male–female differences in fat storage and breakdown and identify bmm as a link between the regulation of triglyceride homeostasis and biological sex. An investigation of the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying sex differences in fat storage and breakdown in the fruit fly Drosophila identifies previously unrecognized sex- and cell type-specific roles for the conserved triglyceride lipase brummer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianna W. Wat
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Charlotte Chao
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachael Bartlett
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Justin L. Buchanan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Jason W. Millington
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Hui Ju Chih
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zahid S. Chowdhury
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Puja Biswas
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Vivian Huang
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Leah J. Shin
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lin Chuan Wang
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre L. Gauthier
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Maria C. Barone
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Kristi L. Montooth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Welte
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth J. Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
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44
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Anholt RRH, O'Grady P, Wolfner MF, Harbison ST. Evolution of Reproductive Behavior. Genetics 2020; 214:49-73. [PMID: 31907301 PMCID: PMC6944409 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Behaviors associated with reproduction are major contributors to the evolutionary success of organisms and are subject to many evolutionary forces, including natural and sexual selection, and sexual conflict. Successful reproduction involves a range of behaviors, from finding an appropriate mate, courting, and copulation, to the successful production and (in oviparous animals) deposition of eggs following mating. As a consequence, behaviors and genes associated with reproduction are often under strong selection and evolve rapidly. Courtship rituals in flies follow a multimodal pattern, mediated through visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals. Premating behaviors allow males and females to assess the species identity, reproductive state, and condition of their partners. Conflicts between the "interests" of individual males, and/or between the reproductive strategies of males and females, often drive the evolution of reproductive behaviors. For example, seminal proteins transmitted by males often show evidence of rapid evolution, mediated by positive selection. Postmating behaviors, including the selection of oviposition sites, are highly variable and Drosophila species span the spectrum from generalists to obligate specialists. Chemical recognition features prominently in adaptation to host plants for feeding and oviposition. Selection acting on variation in pre-, peri-, and postmating behaviors can lead to reproductive isolation and incipient speciation. Response to selection at the genetic level can include the expansion of gene families, such as those for detecting pheromonal cues for mating, or changes in the expression of genes leading to visual cues such as wing spots that are assessed during mating. Here, we consider the evolution of reproductive behavior in Drosophila at two distinct, yet complementary, scales. Some studies take a microevolutionary approach, identifying genes and networks involved in reproduction, and then dissecting the genetics underlying complex behaviors in D. melanogaster Other studies take a macroevolutionary approach, comparing reproductive behaviors across the genus Drosophila and how these might correlate with environmental cues. A full synthesis of this field will require unification across these levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R H Anholt
- Center for Human Genetics, Clemson University, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646
| | - Patrick O'Grady
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
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45
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De Nobrega AK, Lyons LC. Aging and the clock: Perspective from flies to humans. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:454-481. [PMID: 30269400 PMCID: PMC6441388 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous circadian oscillators regulate molecular, cellular and physiological rhythms, synchronizing tissues and organ function to coordinate activity and metabolism with environmental cycles. The technological nature of modern society with round-the-clock work schedules and heavy reliance on personal electronics has precipitated a striking increase in the incidence of circadian and sleep disorders. Circadian dysfunction contributes to an increased risk for many diseases and appears to have adverse effects on aging and longevity in animal models. From invertebrate organisms to humans, the function and synchronization of the circadian system weakens with age aggravating the age-related disorders and pathologies. In this review, we highlight the impacts of circadian dysfunction on aging and longevity and the reciprocal effects of aging on circadian function with examples from Drosophila to humans underscoring the highly conserved nature of these interactions. Additionally, we review the potential for using reinforcement of the circadian system to promote healthy aging and mitigate age-related pathologies. Advancements in medicine and public health have significantly increased human life span in the past century. With the demographics of countries worldwide shifting to an older population, there is a critical need to understand the factors that shape healthy aging. Drosophila melanogaster, as a model for aging and circadian interactions, has the capacity to facilitate the rapid advancement of research in this area and provide mechanistic insights for targeted investigations in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza K De Nobrega
