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Musachio EAS, Janner DE, Meichtry LB, Fernandes EJ, Gomes NS, Romio LC, Guerra GP, Prigol M. Bisphenol F and Bisphenol S exposure during development reduce neuronal ganglia integrity and change behavioral profile of Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114753. [PMID: 37949320 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114753] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The behavior and neuronal ganglia integrity of Drosophila melanogaster larvae exposed to Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS) (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mM) was evaluated. Larvae exposed to BPF and BPS (0.5 and 1 mM) showed hyperactivity, reduced decision-making capacity and were not responsive to touch (no sensitivity to physical stimuli). There was also a reduction in the tunneling capacity induced by 1 mM of BPF and BPS (innate behaviors for survival). Behaviors resulting from changes in neuronal functioning, thermotaxis and phototaxis showed that BPS was more harmful compared to BPF. Furthermore, the concentration of 1 mM BPS generated greater damage to neuronal ganglia when compared to BPF. This difference may be related to the LC50 of the 10.04 mM BPS and 15.07 mM BPF. However, these behavioral changes presented by the larvae here are characteristic of those presented in neurodevelopmental disorders. Our findings are novel and refute the possibility that BPF and BPS are safer alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elize A Santos Musachio
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | - Dieniffer Espinosa Janner
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | - Luana Barreto Meichtry
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | - Eliana Jardim Fernandes
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | - Nathalie Savedra Gomes
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Petri Guerra
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil; Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil
| | - Marina Prigol
- Laboratory of Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluations Applied to Bioactive Molecules, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil; Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui, RS, Brazil.
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2
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Cho H, Rohlfs M. Transmission of beneficial yeasts accompanies offspring production in Drosophila-An initial evolutionary stage of insect maternal care through manipulation of microbial load? Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10184. [PMID: 37332518 PMCID: PMC10276349 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Parent-to-offspring transmission of beneficial microorganisms is intimately interwoven with the evolution of social behaviors. Ancestral stages of complex sociality-microbe vectoring interrelationships may be characterized by high costs of intensive parental care and hence only a weak link between the transmission of microbial symbionts and offspring production. We investigate the relationship between yeast symbiont transmission and egg-laying, as well as some general factors thought to drive the "farming" of microscopic fungi by the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an insect with no obvious parental care but which is highly dependent on dietary microbes during offspring development. The process of transmitting microbes involves flies ingesting microbes from their previous environment, storing and vectoring them, and finally depositing them to a new environment. This study revealed that fecal materials of adult flies play a significant role in this process, as they contain viable yeast cells that support larval development. During single patch visits, egg-laying female flies transmitted more yeast cells than non-egg-laying females, suggesting that dietary symbiont transmission is not random, but linked to offspring production. The crop, an extension of the foregut, was identified as an organ capable of storing viable yeast cells during travel between egg-laying sites. However, the amount of yeast in the crop reduced rapidly during periods of starvation. Although females starved for 24 h deposited a smaller amount of yeast than those starved for 6 h, the yeast inoculum produced still promoted the development of larval offspring. The results of these experiments suggest that female Drosophila fruit flies have the ability to store and regulate the transfer of microorganisms beneficial to their offspring via the shedding of fecal material. We argue that our observation may represent an initial evolutionary stage of maternal care through the manipulation of microbial load, from which more specialized feedbacks of sociality and microbe management may evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Cho
- Institute of Ecology, Insect and Chemical Ecology GroupUniversity of BremenBremenGermany
| | - Marko Rohlfs
- Institute of Ecology, Insect and Chemical Ecology GroupUniversity of BremenBremenGermany
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3
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Tolassy V, Cazalé-Debat L, Houot B, Reynaud R, Heydel JM, Ferveur JF, Everaerts C. Drosophila Free-Flight Odor Tracking is Altered in a Sex-Specific Manner By Preimaginal Sensory Exposure. J Chem Ecol 2023; 49:179-194. [PMID: 36881326 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-023-01416-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
In insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, flight guidance is based on converging sensory information provided by several modalities, including chemoperception. Drosophila flies are particularly attracted by complex odors constituting volatile molecules from yeast, pheromones and microbe-metabolized food. Based on a recent study revealing that adult male courtship behavior can be affected by early preimaginal exposure to maternally transmitted egg factors, we wondered whether a similar exposure could affect free-flight odor tracking in flies of both sexes. Our main experiment consisted of testing flies differently conditioned during preimaginal development in a wind tunnel. Each fly was presented with a dual choice of food labeled by groups of each sex of D. melanogaster or D. simulans flies. The combined effect of food with the cis-vaccenyl acetate pheromone (cVA), which is involved in aggregation behavior, was also measured. Moreover, we used the headspace method to determine the "odorant" identity of the different labeled foods tested. We also measured the antennal electrophysiological response to cVA in females and males resulting from the different preimaginal conditioning procedures. Our data indicate that flies differentially modulated their flight response (take off, flight duration, food landing and preference) according to sex, conditioning and food choice. Our headspace analysis revealed that many food-derived volatile molecules diverged between sexes and species. Antennal responses to cVA showed clear sex-specific variation for conditioned flies but not for control flies. In summary, our study indicates that preimaginal conditioning can affect Drosophila free flight behavior in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Tolassy
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Laurie Cazalé-Debat
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France.,School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Park Road, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK
| | - Benjamin Houot
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France.,Institut Gustave Roussel, 114, rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif Cedex, France
| | - Rémy Reynaud
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Jean-Marie Heydel
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Jean-François Ferveur
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Claude Everaerts
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, CNRS UMR6265, INRAE, UMR1324, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France.
