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Ramesh NA, Box AM, Buttitta LA. Post-eclosion growth in the Drosophila Ejaculatory Duct is driven by Juvenile Hormone signaling and is essential for male fertility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.12.607650. [PMID: 39185157 PMCID: PMC11343125 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.12.607650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The Drosophila Ejaculatory duct (ED) is a secretory tissue of the somatic male reproductive system. The ED is involved in the secretion of seminal fluid components and ED-specific antimicrobial peptides that aid in fertility and the female post-mating response. The ED is composed of secretory epithelial cells surrounded by a layer of innervated contractile muscle. The ED grows in young adult males during the first 24h post-eclosion, but the cell cycle status of the ED secretory cells and the role of post-eclosion ED growth have been unexplored. Here, we show that secretory cells of the adult Drosophila ED undergo variant cell cycles lacking mitosis called the endocycle, that lead to an increase in the cell and organ size of the ED post eclosion. The cells largely exit the endocycle by day 3 of adulthood, when the growth of the ED ceases, resulting in a tissue containing cells of ploidies ranging from 8C-32C. The size of the ED directly correlates with the ploidy of the secretory cells, with additional ectopic endocycles increasing organ size. When endoreplication is compromised in ED secretory cells, it leads to reduced organ size, reduced protein synthesis and compromised fertility. We provide evidence that the growth and endocycling in the young adult male ED is dependent on Juvenile hormone (JH) signaling and we suggest that hormone-induced early adult endocycling is required for optimal fertility and function of the ED tissue. We propose to use the ED as a post-mitotic tissue model to study the role of polyploidy in regulating secretory tissue growth and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navyashree A. Ramesh
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Allison M. Box
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Laura A. Buttitta
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Li J, Zhou T, Zhu X, Wang L, Zhang K, Li D, Ji J, Luo J, Cui J, Gao X. Comparative transcriptome and proteome reveal the unique genes and proteins of female parasitic wasps, Lysiphlebia japonica Ashmead. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:1266-1278. [PMID: 37889654 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lysiphlebia japonica Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is an endophagous parasitoid wasp and its host, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera, Aphididae) is a major cotton pest. L. japonica affects the growth and fatty acid metabolism of cotton aphids after parasitization and has been widely used as a biocontrol agent. However, there are currently few reports about the molecular characteristics of L. japonica, especially the differences between male and female. RESULTS In this study, using transcriptome and proteome analysis of the abdomen of female and male parasitic wasps, respectively, we obtained a total of 27,169 DEGs and 1,194 DEPs, then a total of 909 positively correlated high-expression proteins and genes were obtained by combined omics analysis. Subsequently, 20 differentially expressed abdomen specific proteins were selected for validation by RT-qPCR and Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) protein verification. The result of RT-qPCR demonstrated that all 20 genes were highly expressed in the abdomen of females, and five target proteins with unique peptide fragments and identification profiles were identified by MRM, which were venom protease, tropomyosin, lipase member I, venom serine carboxypeptidase and calreticulin, respectively. CONCLUSION Overall, these results provided molecular resources for the differences between males and females in L. japonica and the screened 20 abdomen specific proteins were verified to demonstrate the validity of the data, which offered important molecular data resources for further studies on the related functional genes of parasitic wasps and the mechanism of parasitoids regulating the growth of aphids. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinming Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tingting Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Tarim University, Alar, 843300, China
| | - Xiangzhen Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Kaixin Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongyang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jichao Ji
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Junyu Luo
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinjie Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xueke Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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3
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Garlovsky MD, Ahmed-Braimah YH. Evolutionary Quantitative Proteomics of Reproductive Protein Divergence in Drosophila. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100610. [PMID: 37391044 PMCID: PMC10407754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100610] [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: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits often evolve rapidly between species. Understanding the causes and consequences of this rapid divergence requires characterization of female and male reproductive proteins and their effect on fertilization success. Species in the Drosophila virilis clade exhibit rampant interspecific reproductive incompatibilities, making them ideal for studies on diversification of reproductive proteins and their role in speciation. Importantly, the role of intraejaculate protein abundance and allocation in interspecific divergence is poorly understood. Here, we identify and quantify the transferred male ejaculate proteome using multiplexed isobaric labeling of the lower female reproductive tract before and immediately after mating using three species of the virilis group. We identified over 200 putative male ejaculate proteins, many of which show differential abundance between species, suggesting that males transfer a species-specific allocation of seminal fluid proteins during copulation. We also identified over 2000 female reproductive proteins, which contain female-specific serine-type endopeptidases that showed differential abundance between species and elevated rates of molecular evolution, similar to that of some male seminal fluid proteins. Our findings suggest that reproductive protein divergence can also manifest in terms of species-specific protein abundance patterns.
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Lin YH, Silven JJM, Wybouw N, Fandino RA, Dekker HL, Vogel H, Wu YL, de Koster C, Große-Wilde E, Haring MA, Schuurink RC, Allmann S. A salivary GMC oxidoreductase of Manduca sexta re-arranges the green leaf volatile profile of its host plant. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3666. [PMID: 37380635 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39353-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) are short-chain oxylipins that are emitted from plants in response to stress. Previous studies have shown that oral secretions (OS) of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta, introduced into plant wounds during feeding, catalyze the re-arrangement of GLVs from Z-3- to E-2-isomers. This change in the volatile signal however is bittersweet for the insect as it can be used by their natural enemies, as a prey location cue. Here we show that (3Z):(2E)-hexenal isomerase (Hi-1) in M. sexta's OS catalyzes the conversion of the GLV Z-3-hexenal to E-2-hexenal. Hi-1 mutants that were raised on a GLV-free diet showed developmental disorders, indicating that Hi-1 also metabolizes other substrates important for the insect's development. Phylogenetic analysis placed Hi-1 within the GMCβ-subfamily and showed that Hi-1 homologs from other lepidopterans could catalyze similar reactions. Our results indicate that Hi-1 not only modulates the plant's GLV-bouquet but also functions in insect development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hsien Lin
- Green Life Sciences Research Cluster, Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Juliette J M Silven
- Green Life Sciences Research Cluster, Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nicky Wybouw
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Richard A Fandino
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, US
| | - Henk L Dekker
- Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry of Biomolecules, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Yueh-Lung Wu
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chris de Koster
- Laboratory for Mass Spectrometry of Biomolecules, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ewald Große-Wilde
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
- EXTEMIT-K, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, 16500, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michel A Haring
- Green Life Sciences Research Cluster, Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Robert C Schuurink
- Green Life Sciences Research Cluster, Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Silke Allmann
- Green Life Sciences Research Cluster, Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Quan PQ, Li JR, Liu XD. Glucose Dehydrogenases-Mediated Acclimation of an Important Rice Pest to Global Warming. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10146. [PMID: 37373294 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210146] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming is posing a threat to animals. As a large group of widely distributed poikilothermal animals, insects are liable to heat stress. How insects deal with heat stress is worth highlighting. Acclimation may improve the heat tolerance of insects, but the underlying mechanism remains vague. In this study, the high temperature of 39 °C was used to select the third instar larvae of the rice leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, an important insect pest of rice, for successive generations to establish the heat-acclimated strain (HA39). The molecular mechanism of heat acclimation was explored using this strain. The HA39 larvae showed stronger tolerance to 43 °C than the unacclimated strain (HA27) persistently reared at 27 °C. The HA39 larvae upregulated a glucose dehydrogenase gene, CmGMC10, to decrease the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and increase the survival rate under heat stress. The HA39 larvae maintained a higher activity of antioxidases than the HA27 when confronted with an exogenous oxidant. Heat acclimation decreased the H2O2 level in larvae under heat stress which was associated with the upregulation of CmGMC10. The rice leaf folder larvae may acclimate to global warming via upregulating CmGMC10 to increase the activity of antioxidases and alleviate the oxidative damage of heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Qi Quan