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Lisa C Lyons
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
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46
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Divergence in Transcriptional and Regulatory Responses to Mating in Male and Female Fruitflies. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16100. [PMID: 31695054 PMCID: PMC6834580 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51141-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating induces extensive physiological, biochemical and behavioural changes in female animals of many taxa. In contrast, the overall phenotypic and transcriptomic consequences of mating for males, hence how they might differ from those of females, are poorly described. Post mating responses in each sex are rapidly initiated, predicting the existence of regulatory mechanisms in addition to transcriptional responses involving de novo gene expression. That post mating responses appear different for each sex also predicts that the genome-wide signatures of mating should show evidence of sex-specific specialisation. In this study, we used high resolution RNA sequencing to provide the first direct comparisons of the transcriptomic responses of male and female Drosophila to mating, and the first comparison of mating-responsive miRNAs in both sexes in any species. As predicted, the results revealed the existence of sex- and body part-specific mRNA and miRNA expression profiles. More genes were differentially expressed in the female head-thorax than the abdomen following mating, whereas the opposite was true in males. Indeed, the transcriptional profile of male head-thorax tissue was largely unaffected by mating, and no differentially expressed genes were detected at the most stringent significance threshold. A subset of ribosomal genes in females were differentially expressed in both body parts, but in opposite directions, consistent with the existence of body part-specific resource allocation switching. Novel, mating-responsive miRNAs in each sex were also identified, and a miRNA-mRNA interactions analysis revealed putative targets among mating-responsive genes. We show that the structure of genome-wide responses by each sex to mating is strongly divergent, and provide new insights into how shared genomes can achieve characteristic distinctiveness.
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47
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Scheunemann L, Lampin-Saint-Amaux A, Schor J, Preat T. A sperm peptide enhances long-term memory in female Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaax3432. [PMID: 31799390 PMCID: PMC6867886 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax3432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Can mating influence cognitive functions such as learning and memory in a permanent way? We have addressed this question using a combined behavioral and in vivo imaging approach, finding that aversive long-term memory performance strongly increases in Drosophila females in response to sperm transfer following mating. A peptide in the male sperm, the sex peptide, is known to cause marked changes in female reproductive behavior, as well as other behaviors such as dietary preference. Here, we demonstrate that this sex peptide enhances memory by acting on a single pair of serotonergic brain neurons, in which activation of the sex peptide receptor stimulates the cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A pathway. We thus reveal a strong effect of mating on memory via the neuromodulatory action of a sperm peptide on the female brain.
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48
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Soto R, Goetting DL, Van Buskirk C. NPR-1 Modulates Plasticity in C. elegans Stress-Induced Sleep. iScience 2019; 19:1037-1047. [PMID: 31522115 PMCID: PMC6745490 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is beneficial yet antagonistic to critical functions such as foraging and escape, and we aim to understand how these competing drives are functionally integrated. C. elegans, which lives in reduced oxygen environments, engages in developmentally timed sleep (DTS) during larval stage transitions and engages in stress-induced sleep (SIS) during recovery from damaging conditions. Although DTS and SIS use distinct mechanisms to coordinate multiple sleep-associated behaviors, we show that movement quiescence in these sleep states is similarly integrated with the competing drive to avoid oxygen. Furthermore, by manipulating oxygen to deprive animals of SIS, we observe sleep rebound in a wild C. elegans isolate, indicating that sleep debt accrues during oxygen-induced SIS deprivation. Our work suggests that multiple sleep states adopt a common, highly plastic effector of movement quiescence that is suppressed by aversive stimuli and responsive to homeostatic sleep pressure, providing a limited window of opportunity for escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rony Soto
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Desiree L Goetting
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Cheryl Van Buskirk
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA.