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4
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Vora A, Nguyen AD, Spicer C, Li W. The impact of social isolation on health and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster and beyond. BRAIN SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022. [DOI: 10.26599/bsa.2022.9050016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Many organisms, including humans, have evolved dynamic social behaviors to promote survival. Public health studies show that isolation from social groups is a major risk factor for adverse health outcomes in humans, but these studies lack mechanistic understanding. Animal models can provide insight into the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying how social isolation impacts health through investigations using genetic, genomic, molecular, and neuroscience methods. In this review, we discuss Drosophila melanogaster as a robust genetic model for studying the effects of social isolation and for developing a mechanistic understanding of the perception of social isolation and how it impacts health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aabha Vora
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Andrew D. Nguyen
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Carmen Spicer
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Wanhe Li
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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5
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Tungadi TD, Shaw B, Powell G, Hall DR, Bray DP, Harte SJ, Farman DI, Wijnen H, Fountain MT. Live Drosophila Melanogaster Larvae Deter Oviposition by Drosophila suzukii. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13080688. [PMID: 36005313 PMCID: PMC9408982 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary The invasive insect pest, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura or spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) lays its eggs in soft and stone fruit. Eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on fruit, causing fruit collapse and significant economic losses worldwide. Current control methods rely primarily on foliar insecticide applications, which are not sustainable long-term solutions. In nature, D. suzukii interacts with and encounters other Drosophila species, especially towards the end of the growing season when ripening fruits are scarce. We showed previously that D. suzukii were deterred from laying eggs on artificial media exposed to egg laying Drosophila melanogaster, its sister species. It was hypothesized that a signal was left by D. melanogaster which deterred D. suzukii from laying eggs. This study aimed to identify from which D. melanogaster life stage the egg laying deterrent signal originated and we showed that the presence of live D. melanogaster larvae on the egg laying media deter D. suzukii from laying eggs. Drosophila melanogaster cuticular hydrocarbons were examined as the signal source, but no evidence was found for their involvement. These results have improved our understanding of the interspecific interactions between D. suzukii and other Drosophila species and could provide new innovative approaches to D. suzukii management strategies. Abstract The worldwide invasive insect pest, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (spotted-wing Drosophila), lays eggs in soft and stone fruit before harvest. Hatched larvae cause fruit collapse and significant economic losses. Current control methods rely primarily on foliar insecticide applications, which are not sustainable long-term solutions due to regulatory restrictions and the risk of insecticide resistance developing. We showed before that D. suzukii were deterred from laying eggs on artificial media previously visited by its sister species—Drosophila melanogaster. In the current study, laboratory choice test experiments were conducted to identify which D. melanogaster life stage (eggs, larvae, or adult) deterred D. suzukii oviposition. We demonstrated that the presence of live D. melanogaster larvae on the egg-laying media consistently deterred D. suzukii oviposition. Drosophila melanogaster cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) were examined as candidate for the oviposition deterrent. CHCs of larval and adult D. melanogaster and D. suzukii were analyzed. In both species, the composition of the CHCs of larvae was similar to that of adults, although quantities present were much lower. Furthermore, the CHC profiles of the two species were markedly different. However, when assayed as deterrents in the laboratory choice test experiment, CHC extracts from D. melanogaster did not deter oviposition by D. suzukii.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bethan Shaw
- NIAB, East Malling, West Malling ME19 6BJ, UK; (T.D.T.); (B.S.)
| | | | - David R. Hall
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Southampton ME4 4TB, UK; (D.R.H.); (D.P.B.); (S.J.H.); (D.I.F.)
| | - Daniel P. Bray
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Southampton ME4 4TB, UK; (D.R.H.); (D.P.B.); (S.J.H.); (D.I.F.)
| | - Steven J. Harte
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Southampton ME4 4TB, UK; (D.R.H.); (D.P.B.); (S.J.H.); (D.I.F.)
| | - Dudley I. Farman
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Southampton ME4 4TB, UK; (D.R.H.); (D.P.B.); (S.J.H.); (D.I.F.)