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jia-Rong Li
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Liu
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Gupta HP, Pandey R, Ravi Ram K. Altered sperm fate in the reproductive tract milieu due to oxidative stress leads to sub-fertility in type 1 diabetes females: A Drosophila-based study. Life Sci 2023; 313:121306. [PMID: 36543282 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Female sub-fertility, a prominent complication due to Type 1 diabetes (T1D), is generally attributed to disturbances in menstrual cycles and/or ovarian defects/disorders. T1D women, however, are high in oxidative stress, although the impact of the same on their reproduction and associated events remains unknown. Therefore, we assessed the repercussions of elevated oxidative stress on the sperm fate (storage/utilization) in the reproductive tract milieu of T1D females and their fertility using the Drosophila T1D model (Df[dilp1-5]), which lacks insulin-like peptides and displays reduced female fertility. MAIN METHODS We mated Df[dilp1-5] females to normal males and thereafter examined sperm storage and/or utilization in conjunction with oxidative stress parameters in mated Df[dilp1-5] females at different time points. Also, the impact of antioxidant (Amla or Vitamin C) supplementation on the above oxidative stress parameters in Df[dilp1-5] females and the consequences on their sperm and fertility levels were examined. KEY FINDINGS Df[dilp1-5] females showed elevated oxidative stress parameters and a few of their reproductive tract proteins are oxidatively modified. Also, these females stored significantly fewer sperm and also did not utilize sperm as efficiently as their controls. Surprisingly, amelioration of the oxidative stress in Df[dilp1-5] females' milieu through antioxidant (Amla or vitamin C) supplementation enhanced sperm storage and improved fertility. SIGNIFICANCE Hyperglycemia coupled with elevated oxidative stress within the female reproductive tract environment affects the sperm fate, thereby reducing female fertility in T1D. In addition, these findings suggest that antioxidant supplementation may substantially aid in the mitigation of sub-fertility in T1D females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Pawankumar Gupta
- Embryotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhavan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India
| | - Richa Pandey
- Embryotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhavan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kristipati Ravi Ram
- Embryotoxicology Laboratory, Environmental Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhavan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar Pradesh, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India.
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7
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Wigby S, Brown NC, Sepil I, Wolfner MF. On how to identify a seminal fluid protein: A commentary on Hurtado et al. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:533-536. [PMID: 35975871 PMCID: PMC9452446 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) have striking effects on the behaviour and physiology of females in many insects. Some Drosophila melanogaster Sfps are not highly or exclusively expressed in the accessory glands, but derive from, or are additionally expressed in other male reproductive tissues. The full suite of Sfps includes transferred proteins from all male reproductive tissues, regardless of expression level or presence of a signal peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Wigby
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Behaviour, Institute
of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool
L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1
3PS, UK
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Identification of the Key Pathways and Genes Involved in the Wax Biosynthesis of the Chinese White Wax Scale Insect ( Ericerus pela Chavannes) by Integrated Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13081364. [PMID: 36011275 PMCID: PMC9407328 DOI: 10.3390/genes13081364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The white wax secreted by the male insects of the Chinese white wax scale (CWWS) is a natural high-molecular-weight compound with important economic value. However, its regulatory mechanism of wax biosynthesis is still unclear. In this study, a weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to analyze transcriptome data of first- and second-instar females, early and late female adults, and first- and second-instar males. A total of 19 partitioned modules with different topological overlaps were obtained, and three modules were identified as highly significant for wax secretion (p < 0.05). A total of 30 hub genes were obtained through screening, among which elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids protein (ELOVL) and fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) are important catalytic enzymes of fatty acid metabolism. Furthermore, their metabolic catalytic products are involved in the synthesis of wax biosynthesis. The results demonstrate that WGCNA can be used for insect transcriptome analysis and effectively screen out the key genes related to wax biosynthesis.
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The life history of
Drosophila
sperm involves molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2119899119. [PMID: 35254899 PMCID: PMC8931355 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119899119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In species with internal fertilization, sperm spend an important part of their lives within the female. To examine the life history of the sperm during this time, we used semiquantitative proteomics and sex-specific isotopic labeling in fruit flies to determine the extent of molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts and provide a global catalog of sperm-associated proteins. Multiple seminal fluid proteins and female proteins associate with sperm immediately after mating. Few seminal fluid proteins remain after long-term sperm storage, whereas female-derived proteins constitute one-fifth of the postmating sperm proteome by then. Our data reveal a molecular “hand-off” from males to females, which we postulate to be an important component of sperm–female interactions. Interactions between sperm and the female reproductive tract (FRT) are critical to reproductive success and yet are poorly understood. Because sperm complete their functional maturation within the FRT, the life history of sperm is likely to include a molecular “hand-off” from males to females. Although such intersexual molecular continuity is likely to be widespread among all internally fertilizing species, the identity and extent of female contributions are largely unknown. We combined semiquantitative proteomics with sex-specific isotopic labeling to catalog the posttesticular life history of the sperm proteome and determine the extent of molecular continuity between male and FRTs. We show that the Drosophila melanogaster sperm proteome undergoes substantial compositional changes after being transferred to the FRT. Multiple seminal fluid proteins initially associate with sperm, but most become undetectable after sperm are stored. Female-derived proteins also begin to associate with sperm immediately after mating, and they comprise nearly 20% of the postmating sperm proteome following 4 d of storage in the FRT. Female-derived proteins that associate with sperm are enriched for processes associated with energy metabolism, suggesting that female contributions support sperm viability during the prolonged period between copulation and fertilization. Our research provides a comprehensive characterization of sperm proteome dynamics and expands our understanding of the critical process of sperm–FRT interactions.
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Nanfack-Minkeu F, Sirot LK. Effects of Mating on Gene Expression in Female Insects: Unifying the Field. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13010069. [PMID: 35055912 PMCID: PMC8781128 DOI: 10.3390/insects13010069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Insects play many important roles including in ecosystems, food production, pathogen transmission, and production of materials. As a result, humans are interested in understanding how to control insect population sizes for control, propagation, or conservation efforts. In many insect species, female reproductive output is promoted by mating and components of the ejaculate. Beyond just the impact of receiving sperm, mating and ejaculate components can result in increased rate of oocyte development, ovulation, and oviposition as well as other changes such as reduced mating receptivity. To understand how mating causes these changes, researchers have investigated changes in female gene expression that occur after mating. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on mating-induced gene expression changes in female insects and the methods used for conducting such studies. We find that genes related to immune response, chemosensation, and metabolism are commonly regulated across species. We suggest future research paths to facilitate the comparison of studies on mating-regulated gene expression across insect species. Abstract There is intense interest in controlling insect reproductive output. In many insect species, reproductive output is profoundly influenced by mating, including the receipt of sperm and seminal fluid molecules, through physiological and behavior changes. To understand these changes, many researchers have investigated post-mating gene expression regulation. In this review, we synthesize information from studies both across and within different species about the impact of mating, or components of mating, on female gene expression patterns. We found that genes related to the roles of metabolism, immune-response, and chemosensation are regulated by mating across many different insect species. We highlight the few studies that have taken the important next step of examining the functional consequences of gene expression regulation which is crucial in order to understand the mechanisms underlying the mating-regulated control of female lifespan and reproduction and to make use of such knowledge to propagate or control insect populations. The potential of cross-study comparisons is diminished by different studies using different methods. Thus, we also include a consideration of how future studies could be designed to facilitate cross-study comparisons and a call for collaboration across researchers studying different insect species and different aspects of insect biology.