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49
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Beckwith EJ, French AS. Sleep in Drosophila and Its Context. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1167. [PMID: 31572216 PMCID: PMC6749028 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A prominent idea emerging from the study of sleep is that this key behavioural state is regulated in a complex fashion by ecologically and physiologically relevant environmental factors. This concept implies that sleep, as a behaviour, is plastic and can be regulated by external agents and changes in internal state. Drosophila melanogaster constitutes a resourceful model system to study behaviour. In the year 2000, the utility of the fly to study sleep was realised, and has since extensively contributed to this exciting field. At the centre of this review, we will discuss studies showing that temperature, food availability/quality, and interactions with conspecifics can regulate sleep. Indeed the relationship can be reciprocal and sleep perturbation can also affect feeding and social interaction. In particular, different environmental temperatures as well as gradual changes in temperature regulate when, and how much flies sleep. Moreover, the satiation/starvation status of an individual dictates the balance between sleep and foraging. Nutritional composition of diet also has a direct impact on sleep amount and its fragmentation. Likewise, aggression between males, courtship, sexual arousal, mating, and interactions within large groups of animals has an acute and long-lasting effect on sleep amount and quality. Importantly, the genes and neuronal circuits that relay information about the external environment and internal state to sleep centres are starting to be elucidated in the fly and are the focus of this review. In conclusion, sleep, as with most behaviours, needs the full commitment of the individual, preventing participation in other vital activities. A vast array of behaviours that are modulated by external and internal factors compete with the need to sleep and thus have a significant role in regulating it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban J Beckwith
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alice S French
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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50
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Liberti J, Görner J, Welch M, Dosselli R, Schiøtt M, Ogawa Y, Castleden I, Hemmi JM, Baer-Imhoof B, Boomsma JJ, Baer B. Seminal fluid compromises visual perception in honeybee queens reducing their survival during additional mating flights. eLife 2019; 8:45009. [PMID: 31500699 PMCID: PMC6739865 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Queens of social insects make all mate-choice decisions on a single day, except in honeybees whose queens can conduct mating flights for several days even when already inseminated by a number of drones. Honeybees therefore appear to have a unique, evolutionarily derived form of sexual conflict: a queen’s decision to pursue risky additional mating flights is driven by later-life fitness gains from genetically more diverse worker-offspring but reduces paternity shares of the drones she already mated with. We used artificial insemination, RNA-sequencing and electroretinography to show that seminal fluid induces a decline in queen vision by perturbing the phototransduction pathway within 24–48 hr. Follow up field trials revealed that queens receiving seminal fluid flew two days earlier than sister queens inseminated with saline, and failed more often to return. These findings are consistent with seminal fluid components manipulating queen eyesight to reduce queen promiscuity across mating flights. For social insects like honeybees it is beneficial if their queens mate with many males, because genetic diversity can protect the hive against parasites. Early in life, a honeybee queen has a short period of time in which she can fly out to mate with males before returning to the hive with all the sperm needed to last for a lifetime. Queens that have mated on their first flight may embark on additional mating flights over a few consecutive days to further increase genetic variability in their offspring. This is problematic for a male that has already mated because the more males that inseminate the queen the fewer offspring will carry on his specific genes. This results in sexual conflict between males and queens over the number of mating flights. In many animals, males manipulate females using molecules in seminal fluid to reduce the chances of the female mating again and honeybee males may use a similar strategy. Previous studies revealed that insemination alters the activity of genes related to vision in a honeybee queen’s brain. This could be one way for the males to prevent queens from embarking on additional mating flights. Now, Liberti et al. find support for this idea by showing that seminal fluid can indeed trigger changes in the activity of vision-related genes in the brains of honeybee queens, which in turn reduce a queen’s opportunity to complete additional mating flights. Queens inseminated with seminal fluid were less responsive to light compared to queens that were exposed to saline instead. Electronic tracking devices affixed to queens showed that the seminal fluid-exposed queens left for mating flights sooner but were more likely to get lost and to not return to their hives compared to the saline-exposed queens. The experiments support the idea of a sexual arms race in honeybees. Males use seminal fluid to cause rapid deteriorating vision in queens, thus reducing their likelihood of leaving the hive to mate again and to find males when they do fly again. The queens try to counteract these effects by leaving for mating flights sooner, thereby increasing offspring genetic diversity and the success of their colonies. Further studies will be needed to find out how the honeybee sexual arms race varies across seasons, bee races, and geographic ranges. Such information will be useful for honeybee breeding programs, which rely on queen mating success and hive genetic diversity to ensure hive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanito Liberti
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julia Görner
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Mat Welch
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Ryan Dosselli
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Morten Schiøtt
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yuri Ogawa
- School of Animal Biology and UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Ian Castleden
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Jan M Hemmi
- School of Animal Biology and UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Barbara Baer-Imhoof
- Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER), Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Boris Baer
- Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER), Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, United States
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