| | - Herman Wijnen
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK;
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A viral mutualist employs posthatch transmission for vertical and horizontal spread among parasitoid wasps. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2120048119. [PMID: 35412888 PMCID: PMC9169864 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2120048119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutualistic viruses remain a rarity among known animal–microbe symbioses. Yet, several beneficial viruses have been identified within insects called parasitoid wasps. Most of these viral entities are permanent components of wasp genomes. However, a mutualistic poxvirus found within Diachasmimorpha longicaudata wasps maintains an independent genome and may therefore behave in ways more similar to cellular microbial symbionts. In this study, we discovered unique properties of viral symbiont transmission, including an evolved dependence on parasitoid wasps for virus spread among fruit fly hosts and a distinct mode of faithful virus transmission among parasitoid wasps. These findings demonstrate that certain symbiont transmission pathways have arisen independently across disparate life forms to play pivotal roles in insect biology and evolution. Heritable symbionts display a wide variety of transmission strategies to travel from one insect generation to the next. Parasitoid wasps, one of the most diverse insect groups, maintain several heritable associations with viruses that are beneficial for wasp survival during their development as parasites of other insects. Most of these beneficial viral entities are strictly transmitted through the wasp germline as endogenous viral elements within wasp genomes. However, a beneficial poxvirus inherited by Diachasmimorpha longicaudata wasps, known as Diachasmimorpha longicaudata entomopoxvirus (DlEPV), is not integrated into the wasp genome and therefore may employ different tactics to infect future wasp generations. Here, we demonstrated that transmission of DlEPV is primarily dependent on parasitoid wasps, since viral transmission within fruit fly hosts of the wasps was limited to injection of the virus directly into the larval fly body cavity. Additionally, we uncovered a previously undocumented form of posthatch transmission for a mutualistic virus that entails external acquisition and localization of the virus within the adult wasp venom gland. We showed that this route is extremely effective for vertical and horizontal transmission of the virus within D. longicaudata wasps. Furthermore, the beneficial phenotype provided by DlEPV during parasitism was also transmitted with perfect efficiency, indicating an effective mode of symbiont spread to the advantage of infected wasps. These results provide insight into the transmission of beneficial viruses among insects and indicate that viruses can share features with cellular microbes during their evolutionary transitions into symbionts.
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7
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Bittern J, Praetz M, Baldenius M, Klämbt C. Long-Term Observation of Locomotion of Drosophila Larvae Facilitates Feasibility of Food-Choice Assays. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2100938. [PMID: 34365739 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202100938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Animal behavior is reflected by locomotor patterns. To decipher the underlying neural circuitry locomotion has to be monitored over often longer time periods. Here a simple adaptation is described to constrain movement of third instar Drosophila larvae to a defined area and use Frustrated total internal reflection based imaging method (FIM) imaging to monitor larval movements up to 1 h. It is demonstrated that the combination of FIM imaging and long analysis periods facilitates the conduction of food choice assays and provides the means to easily quantify food preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Bittern
- Institut für Neuro-und Verhaltensbiologie, Badestr. 9, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Marit Praetz
- Institut für Neuro-und Verhaltensbiologie, Badestr. 9, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Marie Baldenius
- Institut für Neuro-und Verhaltensbiologie, Badestr. 9, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Klämbt
- Institut für Neuro-und Verhaltensbiologie, Badestr. 9, 48149, Münster, Germany
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8
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Scott AM, Dworkin I, Dukas R. Evolution of sociability by artificial selection. Evolution 2021; 76:541-553. [PMID: 34605553 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
There has been extensive research on the ecology and evolution of social life in animals that live in groups. Less attention, however, has been devoted to apparently solitary species, even though recent research indicates that they also possess complex social behaviors. To address this knowledge gap, we artificially selected on sociability, defined as the tendency to engage in nonaggressive activities with others, in fruit flies. Our goal was to quantify the factors that determine the level of sociability and the traits correlated with this feature. After 25 generations of selection, the high-sociability lineages showed sociability scores about 50% higher than did the low-sociability lineages. Experiments using the evolved lineages indicated that there were no differences in mating success between flies from the low and high lineages. Both males and females from the low lineages, however, were more aggressive than males and females from the high lineages. Finally, the evolved lineages maintained their sociability scores after 10 generations of relaxed selection, suggesting no costs to maintaining low and high sociability, at least under our settings. Sociability is a complex trait, which we currently assess through genomic work on the evolved lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Scott
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Ian Dworkin
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
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9