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Wang X, Hu Y, Han Y, Xue X, Li M, Yang X, Zhou S, Wang H, Liu J. Comprehensive dynamic analysis of proteins in the spermatheca of female Haemaphysalis longicornis after copulation. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 83:583-596. [PMID: 33709252 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00606-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate blood-sucking parasitic arthropods. When sucking the blood of hosts, they can also transmit a variety of pathogens to hosts that severely endanger the health of humans and animals. The spermatheca is an organ for the storage and protection of sperm and an important component of the reproductive system of female ticks. The spermatheca content changes dramatically over time after copulation. In particular, some proteins and polypeptide substances can influence the physiological functions of female ticks and promote blood feeding and egg laying by female ticks. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the productive process of Haemaphysalis longicornis, data-independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics technology was used to perform in-depth research of the dynamic changes in all proteins in the spermatheca of ticks within a short time after copulation to look for key proteins in the spermatheca contents after copulation that affect the reproduction of female ticks in order to provide meaningful information for the comprehensive prevention and control of ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoshuang Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Yuhong Hu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Yanan Han
- Instrumental Analysis Center, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaomin Xue
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Mengxue Li
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaohong Yang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, Hebei, China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu, China
| | - Siyang Zhou
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China.
| | - Jingze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, 20 Nanerhuan East Road, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China.
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Douhard M, Geffroy B. Males can adjust offspring sex ratio in an adaptive fashion through different mechanisms. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000264. [PMID: 33594712 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Sex allocation research has primarily focused on offspring sex-ratio adjustment by mothers. Yet, fathers also benefit from producing more of the sex with greater fitness returns. Here, we review the state-of-the art in the study of male-driven sex allocation and, counter to the current paradigm, we propose that males can adaptively influence offspring sex ratio through a wide variety of mechanisms. This includes differential production and motility of X- versus Y-bearing sperms in mammals, variation in seminal fluid composition in haplo-diploid invertebrates, and epigenetic mechanisms in some fish and lizards exhibiting environmental sex determination. Conflicts of interest between mothers and fathers over offspring sex ratios can emerge, although many more studies are needed in this area. While many studies of sex allocation have focused on adaptive explanations with little attention to mechanisms, and vice versa, the integration of these two topics is essential for understanding male-driven sex allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Douhard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie & Biologie Evolutive, Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Benjamin Geffroy
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Palavas-Les-Flots, France
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13
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Camargo C, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Amaro IA, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, Avila FW. Mating and blood-feeding induce transcriptome changes in the spermathecae of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14899. [PMID: 32913240 PMCID: PMC7484758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors of numerous viruses that impact human health. As manipulation of reproduction has been proposed to suppress mosquito populations, elucidation of biological processes that enable males and females to successfully reproduce is necessary. One essential process is female sperm storage in specialized structures called spermathecae. Aedes aegypti females typically mate once, requiring them to maintain sperm viably to fertilize eggs they lay over their lifetime. Spermathecal gene products are required for Drosophila sperm storage and sperm viability, and a spermathecal-derived heme peroxidase is required for long-term Anopheles gambiae fertility. Products of the Ae. aegypti spermathecae, and their response to mating, are largely unknown. Further, although female blood-feeding is essential for anautogenous mosquito reproduction, the transcriptional response to blood-ingestion remains undefined in any reproductive tissue. We conducted an RNAseq analysis of spermathecae from unfed virgins, mated only, and mated and blood-fed females at 6, 24, and 72 h post-mating and identified significant differentially expressed genes in each group at each timepoint. A blood-meal following mating induced a greater transcriptional response in the spermathecae than mating alone. This study provides the first view of elicited mRNA changes in the spermathecae by a blood-meal in mated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Camargo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia.
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Jones ARC, Mallon EB. Evidence of capacitation in the parasitoid wasp, Nasonia vitripennis, and its potential role in sex allocation. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7212-7220. [PMID: 32760522 PMCID: PMC7391552 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The allocation of resources to the production of one sex or another has been observed in a large variety of animals. Its theoretical basis allows accurate predictions of offspring sex ratios in many species, but the mechanisms by which sex allocation is controlled are poorly understood. Using previously published data, we investigated whether alternative splicing, combined with differential gene expression, was involved with sex allocation in the parasitoid wasp, Nasonia vitripennis. We found that sex allocation is not controlled by alternative splicing but changes in gene and transcript-specific expression, which were identified to be involved with oviposition, were shown to be similar to those involved in sperm motility and capacitation. Genes involved in cholesterol efflux, a key component of capacitation, along with calcium transport, neurotransmission, trypsin, and MAPKinase activity were regulated in ovipositing wasps. The results show evidence for regulation of sperm motility and of capacitation in an insect which, in the context of the physiology of the N. vitripennis spermatheca, could be important for sex allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alun R. C. Jones
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
| | - Eamonn B. Mallon
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
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Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals Gene Families Associated with Predatory Behavior in Photuris femme fatale Fireflies. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11060627. [PMID: 32517321 PMCID: PMC7348864 DOI: 10.3390/genes11060627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the basis of phenotypic variation is a key objective of genetics. This work has been mostly limited to model systems with a plethora of genetic manipulation and functional characterization tools. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and new computational tools, it is possible to identify candidate genes related to phenotypic variation in non-model organisms. Fireflies are excellent for studying phenotypic variation because of their diverse and well-characterized behaviors. Most adult fireflies emit a single mating flash pattern and do not eat. In contrast, adult females of many species in the genus Photuris employ multiple flash patterns and prey upon mate-seeking males of other firefly species. To investigate the genetic basis for this variation, we used comparative transcriptomics to identify positively selected genes between a predatory firefly, Photuris sp., and a non-predatory relative, Photuris frontalis, controlling for genes generally under selection in fireflies by comparing to a Photinus firefly. Nine gene families were identified under positive selection in the predatory versus non-predatory Photuris comparison, including genes involved in digestion, detoxification, vision, reproduction, and neural processes. These results generate intriguing hypotheses about the genetic basis for insect behavior and highlight the utility of comparative transcriptomic tools to investigate complex behaviors in non-model systems.