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Girardeau AR, Foley BR, Saltz JB. Comparing single- and mixed-species groups in fruit flies: differences in group dynamics, but not group formation. J Hered 2021; 113:16-25. [PMID: 34453172 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed-species groups describe active associations among individuals of 2 or more species at the same trophic level. Mixed-species groups are important to key ecological and evolutionary processes such as competition and predation, and research that ignores the presence of other species risks ignoring a key aspect of the environment in which social behavior is expressed and selected. Despite the defining emphasis of active formation for mixed-species groups, surprisingly little is known about the mechanisms by which mixed-species groups form. Furthermore, insects have been almost completely ignored in the study of mixed-species groups, despite their taxonomic importance and relative prominence in the study of single-species groups. Here, we measured group formation processes in Drosophila melanogaster and its sister species, Drosophila simulans. Each species was studied alone, and together, and one population of D. melanogaster was also studied both alone and with another, phenotypically distinct D. melanogaster population, in a nested-factorial design. This approach differs from typical methods of studying mixed-species groups in that we could quantitatively compare group formation between single-population, mixed-population, and mixed-species treatments. Surprisingly, we found no differences between treatments in the number, size, or composition of groups that formed, suggesting that single- and mixed-species groups form through similar mechanisms of active attraction. However, we found that mixed-species groups showed elevated interspecies male-male interactions, relative to interpopulation or intergenotype interactions in single-species groups. Our findings expand the conceptual and taxonomic study of mixed-species groups while raising new questions about the mechanisms of group formation broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brad R Foley
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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10
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McKinney RM, Valdez R, Ben-Shahar Y. The genetic architecture of larval aggregation behavior in Drosophila. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:274-284. [PMID: 33629904 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1887174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Many insect species exhibit basal social behaviors such as aggregation, which play important roles in their feeding and mating ecologies. However, the evolutionary, genetic, and physiological mechanisms that regulate insect aggregation remain unknown for most species. Here, we used natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster to identify the genetic architecture that drives larval aggregation feeding behavior. By using quantitative and reverse genetic approaches, we have identified a complex neurogenetic network that plays a role in regulating the decision of larvae to feed in either solitude or as a group. Results from single gene, RNAi-knockdown experiments show that several of the identified genes represent key nodes in the genetic network that determines the level of aggregation while feeding. Furthermore, we show that a single non-coding variant in the gene CG14205, a putative acyltransferase, is associated with both decreased mRNA expression and increased aggregate formation, which suggests that it has a specific role in inhibiting aggregation behavior. Our results identify, for the first time, the genetic components which interact to regulate naturally occurring levels of aggregation in D. melanogaster larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross M McKinney
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryan Valdez
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yehuda Ben-Shahar
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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11
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Abstract
The past 2 decades have seen fruit flies being widely adopted for research on social behavior and aggression. This fruitful research, however, has not been well tied to fruit flies' natural history. To address this knowledge gap, I conducted a field study. My goal was to inform future research conducted in artificial surroundings, and to inspire new investigations that can rely more heavily on fruit flies' actual natural behavior. My two main novel findings were first, that flies in the field showed significant sociability, as they formed social groups rather than dispersed randomly among fruits of similar quality. Second, males showed fair levels of aggression towards each other as indicated by a lunging rate of 17 per hour, and lower rates of wing threat and boxing. Courtship was the most prominent activity on fruits, with females rejecting almost all males' advances. This resulted in an estimated mating rate of 0.6 per female per day. Flies showed a striking peak of activity early in the mornings, even at cold temperatures, followed by inactivity for much of the day and night. Flies, however, handled well high temperatures approaching 40 °C by hiding away from fruit and concentrating activity in the cooler, early mornings. My field work highlights a few promising lines of future research informed by fruit flies' natural history. Most importantly, we do not understand the intriguing dynamics that generate significant sociability despite frequent aggressive interactions on fruits. Males' responses to female rejection signals varied widely, perhaps because the signals differed in information content perceived by flies but not humans. Finally, flies tolerated cold early mornings perhaps owing to fitness benefits associated with increased mating and feeding opportunities at this time. Flies were adept at handling very high temperatures under the natural daily temperature fluctuations and availability of shelters, and this can inform more realistic research on the effects of global warming on animals in their natural settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
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12
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Dombrovski M, Condron B. Critical periods shaping the social brain: A perspective from Drosophila. Bioessays 2020; 43:e2000246. [PMID: 33215730 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Many sensory processing regions of the central brain undergo critical periods of experience-dependent plasticity. During this time ethologically relevant information shapes circuit structure and function. The mechanisms that control critical period timing and duration are poorly understood, and this is of special importance for those later periods of development, which often give rise to complex cognitive functions such as social behavior. Here, we review recent findings in Drosophila, an organism that has some unique experimental advantages, and introduce novel views for manipulating plasticity in the post-embryonic brain. Critical periods in larval and young adult flies resemble classic vertebrate models with distinct onset and termination, display clear connections with complex behaviors, and provide opportunities to control the time course of plasticity. These findings may extend our knowledge about mechanisms underlying extension and reopening of critical periods, a concept that has great relevance to many human neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dombrovski
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Barry Condron
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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13
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Klibaite U, Shaevitz JW. Paired fruit flies synchronize behavior: Uncovering social interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008230. [PMID: 33021989 PMCID: PMC7567355 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors are ubiquitous and crucial to an animal's survival and success. The behaviors an animal performs in a social setting are affected by internal factors, inputs from the environment, and interactions with others. To quantify social behaviors, we need to measure both the stochastic nature of the behavior of isolated individuals and how this behavioral repertoire changes as a function of the environment and interactions between individuals. We probed the behavior of male and female fruit flies in a circular arena as individuals and within all possible pairings. By combining measurements of the animals' position in the arena with an unsupervised analysis of their behaviors, we define the effects of position in the environment and the presence of a partner on locomotion, grooming, singing, and other behaviors that make up an animal's repertoire. We find that geometric context tunes behavioral preference, pairs of animals synchronize their behavioral preferences across shared trials, and paired individuals display signatures of behavioral mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugne Klibaite
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua W Shaevitz
- Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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14
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Dombrovski M, Kuhar R, Mitchell A, Shelton H, Condron B. Cooperative foraging during larval stage affects fitness in Drosophila. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:743-755. [PMID: 32623493 PMCID: PMC7392940 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-020-01434-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cooperative behavior can confer advantages to animals. This is especially true for cooperative foraging which provides fitness benefits through more efficient acquisition and consumption of food. While examples of group foraging have been widely described, the principles governing formation of such aggregations and rules that determine group membership remain poorly understood. Here, we take advantage of an experimental model system featuring cooperative foraging behavior in Drosophila. Under crowded conditions, fly larvae form coordinated digging groups (clusters), where individuals are linked together by sensory cues and group membership requires prior experience. However, fitness benefits of Drosophila larval clustering remain unknown. We demonstrate that animals raised in crowded conditions on food partially processed by other larvae experience a developmental delay presumably due to the decreased nutritional value of the substrate. Intriguingly, same conditions promote the formation of cooperative foraging clusters which further extends larval stage compared to non-clustering animals. Remarkably, this developmental retardation also results in a relative increase in wing size, serving an indicator of adult fitness. Thus, we find that the clustering-induced developmental delay is accompanied by fitness benefits. Therefore, cooperative foraging, while delaying development, may have evolved to give Drosophila larvae benefits when presented with competition for limited food resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Dombrovski
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, HHMI, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Rives Kuhar
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA
| | - Alexandra Mitchell
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA
| | - Hunter Shelton
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA
| | - Barry Condron
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA.
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15
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Roell T, Michels Bianchi F, Leite Kochenborger AP, Campos LA. External morphology of the abdominal glands in Asopinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2020; 57:100946. [PMID: 32387980 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2020.100946] [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: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Heteropterans communicate chemically through thoracic or abdominal glandular complexes. The dorso-abdominal scent glands (DAGs) are externalized by cuticular specialized structures forming the external scent efferent system (SES). Different groups in Heteroptera present other glands, such as the Asopinae (Pentatomidae), whose males can have ventral abdominal pheromonal glands externalized by cuticular modifications, called glandular patches (GPs). Here we describe the SES of DAGs and, for the first time, the GPs of 22 Asopinae genera. The ostioles of SES 1 vary in shape. SES 2 and SES 3 were restricted to scars, indicating that only the SES 1 remains functional in adults. The GPs are found mostly in segments V and VI. We have not found any difference in the morphological pattern between the SES of species bearing GPs and those lacking it, meaning that the acquisition of GPs is likely related to some sexual behavior, thus not as a complex structure replacing any role of the DAGs. The cuticle of the GPs is microsculptured, bearing many pores surrounding the base of sensilla being the pathway for the secretions to reach the outside of the exoskeleton. The sensilla may be adaptations to increase the contact surface, assisting rapid evaporation of the volatile secretions from the pores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita Roell
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brasil.
| | - Filipe Michels Bianchi
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brasil
| | - Ana Paula Leite Kochenborger
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brasil
| | - Luiz Alexandre Campos
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Agronomia, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501-970, Brasil
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16