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Pascini TV, Ramalho-Ortigão M, Ribeiro JM, Jacobs-Lorena M, Martins GF. Transcriptional profiling and physiological roles of Aedes aegypti spermathecal-related genes. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:143. [PMID: 32041546 PMCID: PMC7011475 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6543-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [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: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Successful mating of female mosquitoes typically occurs once, with the male sperm being stored in the female spermatheca for every subsequent oviposition event. The female spermatheca is responsible for the maintenance, nourishment, and protection of the male sperm against damage during storage. Aedes aegypti is a major vector of arboviruses, including Yellow Fever, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. Vector control is difficult due to this mosquito high reproductive capacity. RESULTS Following comparative RNA-seq analyses of spermathecae obtained from virgin and inseminated females, eight transcripts were selected based on their putative roles in sperm maintenance and survival, including energy metabolism, chitin components, transcriptional regulation, hormonal signaling, enzymatic activity, antimicrobial activity, and ionic homeostasis. In situ RNA hybridization confirmed tissue-specific expression of the eight transcripts. Following RNA interference (RNAi), observed outcomes varied between targeted transcripts, affecting mosquito survival, egg morphology, fecundity, and sperm motility within the spermathecae. CONCLUSIONS This study identified spermatheca-specific transcripts associated with sperm storage in Ae. aegypti. Using RNAi we characterized the role of eight spermathecal transcripts on various aspects of female fecundity and offspring survival. RNAi-induced knockdown of transcript AeSigP-66,427, coding for a Na+/Ca2+ protein exchanger, specifically interfered with egg production and reduced sperm motility. Our results bring new insights into the molecular basis of sperm storage and identify potential targets for Ae. aegypti control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tales Vicari Pascini
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900 Brazil
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigão
- Division of Tropical Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Rm A-3083, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
| | - José Marcos Ribeiro
- Section of Vector Biology, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rm 2E32D, Rockville, MD 20852 USA
| | - Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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Tomaru M, Ohsako T, Watanabe M, Juni N, Matsubayashi H, Sato H, Takahashi A, Yamamoto MT. Severe Fertility Effects of sheepish Sperm Caused by Failure To Enter Female Sperm Storage Organs in Drosophila melanogaster. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2018; 8:149-160. [PMID: 29158336 PMCID: PMC5765343 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.300171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila, mature sperm are transferred from males to females during copulation, stored in the sperm storage organs of females, and then utilized for fertilization. Here, we report a gene named sheepish (shps) of Drosophila melanogaster that is essential for sperm storage in females. shps mutant males, although producing morphologically normal and motile sperm that are effectively transferred to females, produce very few offspring. Direct counts of sperm indicated that the primary defect was correlated to failure of shps sperm to migrate into the female sperm storage organs. Increased sperm motion parameters were seen in the control after transfer to females, whereas sperm from shps males have characteristics of the motion parameters different from the control. The few sperm that occasionally entered the female sperm storage organs showed no obvious defects in fertilization and early embryo development. The female postmating responses after copulation with shps males appeared normal, at least with respect to conformational changes of uterus, mating plug formation, and female remating rates. The shps gene encodes a protein with homology to amine oxidases, including as observed in mammals, with a transmembrane region at the C-terminal end. The shps mutation was characterized by a nonsense replacement in the third exon of CG13611, and shps was rescued by transformants of the wild-type copy of CG13611 Thus, shps may define a new class of gene responsible for sperm storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Tomaru
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Takashi Ohsako
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Masahide Watanabe
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Naoto Juni
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Matsubayashi
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Hiromi Sato
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Ayako Takahashi
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
| | - Masa-Toshi Yamamoto
- Department of Drosophila Genomics and Genetic Resources, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, 616-8354, Japan
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Ma M, Ying YY, He ZY, Lu Y, Li XG, Lei CL, Yang FL. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals potential gene targets for ovipositional inhibition by diallyl trisulfide against female Sitotroga cerealella. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aggene.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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19
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Ding J, Wu Y, You LL, Xu B, Ge LQ, Yang GQ, Wu JC. Jinggangmycin-suppressed reproduction in the small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen), is mediated by glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 139:73-78. [PMID: 28595925 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallen), is a serious pest insect of rice, wheat, and maize in China. SBPH not only sucks plant sap but also transmits plant disease viruses, causing serious damage. These viruses include rice striped virus disease (RSV disease), black streaked dwarf, and maize rough disease virus. SBPH outbreaks are related to the overuse of pesticides in China. Some pesticides, such as triazophos, stimulate the reproduction of SBPH, but an antibiotic fungicide jinggangmycin (JGM) suppresses its reproduction. However, mechanisms of decreased reproduction of SBPH induced by JGM remain unclear. The present findings show that JGM suppressed reproduction of SBPH (↓approximately 35.7%) and resulted in the down-regulated expression of glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). GDH-silenced control females (control+dsGDH) show that the number of eggs laid was reduced by 48.6% compared to control females. Biochemical tests show that the total lipid and fatty acid contents in JGM-treated and control+dsGDH females decreased significantly. Thus, we propose that the suppression of reproduction in SBPH induced by JGM is mediated by GDH via metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ding
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - You Wu
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Lin-Lin You
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Bin Xu
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Lin-Quan Ge
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Guo-Qing Yang
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jin-Cai Wu
- School of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
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Pascini TV, Martins GF. The insect spermatheca: an overview. ZOOLOGY 2017; 121:56-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Abstract
Fertilization, the union of an oocyte and a sperm, is a fundamental process that restores the diploid genome and initiates embryonic development. For the sperm, fertilization is the end of a long journey, one that starts in the male testis before transitioning to the female reproductive tract's convoluted tubule architecture. Historically, motile sperm were thought to complete this journey using luck and numbers. A different picture of sperm has emerged recently as cells that integrate complex sensory information for navigation. Chemical, physical, and thermal cues have been proposed to help guide sperm to the waiting oocyte. Molecular mechanisms are being delineated in animal models and humans, revealing common features, as well as important differences. Exposure to pheromones and nutritional signals can modulate guidance mechanisms, indirectly impacting sperm motility performance and fertility. These studies highlight the importance of sensory information and signal transduction in fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hieu D Hoang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michael A Miller
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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22
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Alfonso-Parra C, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Degner EC, Avila FW, Villarreal SM, Pleiss JA, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004451. [PMID: 26901677 PMCID: PMC4764262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a significant public health threat, as it is the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Disease control efforts could be enhanced through reproductive manipulation of these vectors. Previous work has revealed a relationship between male seminal fluid proteins transferred to females during mating and female post-mating physiology and behavior. To better understand this interplay, we used short-read RNA sequencing to identify gene expression changes in the lower reproductive tract of females in response to mating. We characterized mRNA expression in virgin and mated females at 0, 6 and 24 hours post-mating (hpm) and identified 364 differentially abundant transcripts between mating status groups. Surprisingly, 60 transcripts were more abundant at 0hpm compared to virgin females, suggesting transfer from males. Twenty of these encode known Ae. aegypti seminal fluid proteins. Transfer and detection of male accessory gland-derived mRNA in females at 0hpm was confirmed by measurement of eGFP mRNA in females mated to eGFP-expressing males. In addition, 150 transcripts were up-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm, while 130 transcripts were down-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that proteases, a protein class broadly known to play important roles in reproduction, were among the most enriched protein classes. RNAs associated with immune system and antimicrobial function were also up-regulated at 24hpm. Collectively, our results suggest that copulation initiates broad transcriptome changes across the mosquito female reproductive tract, “priming” her for important subsequent processes of blood feeding, egg development and immune defense. Our transcriptome analysis provides a vital foundation for future studies of the consequences of mating on female biology and will aid studies seeking to identify specific gene families, molecules and pathways that support key reproductive processes in the female mosquito. Female post-mating behavior has important consequences for mosquito populations and their ability to transmit diseases. Male Aedes aegypti seminal fluid substances transferred during mating cause many important changes to female behavior and physiology, including blood feeding behavior, egg development, and oviposition. In an effort to understand how males induce these responses in Ae. aegypti females, we characterized the transcriptome changes that occur in the female reproductive tract at different time points after mating. We found several RNAs that are apparently transferred by the male, and 280 genes whose mRNA abundance in the female is affected by mating. The nature of the predicted products of many of these genes suggests roles in priming the reproductive tract for egg development, protecting the female against bacterial infections or processing the blood meal. This identification of mating-responsive genes provides information potentially useful for developing tools aimed at preventing disease transmission by manipulating female mosquitoes’ post-mating responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical - Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yasir H. Ahmed-Braimah
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ethan C. Degner
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Frank W. Avila
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Villarreal
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey A. Pleiss
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MFW); (LCH)
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MFW); (LCH)
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23
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Bonilla ML, Todd C, Erlandson M, Andres J. Combining RNA-seq and proteomic profiling to identify seminal fluid proteins in the migratory grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes (F). BMC Genomics 2015; 16:1096. [PMID: 26694822 PMCID: PMC4689059 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2327-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seminal fluid proteins control many aspects of fertilization and in turn, they play a key role in post-mating sexual selection and possibly reproductive isolation. Because effective proteome profiling relies on the availability of high-quality DNA reference databases, our knowledge of these proteins is still largely limited to model organisms with ample genetic resources. New advances in sequencing technology allow for the rapid characterization of transcriptomes at low cost. By combining high throughput RNA-seq and shotgun proteomic profiling, we have characterized the seminal fluid proteins secreted by the primary male accessory gland of the migratory grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguinipes), one of the main agricultural pests in central North America. RESULTS Using RNA sequencing, we characterized the transcripts of ~ 8,100 genes expressed in the long hyaline tubules (LHT) of the accessory glands. Proteomic profiling identified 353 proteins expressed in the long hyaline tubules (LHT). Of special interest are seminal fluid proteins (SFPs), such as EJAC-SP, ACE and prostaglandin synthetases, which are known to regulate female oviposition in insects. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides new insights into the proteomic components of male ejaculate in Orthopterans, and highlights several important patterns. First, the presence of proteins that lack predicted classical secretory tags in accessory gland proteomes is common in male accessory glands. Second, the products of a few highly expressed genes dominate the accessory gland secretions. Third, accessory gland transcriptomes are enriched for novel transcripts. Fourth, there is conservation of SFPs' functional classes across distantly related taxonomic groups with very different life histories, mating systems and sperm transferring mechanisms. The identified SFPs may serve as targets of future efforts to develop species- specific genetic control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha L Bonilla
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, A.237. Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Pl., Saskatoon, SK, S7N-5E2, Canada.
| | - Christopher Todd
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Pl., Saskatoon, SK, S7N-5E2, Canada.
| | - Martin Erlandson
- Saskatoon Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 107 Science Pl., Saskatoon, SK, S7N-0X2, Canada.
| | - Jose Andres
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Pl., Saskatoon, SK, S7N-5E2, Canada.
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Oviposition but Not Sex Allocation Is Associated with Transcriptomic Changes in Females of the Parasitoid Wasp Nasonia vitripennis. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2015; 5:2885-92. [PMID: 26511500 PMCID: PMC4683659 DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.021220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Linking the evolution of the phenotype to the underlying genotype is a key aim of evolutionary genetics and is crucial to our understanding of how natural selection shapes a trait. Here, we consider the genetic basis of sex allocation behavior in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis using a transcriptomics approach. Females allocate offspring sex in line with the local mate competition (LMC) theory. Female-biased sex ratios are produced when one or a few females lay eggs on a patch. As the number of females contributing offspring to a patch increases, less female-biased sex ratios are favored. We contrasted the transcriptomic responses of females as they oviposit under conditions known to influence sex allocation: foundress number (a social cue) and the state of the host (parasitized or not). We found that when females encounter other females on a patch or assess host quality with their ovipositors, the resulting changes in sex allocation is not associated with significant changes in whole-body gene expression. We also found that the gene expression changes produced by females as they facultatively allocate sex in response to a host cue and a social cue are very closely correlated. We expanded the list of candidate genes associated with oviposition behavior in Nasonia, some of which may be involved in fundamental processes underlying the ability to facultatively allocate sex, including sperm storage and utilization.
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25
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Yoshida H, Sakai G, Mori K, Kojima K, Kamitori S, Sode K. Structural analysis of fungus-derived FAD glucose dehydrogenase. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13498. [PMID: 26311535 PMCID: PMC4642536 DOI: 10.1038/srep13498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the first three-dimensional structure of fungus-derived glucose dehydrogenase using flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as the cofactor. This is currently the most advanced and popular enzyme used in glucose sensor strips manufactured for glycemic control by diabetic patients. We prepared recombinant nonglycosylated FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FADGDH) derived from Aspergillus flavus (AfGDH) and obtained the X-ray structures of the binary complex of enzyme and reduced FAD at a resolution of 1.78 Å and the ternary complex with reduced FAD and D-glucono-1,5-lactone (LGC) at a resolution of 1.57 Å. The overall structure is similar to that of fungal glucose oxidases (GOxs) reported till date. The ternary complex with reduced FAD and LGC revealed the residues recognizing the substrate. His505 and His548 were subjected for site-directed mutagenesis studies, and these two residues were revealed to form the catalytic pair, as those conserved in GOxs. The absence of residues that recognize the sixth hydroxyl group of the glucose of AfGDH, and the presence of significant cavity around the active site may account for this enzyme activity toward xylose. The structural information will contribute to the further engineering of FADGDH for use in more reliable and economical biosensing technology for diabetes management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromi Yoshida
- Life Science Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa University, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Genki Sakai
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Kazushige Mori
- Ultizyme International Ltd., 1-13-16, Minami, Meguro, Tokyo 152-0013, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Kojima
- Ultizyme International Ltd., 1-13-16, Minami, Meguro, Tokyo 152-0013, Japan
| | - Shigehiro Kamitori
- Life Science Research Center and Faculty of Medicine, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa University, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
| | - Koji Sode
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.,Ultizyme International Ltd., 1-13-16, Minami, Meguro, Tokyo 152-0013, Japan
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Schnakenberg SL, Siegal ML, Bloch Qazi MC. Oh, the places they'll go: Female sperm storage and sperm precedence in Drosophila melanogaster. SPERMATOGENESIS 2014; 2:224-235. [PMID: 23087839 PMCID: PMC3469444 DOI: 10.4161/spmg.21655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Among most animals with internal fertilization, females store sperm in specific regions of their reproductive tract for later use. Sperm storage enables prolonged fertility, physical and temporal separation of mating from fertilization and, when females mate with multiple males, opportunities for differential use of the various males’ sperm. Thus, stored sperm move within the female reproductive tract as well as to several potential fates – fertilization, displacement by other sperm or ejection by the female. Drosophila melanogaster is a leading model system for elucidating both the mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of female sperm storage and differential male fertilization success. The prominence of Drosophila is due, in part, to the ability to examine processes influencing sperm movement and fate at several biological levels, from molecules to organ systems. In this review, we describe male and female factors, as well as their interactions, involved in female sperm storage and differential male fertilization success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Schnakenberg
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology; Department of Biology; New York University; New York, NY USA
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27