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Malek HL, Long TAF. On the use of private versus social information in oviposition site choice decisions by Drosophila melanogaster females. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Individuals are faced with decisions throughout their lifetimes, and the choices they make often have important consequences toward their fitness. Being able to discern which available option is best to pursue often incurs sampling costs, which may be largely avoided by copying the behavior and decisions of others. Although social learning and copying behaviors are widespread, much remains unknown about how effective and adaptive copying behavior is, as well as the factors that underlie its expression. Recently, it has been suggested that since female fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) appear to rely heavily on public information when selecting oviposition sites, they are a promising model system for researching patch-choice copying, and more generally, the mechanisms that control decision making. Here, we set out to determine how well female distinguish between socially produced cues, and whether females are using “relevant” signals when choosing an oviposition site. We found that females showed a strong preference for ovipositing on media patches that had been previously occupied by ovipositing females of the same species and diet over other female outgroups. However, in a separate assay, we observed that females favored ovipositing on media patches that previously housed virgin males over those exhibiting alternative conspecific signals. Our results confirm that females use cues left behind by other flies when choosing between potential oviposition sites, though their prioritization of these signals raises serious questions as to whether fruit flies are employing copying behavior, or are instead responding to signals that may not be of relevance to oviposition site suitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Malek
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tristan A F Long
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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17
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Rooke R, Rasool A, Schneider J, Levine JD. Drosophila melanogaster behaviour changes in different social environments based on group size and density. Commun Biol 2020; 3:304. [PMID: 32533063 PMCID: PMC7293324 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1024-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Many organisms, when alone, behave differently from when they are among a crowd. Drosophila similarly display social behaviour and collective behaviour dynamics within groups not seen in individuals. In flies, these emergent behaviours may be in response to the global size of the group or local nearest-neighbour density. Here we investigate i) which aspect of social life flies respond to: group size, density, or both and ii) whether behavioural changes within the group are dependent on olfactory support cells. Behavioural assays demonstrate that flies adjust their interactive behaviour to group size but otherwise compensate for density by achieving a standard rate of movement, suggesting that individuals are aware of the number of others within their group. We show that olfactory support cells are necessary for flies to behave normally in large groups. These findings shed insight into the subtle and complex life of Drosophila within a social setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Rooke
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Amara Rasool
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jonathan Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Joel D Levine
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd. North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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18
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Jezovit JA, Rooke R, Schneider J, Levine JD. Behavioral and environmental contributions to drosophilid social networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:11573-11583. [PMID: 32404421 PMCID: PMC7261129 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1920642117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals interact with each other in species-specific reproducible patterns. These patterns of organization are captured by social network analysis, and social interaction networks (SINs) have been described for a wide variety of species including fish, insects, birds, and mammals. The aim of this study is to understand the evolution of social organization in Drosophila Using a comparative ecological, phylogenetic, and behavioral approach, the different properties of SINs formed by 20 drosophilids were compared. We investigate whether drosophilid network structures arise from common ancestry, a response to the species' past climate, other social behaviors, or a combination of these factors. This study shows that differences in past climate predicted the species' current SIN properties. The drosophilid phylogeny offered no value to predicting species' differences in SINs through phylogenetic signal tests. This suggests that group-level social behaviors in drosophilid species are shaped by divergent climates. However, we find that the social distance at which flies interact correlated with the drosophilid phylogeny, indicating that behavioral elements of SINs have remained largely unchanged in their evolutionary history. We find a significant correlation of leg length to social distance, outlining the interdependence of anatomy and complex social structures. Although SINs display a complex evolutionary relationship across drosophilids, this study suggests that the ecology, and not common ancestry, contributes to diversity in social structure in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A Jezovit
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Rebecca Rooke
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jonathan Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Joel D Levine
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
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19
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Individual, but not population asymmetries, are modulated by social environment and genotype in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4480. [PMID: 32161330 PMCID: PMC7066193 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61410-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that social interactions can induce an alignment of behavioral asymmetries between individuals (i.e., population-level lateralization), but evidence for this effect is mixed. To understand how interaction with other individuals affects behavioral asymmetries, we systematically manipulated the social environment of Drosophila melanogaster, testing individual flies and dyads (female-male, female-female and male-male pairs). In these social contexts we measured individual and population asymmetries in individual behaviors (circling asymmetry, wing use) and dyadic behaviors (relative position and orientation between two flies) in five different genotypes. We reasoned that if coordination between individuals drives alignment of behavioral asymmetries, greater alignment at the population-level should be observed in social contexts compared to solitary individuals. We observed that the presence of other individuals influenced the behavior and position of flies but had unexpected effects on individual and population asymmetries: individual-level asymmetries were strong and modulated by the social context but population-level asymmetries were mild or absent. Moreover, the strength of individual-level asymmetries differed between strains, but this was not the case for population-level asymmetries. These findings suggest that the degree of social interaction found in Drosophila is insufficient to drive population-level behavioral asymmetries.
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20
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Ferreira CH, Moita MA. What can a non-eusocial insect tell us about the neural basis of group behaviour? CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 36:118-124. [PMID: 31563022 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Group behaviour has been extensively studied in canonically social swarming, shoaling and flocking vertebrates and invertebrates, providing great insight into the behavioural and ecological aspects of group living. However, the search for its neuronal basis is lagging behind. In the natural environment, Drosophila melanogaster, increasingly used as a model to study neuronal circuits and behaviour, spend their lives surrounded by several conspecifics of different stages, as well as heterospecifics. Despite their dynamic multi-organism natural environment, the neuronal basis of social behaviours has been typically studied in dyadic interactions, such as mating or aggression. This review will focus on recent studies regarding how the behaviour of fruit flies can be shaped by the nature of the surrounding group. We argue that the rich social environment of Drosophila melanogaster, its arsenal of neurogenetic tools and the ability to use large sample sizes for detailed quantitative behavioural analysis makes this species ideal for mechanistic studies of group behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara H Ferreira
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Marta A Moita
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
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21
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Community through Culture: From Insects to Whales. Bioessays 2019; 41:e1900060. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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22
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Khodaei L, Long TAF. Kin recognition and co-operative foraging in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:1352-1361. [PMID: 31454451 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A long-standing goal for biologists and social scientists is to understand the factors that lead to the evolution and maintenance of co-operative behaviour between conspecifics. To that end, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is becoming an increasingly popular model species to study sociality; however, most of the research to date has focused on adult behaviours. In this study, we set out to examine group-feeding behaviour by larvae and to determine whether the degree of relatedness between individuals mediates the expression co-operation. In a series of assays, we manipulated the average degree of relatedness in groups of third-instar larvae that were faced with resource scarcity, and measured the size, frequency and composition of feeding clusters, as well as the fitness benefits associated with co-operation. Our results suggest that larval D. melanogaster are capable of kin recognition (something that has not been previously described in this species), as clusters were more numerous, larger and involved more larvae, when more closely related kin were present in the social environment. These findings are discussed in the context of the correlated fitness-associated benefits of co-operation, the potential mechanisms by which individuals may recognize kin, and how that kinship may play an important role in facilitating the manifestation of this co-operative behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Khodaei
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Tristan A F Long
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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23
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Brenman-Suttner DB, Yost RT, Frame AK, Robinson JW, Moehring AJ, Simon AF. Social behavior and aging: A fly model. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 19:e12598. [PMID: 31286644 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The field of behavioral genetics has recently begun to explore the effect of age on social behaviors. Such studies are particularly important, as certain neuropsychiatric disorders with abnormal social interactions, like autism and schizophrenia, have been linked to older parents. Appropriate social interaction can also have a positive impact on longevity, and is associated with successful aging in humans. Currently, there are few genetic models for understanding the effect of aging on social behavior and its potential transgenerational inheritance. The fly is emerging as a powerful model for identifying the basic molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss these recent advancements, with a focus on how studies in Drosophila melanogaster have provided insight into the effect of aging on aspects of social behavior, including across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dova B Brenman-Suttner
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryley T Yost
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ariel K Frame
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Wesley Robinson
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amanda J Moehring
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne F Simon
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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24
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Kudow N, Kamikouchi A, Tanimura T. Softness sensing and learning in Drosophila larvae. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.196329. [PMID: 30833462 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.196329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Mechanosensation provides animals with important sensory information in addition to olfaction and gustation during feeding behavior. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster larvae to investigate the role of softness sensing in behavior and learning. In the natural environment, larvae need to dig into soft foods for feeding. Finding foods that are soft enough to dig into is likely to be essential for their survival. We report that larvae can discriminate between different agar concentrations and prefer softer agar. Interestingly, we show that larvae on a harder surface search for a softer surface using memory associated with an odor, and that they evaluate foods by balancing softness and sweetness. These findings suggest that larvae integrate mechanosensory information with chemosensory input while foraging. Moreover, we found that the larval preference for softness is affected by genetic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Kudow
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.,Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Teiichi Tanimura
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan .,Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.,Department of Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
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25
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Fleischer J, Krieger J. Insect Pheromone Receptors - Key Elements in Sensing Intraspecific Chemical Signals. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:425. [PMID: 30515079 PMCID: PMC6255830 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemicals that serve intraspecific communication. In animals, the ability to detect and discriminate pheromones in a complex chemical environment substantially contributes to the survival of the species. Insects widely use pheromones to attract mating partners, to alarm conspecifics or to mark paths to rich food sources. The various functional roles of pheromones for insects are reflected by the chemical diversity of pheromonal compounds. The precise detection of the relevant intraspecific signals is accomplished by specialized chemosensory neurons housed in hair-like sensilla located on the surface of body appendages. Current data indicate that the extraordinary sensitivity and selectivity of the pheromone-responsive neurons (PRNs) is largely based on specific pheromone receptors (PRs) residing in their ciliary membrane. Besides these key elements, proper ligand-induced responses of PR-expressing neurons appear to generally require a putative co-receptor, the so-called "sensory neuron membrane protein 1" (SNMP1). Regarding the PR-mediated chemo-electrical signal transduction processes in insect PRNs, ionotropic as well as metabotropic mechanisms may be involved. In this review, we summarize and discuss current knowledge on the peripheral detection of pheromones in the olfactory system of insects with a focus on PRs and their specific role in the recognition and transduction of volatile intraspecific chemical signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Fleischer
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology/Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krieger
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology/Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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26