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Laturney M, Billeter JC. Neurogenetics of female reproductive behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2014; 85:1-108. [PMID: 24880733 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800271-1.00001-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We follow an adult Drosophila melanogaster female through the major reproductive decisions she makes during her lifetime, including habitat selection, precopulatory mate choice, postcopulatory physiological changes, polyandry, and egg-laying site selection. In the process, we review the molecular and neuronal mechanisms allowing females to integrate signals from both environmental and social sources to produce those behavioral outputs. We pay attention to how an understanding of D. melanogaster female reproductive behaviors contributes to a wider understanding of evolutionary processes such as pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection as well as sexual conflict. Within each section, we attempt to connect the theories that pertain to the evolution of female reproductive behaviors with the molecular and neurobiological data that support these theories. We draw attention to the fact that the evolutionary and mechanistic basis of female reproductive behaviors, even in a species as extensively studied as D. melanogaster, remains poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Laturney
- Behavioural Biology, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Behavioural Biology, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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28
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Pannebakker BA, Trivedi U, Blaxter ML, Watt R, Shuker DM. The transcriptomic basis of oviposition behaviour in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68608. [PMID: 23894324 PMCID: PMC3716692 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Linking behavioural phenotypes to their underlying genotypes is crucial for uncovering the mechanisms that underpin behaviour and for understanding the origins and maintenance of genetic variation in behaviour. Recently, interest has begun to focus on the transcriptome as a route for identifying genes and gene pathways associated with behaviour. For many behavioural traits studied at the phenotypic level, we have little or no idea of where to start searching for "candidate" genes: the transcriptome provides such a starting point. Here we consider transcriptomic changes associated with oviposition in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. Oviposition is a key behaviour for parasitoids, as females are faced with a variety of decisions that will impact offspring fitness. These include choosing between hosts of differing quality, as well as making decisions regarding clutch size and offspring sex ratio. We compared the whole-body transcriptomes of resting or ovipositing female Nasonia using a "DeepSAGE" gene expression approach on the Illumina sequencing platform. We identified 332 tags that were significantly differentially expressed between the two treatments, with 77% of the changes associated with greater expression in resting females. Oviposition therefore appears to focus gene expression away from a number of physiological processes, with gene ontologies suggesting that aspects of metabolism may be down-regulated during egg-laying. Nine of the most abundant differentially expressed tags showed greater expression in ovipositing females though, including the genes purity-of-essence (associated with behavioural phenotypes in Drosophila) and glucose dehydrogenase (GLD). The GLD protein has been implicated in sperm storage and release in Drosophila and so provides a possible candidate for the control of sex allocation by female Nasonia during oviposition. Oviposition in Nasonia therefore clearly modifies the transcriptome, providing a starting point for the genetic dissection of oviposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart A Pannebakker
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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29
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Immonen E, Ritchie MG. The genomic response to courtship song stimulation in female Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:1359-65. [PMID: 21976688 PMCID: PMC3282362 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Courtship behaviour involves a complex exchange of signals and responses. These are usually studied at the phenotypic level, and genetic or transcriptional responses to courtship are still poorly understood. Here, we examine the gene-expression changes in Drosophila melanogaster females in response to one of the key male courtship signals in mate recognition, song produced by male wing vibration. Using long oligonucleotide microarrays, we identified several genes that responded differentially to the presence or absence of acoustic courtship stimulus. These changes were modest in both the number of genes involved and fold-changes, but notably dominated by antennal signalling genes involved in olfaction as well as neuropeptides and immune response genes. Second, we compared the expression patterns of females stimulated with synthetic song typical of either conspecific or heterospecific (Drosophila simulans) males. In this case, antennal olfactory signalling and innate immunity genes were also enriched among the differentially expressed genes. We confirmed and investigated the time course of expression differences of two identified immunity genes using real-time quantitative PCR. Our results provide novel insight into specific molecular changes in females in response to courtship song stimulation. These may be involved in both signal perception and interpretation and some may anticipate molecular interactions that occur between the sexes after mating.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael G. Ritchie
- Centre for Evolution, Genes and Genomics, School of Biology, Dyers Brae House, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, UK
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30
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Schnakenberg SL, Matias WR, Siegal ML. Sperm-storage defects and live birth in Drosophila females lacking spermathecal secretory cells. PLoS Biol 2011; 9:e1001192. [PMID: 22087073 PMCID: PMC3210755 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 09/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male Drosophila flies secrete seminal-fluid proteins that mediate proper sperm storage and fertilization, and that induce changes in female behavior. Females also produce reproductive-tract secretions, yet their contributions to postmating physiology are poorly understood. Large secretory cells line the female's spermathecae, a pair of sperm-storage organs. We identified the regulatory regions controlling transcription of two genes exclusively expressed in these spermathecal secretory cells (SSC): Spermathecal endopeptidase 1 (Send1), which is expressed in both unmated and mated females, and Spermathecal endopeptidase 2 (Send2), which is induced by mating. We used these regulatory sequences to perform precise genetic ablations of the SSC at distinct time points relative to mating. We show that the SSC are required for recruiting sperm to the spermathecae, but not for retaining sperm there. The SSC also act at a distance in the reproductive tract, in that their ablation: (1) reduces sperm motility in the female's other sperm-storage organ, the seminal receptacle; and (2) causes ovoviviparity--the retention and internal development of fertilized eggs. These results establish the reproductive functions of the SSC, shed light on the evolution of live birth, and open new avenues for studying and manipulating female fertility in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L. Schnakenberg
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Wilfredo R. Matias
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Mark L. Siegal
- Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Ohsako T, Yamamoto MT. Sperm of the wasted mutant are wasted when females utilize the stored sperm in Drosophila melanogaster. Genes Genet Syst 2011; 86:97-108. [PMID: 21670549 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.86.97] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Females of many animal species store sperm after copulation for use in fertilization, but the mechanisms controlling sperm storage and utilization are largely unknown. Here we describe a novel male sterile mutation of Drosophila melanogaster, wasted (wst), which shows defects in various processes of sperm utilization. The sperm of wst mutant males are stored like those of wild-type males in the female sperm storage organs, the spermathecae and seminal receptacles, after copulation and are released at each ovulation. However, an average of thirteen times more wst sperm than wild type sperm are released at each ovulation, resulting in rapid loss of sperm stored in seminal receptacles within a few days after copulation. wst sperm can enter eggs efficiently at 5 hr after copulation, but the efficiency of sperm entry decreases significantly by 24 hr after copulation, suggesting that wst sperm lose their ability to enter eggs during storage. Furthermore, wst sperm fail to undergo nuclear decondensation, which prevents the process of fertilization even when sperm enter eggs. Our results indicate that the wst gene is essential for independent processes in the utilization of stored sperm; namely, regulation of sperm release from female storage organs, maintenance of sperm efficiency for entry into eggs, and formation of the male pronucleus in the egg at fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ohsako
- Drosophila Genetic Resource Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 616-8354, Japan
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32
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Bloch Qazi MC, Hogdal L. Hold on: females modulate sperm depletion from storage sites in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 56:1332-1340. [PMID: 20433844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2010] [Revised: 04/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/19/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Among many species of insects, females gain fitness benefits by producing numerous offspring. Yet actions related to producing numerous offspring such as mating with multiple males, producing oocytes and placing offspring in sub-optimal environments incur costs. Females can decrease the magnitude of these costs by retaining gametes when suitable oviposition sites are absent. We used the pomace fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to explore how the availability of fresh feeding/oviposition medium influenced female fitness via changes in offspring survivorship and the modulation of gamete release. Availability of fresh medium affected the absolute number and temporal production of offspring. This outcome was attributable to both decreased larval survival under crowded conditions and to female modulation of gamete release. Direct examination of the number of sperm retained among the different female storage organs revealed that females 'hold on' to sperm, retaining more sperm in storage, disproportionately within the spermathecae, when exposed infrequently to fresh medium. Despite this retention, females with lower rates of storage depletion exhibited decreased sperm use efficiency shortly after mating. This study provides direct evidence that females influence the rate of sperm depletion from specific storage sites in a way that can affect both female and male fitness. The possible adaptive significance of selective gamete utilization by female Drosophila includes lowering costs associated with frequent remating and larval overcrowding when oviposition sites are limiting, as well as potentially influencing paternity when females store sperm from multiple males.
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Sirot LK, LaFlamme BA, Sitnik JL, Rubinstein CD, Avila FW, Chow CY, Wolfner MF. Molecular social interactions: Drosophila melanogaster seminal fluid proteins as a case study. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2010; 68:23-56. [PMID: 20109658 PMCID: PMC3925388 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2660(09)68002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Studies of social behavior generally focus on interactions between two or more individual animals. However, these interactions are not simply between whole animals, but also occur between molecules that were produced by the interacting individuals. Such "molecular social interactions" can both influence and be influenced by the organismal-level social interactions. We illustrate this by reviewing the roles played by seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) in molecular social interactions between males and females of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Sfps, which are produced by males and transferred to females during mating, are involved in inherently social interactions with female-derived molecules, and they influence social interactions between males and females and between a female's past and potential future mates. Here, we explore four examples of molecular social interactions involving D. melanogaster Sfps: processes that influence mating, sperm storage, ovulation, and ejaculate transfer. We consider the molecular and organismal players involved in each interaction and the consequences of their interplay for the reproductive success of both sexes. We conclude with a discussion of the ways in which Sfps can both shape and be shaped by (in an evolutionary sense) the molecular social interactions in which they are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Corresponding author: Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, 421 Biotechnology Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;
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34
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Takemori N, Yamamoto MT. Proteome mapping of the Drosophila melanogaster male reproductive system. Proteomics 2009; 9:2484-93. [PMID: 19343724 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.200800795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model organism for studying insect reproductive biology. Although the gene expression profiles of both male and female reproductive organs have been studied in detail, their proteomic profiles and functional characteristics largely remained to be clarified. In this study, we conducted proteome mapping of the male internal reproductive organs using 2-DE. We identified a total of 440 protein components from gels of the male reproductive organs (testis, seminal vesicle, accessory gland, ejaculatory duct, and ejaculatory bulb). A number of proteins associated with odorant/pheromone-binding, lipid metabolism, proteolysis, and antioxidation were expressed tissue specifically in the male reproductive system. Based on our proteomic data set, we constructed reference proteome maps of the reproductive organs, which will provide valuable information toward a comprehensive understanding of Drosophila reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuaki Takemori
- Drosophila Genetic Resource Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Saga Ippongi-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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35
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A role for Acp29AB, a predicted seminal fluid lectin, in female sperm storage in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2008; 180:921-31. [PMID: 18757944 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.108.092106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Females of many animal species store sperm for taxon-specific periods of time, ranging from a few hours to years. Female sperm storage has important reproductive and evolutionary consequences, yet relatively little is known of its molecular basis. Here, we report the isolation of a loss-of-function mutation of the Drosophila melanogaster Acp29AB gene, which encodes a seminal fluid protein that is transferred from males to females during mating. Using this mutant, we show that Acp29AB is required for the normal maintenance of sperm in storage. Consistent with this role, Acp29AB localizes to female sperm storage organs following mating, although it does not appear to associate tightly with sperm. Acp29AB is a predicted lectin, suggesting that sugar-protein interactions may be important for D. melanogaster sperm storage, much as they are in many mammals. Previous association studies have found an effect of Acp29AB genotype on a male's sperm competitive ability; our findings suggest that effects on sperm storage may underlie these differences in sperm competition. Moreover, Acp29AB's effects on sperm storage and sperm competition may explain previously documented evidence for positive selection on the Acp29AB locus.
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36
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Mating induces an immune response and developmental switch in the Drosophila oviduct. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:13912-7. [PMID: 18725632 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0710997105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating triggers physiological and behavioral changes in females. To understand how females effect these changes, we used microarray, proteomic, and comparative analyses to characterize gene expression in oviducts of mated and unmated Drosophila females. The transition from non-egg laying to egg laying elicits a distinct molecular profile in the oviduct. Immune-related transcripts and proteins involved in muscle and polarized epithelial function increase, whereas cell growth and differentiation-related genes are down-regulated. Our combined results indicate that mating triggers molecular and biochemical changes that mediate progression from a "poised" state to a mature, functional stage.
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37
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Ram KR, Wolfner MF. Sustained post-mating response in Drosophila melanogaster requires multiple seminal fluid proteins. PLoS Genet 2008; 3:e238. [PMID: 18085830 PMCID: PMC2134937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.0030238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2007] [Accepted: 10/18/2007] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful reproduction is critical to pass genes to the next generation. Seminal proteins contribute to important reproductive processes that lead to fertilization in species ranging from insects to mammals. In Drosophila, the male's accessory gland is a source of seminal fluid proteins that affect the reproductive output of males and females by altering female post-mating behavior and physiology. Protein classes found in the seminal fluid of Drosophila are similar to those of other organisms, including mammals. By using RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down levels of individual accessory gland proteins (Acps), we investigated the role of 25 Acps in mediating three post-mating female responses: egg production, receptivity to remating and storage of sperm. We detected roles for five Acps in these post-mating responses. CG33943 is required for full stimulation of egg production on the first day after mating. Four other Acps (CG1652, CG1656, CG17575, and CG9997) appear to modulate the long-term response, which is the maintenance of post-mating behavior and physiological changes. The long-term post-mating response requires presence of sperm in storage and, until now, had been known to require only a single Acp. Here, we discovered several novel Acps together are required which together are required for sustained egg production, reduction in receptivity to remating of the mated female and for promotion of stored sperm release from the seminal receptacle. Our results also show that members of conserved protein classes found in seminal plasma from insects to mammals are essential for important reproductive processes. In sexually reproducing organisms, sperm enter the female in combination with seminal proteins that are critical for fertility. These proteins can activate sperm or enhance sperm storage within the female, and can improve the chance that sperm will fertilize eggs. Understanding the action of seminal proteins has potential utility in insect pest control and in the diagnosis of certain human infertilities. However, the precise function of very few seminal proteins is known. To address this, we knocked down the levels of 25 seminal proteins individually in male fruit flies, and tested the males' abilities to modulate egg production, sperm storage/release, or behavior of their mates. We found five seminal proteins that are necessary to elevate offspring production in mated females. Four of these proteins are needed for efficient release of sperm from storage to fertilize eggs, a function that had not been previously assigned to any seminal protein. All four are in biochemical classes that are conserved in seminal fluid from insects to humans, suggesting they may play similar sperm-related roles in other animals. In addition to assigning functions to particular seminal proteins, our results suggest that fruit flies can serve as a model with which to dissect the functions of conserved protein classes in seminal fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Ravi Ram
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Biotechnology Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Biotechnology Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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38
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Michalski C, Mohagheghi H, Nimtz M, Pasteels J, Ober D. Salicyl alcohol oxidase of the chemical defense secretion of two chrysomelid leaf beetles. Molecular and functional characterization of two new members of the glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase gene family. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:19219-28. [PMID: 18482980 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m802236200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Salicyl alcohol oxidase is an extracellular enzyme that occurs in glandular reservoirs of chrysomelid leaf beetle larvae and catalyzes the formation of salicylaldehyde, a volatile deterrent used by the larvae against predators. Salicyl alcohol is the hydrolysis product of salicin, a plant-derived precursor taken up by the beetle larvae from the leaves of willow and poplar trees. The cDNA encoding salicyl alcohol oxidase from two related species Chrysomela tremulae and Chrysomela populi has been identified, cloned, and expressed in an active form in Escherichia coli. The open reading frame of 623 amino acids begins in both enzymes with an N-terminal signal peptide of 21 amino acids. Sequence comparison has revealed that salicyl alcohol oxidase belongs to the family of glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase-like sequences with mostly unknown function. Enzymes of this family share similar overall structure with an essentially identical FAD-binding site but possess different catalytic activities. The data suggest that salicyl alcohol oxidase, essential for the activation of the plant-derived precursor salicin, was originally recruited from an oxidase involved in the autogenous biosynthesis of iridoid monoterpenes and found in related chrysomelid leaf beetle species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Michalski
- Botanisches Institut und Botanischer Garten, Universität Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany
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39
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Targeted gene deletion and phenotypic analysis of the Drosophila melanogaster seminal fluid protease inhibitor Acp62F. Genetics 2008; 178:1605-14. [PMID: 18245332 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.107.083766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Internally fertilizing organisms transfer a complex assortment of seminal fluid proteins, a substantial fraction of which are proteolysis regulators. In mammals, some seminal protease inhibitors have been implicated in male infertility and these same molecular classes of protease inhibitors are also found in Drosophila seminal fluid. Here, we tested the reproductive functions of the Drosophila melanogaster seminal fluid protease inhibitor Acp62F by generating a precise deletion of the Acp62F gene. We did not detect a nonredundant function for Acp62F in modulating the egg laying, fertility, remating frequency, or life span of mated females. However, loss of Acp62F did alter a male's defensive sperm competitive ability, consistent with the localization of Acp62F to sperm storage organs. In addition, the processing of at least one seminal protein, the ovulation hormone ovulin, is slower in the absence of Acp62F.
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40
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Adams EM, Wolfner MF. Seminal proteins but not sperm induce morphological changes in the Drosophila melanogaster female reproductive tract during sperm storage. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2007; 53:319-31. [PMID: 17276455 PMCID: PMC2144743 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2006.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2006] [Revised: 12/05/2006] [Accepted: 12/06/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In most insects, sperm transferred by the male to the female during mating are stored within the female reproductive tract for subsequent use in fertilization. In Drosophila melanogaster, male accessory gland proteins (Acps) within the seminal fluid are required for efficient accumulation of sperm in the female's sperm storage organs. To determine the events within the female reproductive tract that occur during sperm storage, and the role that Acps and sperm play in these events, we identified morphological changes that take place during sperm storage in females mated to wild-type, Acp-deficient or sperm-deficient males. A reproducible set of morphological changes occurs in a wild-type mating. These were categorized into 10 stereotypic stages. Sperm are not needed for progression through these stages in females, but receipt of Acps is essential for progression beyond the first few stages of morphological change. Furthermore, females that received small quantities of Acps reached slightly later stages than females that received no Acps. Our results suggest that timely morphological changes in the female reproductive tract, possibly muscular in nature, may be needed for successful sperm storage, and that Acps from the male are needed in order for these changes to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika M Adams
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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41
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Bloch Qazi MC, Wolfner MF. Emergence of sperm from female storage sites has egg-influenced and egg-independent phases in Drosophila melanogaster. Biol Lett 2007; 2:128-30. [PMID: 17148345 PMCID: PMC1617180 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The coordinated introduction of sperm and eggs is a prerequisite of high fertilization efficiency. In Drosophila melanogaster, as in most internally fertilizing animals, mated females store sperm prior to fertilization. Yet the regulation of sperm exit from these storage sites is poorly understood. To test one likely factor that could coordinate gamete availability, we quantified sperm exit from storage in three types of female: genetically matched females that were normal or eggless, and an additional wild-type control. Long-term depletion of sperm stores in normal females and eggless females occurs at similar rates. However, soon after mating, egg presence appears to accelerate the transition from one storage stage to the next. Since male ejaculate components and female factors contribute to sperm depletion, opportunities exist for both cooperation and conflict between the sexes in sperm storage dynamics.
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42
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Mack PD, Kapelnikov A, Heifetz Y, Bender M. Mating-responsive genes in reproductive tissues of female Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:10358-10363. [PMID: 16798875 PMCID: PMC1502462 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0604046103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male-derived accessory gland proteins that are transferred to females during mating have profound effects on female reproductive physiology including increased ovulation, mating inhibition, and effects on sperm utilization and storage. The extreme rates of evolution seen in accessory gland proteins may be driven by sperm competition and sexual conflict, processes that may ultimately drive complex interactions between female- and male-derived molecules and sperm. However, little is known of how gene expression in female reproductive tissues changes in response to the presence of male molecules and sperm. To characterize this response, we conducted parallel genomic and proteomic analyses of gene expression in the reproductive tract of 3-day-old unmated and mated female Drosophila melanogaster. Using DNA microarrays, we identified 539 transcripts that are differentially expressed in unmated vs. mated females and revealed a striking peak in differential expression at 6 h postmating and a marked shift from primarily down-regulated to primarily up-regulated transcripts within 3 h after mating. Combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analyses, we identified 84 differentially expressed proteins at 3 h postmating, including proteins that appeared to undergo posttranslational modification. Together, our observations define transcriptional and translational response to mating within the female reproductive tract and suggest a bimodal model of postmating gene expression initially correlated with mating and the final stages of female reproductive tract maturation and later with the declining presence of male reproductive molecules and with sperm maintenance and utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Mack
- *Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; and
| | - Anat Kapelnikov
- Department of Entomology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Yael Heifetz
- Department of Entomology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Michael Bender
- *Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602; and
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McGraw LA, Gibson G, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. Genes regulated by mating, sperm, or seminal proteins in mated female Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biol 2004; 14:1509-14. [PMID: 15324670 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2004] [Revised: 07/01/2004] [Accepted: 07/01/2004] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, sperm and accessory gland proteins ("Acps," a major component of seminal fluid) transferred by males during mating trigger many physiological and behavioral changes in females (reviewed in ). Determining the genetic changes triggered in females by male-derived molecules and cells is a crucial first step in understanding female responses to mating and the female's role in postcopulatory processes such as sperm competition, cryptic female choice, and sexually antagonistic coevolution. We used oligonucleotide microarrays to compare gene expression in D. melanogaster females that were either virgin, mated to normal males, mated to males lacking sperm, or mated to males lacking both sperm and Acps. Expression of up to 1783 genes changed as a result of mating, most less than 2-fold. Of these, 549 genes were regulated by the receipt of sperm and 160 as a result of Acps that females received from their mates. The remaining genes whose expression levels changed were modulated by nonsperm/non-Acp aspects of mating. The mating-dependent genes that we have identified contribute to many biological processes including metabolism, immune defense, and protein modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A McGraw
- Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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