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Raquin V, Henri H, Vallat M, Leulier F, Gibert P, Kremer N. Development of a PCR-RFLP assay to identify Drosophila melanogaster among field-collected larvae. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:10067-10074. [PMID: 30397448 PMCID: PMC6206224 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism to study several aspects of metazoan biology. Most of the work has been conducted in adult fruit flies, including laboratory and field-derived specimens, but Drosophila melanogaster larvae recently became a valuable model to better understand animal physiology, development, or host-microbe interactions. While adult flies can be easily assigned to a given Drosophila species based on morphological characteristics, such visual identification is more intricate at the larval stage. This could explain the limited number of studies focusing on larvae, especially field-derived samples. Here, we developed a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay that discriminates D. melanogaster from other ecologically relevant Drosophila species at the larval stage. The method, which targets the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, was validated using laboratory-derived larvae from seven D. melanogaster populations originating from different geographic areas as well as six Drosophila species. We further validated this PCR-RFLP assay in a natural context, by identifying wild larvae collected in two locations in France. Notably, among all PCR-RFLP profiles that matched the D. melanogaster species, 100% were correctly identified, as confirmed by COI sequencing. In summary, our work provides a rapid, simple, and accurate molecular tool to identify D. melanogaster from field-collected larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Raquin
- Université de LyonUniversité Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558VilleurbanneFrance
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL)Université de LyonEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonCNRS UMR 5242Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1LyonFrance
| | - Hélène Henri
- Université de LyonUniversité Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558VilleurbanneFrance
| | - Marine Vallat
- Université de LyonUniversité Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558VilleurbanneFrance
| | - François Leulier
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL)Université de LyonEcole Normale Supérieure de LyonCNRS UMR 5242Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1LyonFrance
| | - Patricia Gibert
- Université de LyonUniversité Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558VilleurbanneFrance
| | - Natacha Kremer
- Université de LyonUniversité Lyon 1CNRSLaboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive UMR 5558VilleurbanneFrance
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27
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Scanvion Q, Hédouin V, Charabidzé D. Collective exodigestion favours blow fly colonization and development on fresh carcasses. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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28
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Scott AM, Dworkin I, Dukas R. Sociability in Fruit Flies: Genetic Variation, Heritability and Plasticity. Behav Genet 2018; 48:247-258. [PMID: 29682673 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-018-9901-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Sociability, defined as individuals' propensity to participate in non-aggressive activities with conspecifics, is a fundamental feature of behavior in many animals including humans. However, we still have a limited knowledge of the mechanisms and evolutionary biology of sociability. To enhance our understanding, we developed a new protocol to quantify sociability in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). In a series of experiments with 59 F1 hybrids derived from inbred lines, we documented, first, significant genetic variation in sociability in both males and females, with broad-sense heritabilities of 0.24 and 0.21 respectively. Second, we observed little genetic correlation in sociability between the sexes. Third, we found genetic variation in social plasticity among the hybrids, with a broad-sense heritability of ~0.24. That is, genotypes differed in the degree of sociability after experiencing the same relevant social experience. Our data pave the way for further research on the mechanisms that underlie sociability as well as its ecological and evolutionary consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Scott
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Ian Dworkin
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
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29
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Yew JY, Chung H. Drosophila as a holistic model for insect pheromone signaling and processing. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:15-20. [PMID: 29208218 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, research into the chemical ecology of the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has yielded a wealth of information on the neural substrates that detect and process pheromones and control behavior. The studies reveal at the cellular and molecular level how behavioral responses to pheromones are initiated and modulated by social, environmental, and physiological factors. By taking into account both the complexity of the chemical world and the intricacies of the animal's physiological state, the emerging holistic perspective provides insight not only into chemical communication but more generally, how organisms balance internal and external signals when making behavioral decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Y Yew
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 1993 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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30
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Louis M, de Polavieja G. Collective Behavior: Social Digging in Drosophila Larvae. Curr Biol 2017; 27:R1010-R1012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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31
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Dombrovski M, Poussard L, Moalem K, Kmecova L, Hogan N, Schott E, Vaccari A, Acton S, Condron B. Cooperative Behavior Emerges among Drosophila Larvae. Curr Biol 2017; 27:2821-2826.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.07.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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32
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Anderson BB, Scott A, Dukas R. Indirect genetic effects on the sociability of several group members. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Ramdya P, Schneider J, Levine JD. The neurogenetics of group behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:35-41. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.141457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Organisms rarely act in isolation. Their decisions and movements are often heavily influenced by direct and indirect interactions with conspecifics. For example, we each represent a single node within a social network of family and friends, and an even larger network of strangers. This group membership can affect our opinions and actions. Similarly, when in a crowd, we often coordinate our movements with others like fish in a school, or birds in a flock. Contributions of the group to individual behaviors are observed across a wide variety of taxa but their biological mechanisms remain largely unknown. With the advent of powerful computational tools as well as the unparalleled genetic accessibility and surprisingly rich social life of Drosophila melanogaster, researchers now have a unique opportunity to investigate molecular and neuronal determinants of group behavior. Conserved mechanisms and/or selective pressures in D. melanogaster can likely inform a much wider phylogenetic scale. Here, we highlight two examples to illustrate how quantitative and genetic tools can be combined to uncover mechanisms of two group behaviors in D. melanogaster: social network formation and collective behavior. Lastly, we discuss future challenges towards a full understanding how coordinated brain activity across many individuals gives rise to the behavioral patterns of animal societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Ramdya
- Department of Biology and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91106, USA
| | - Jonathan Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, CanadaL5L1C6
| | - Joel D. Levine
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, CanadaL5L1C6
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Kohsaka H, Guertin PA, Nose A. Neural Circuits Underlying Fly Larval Locomotion. Curr Pharm Des 2017; 23:1722-1733. [PMID: 27928962 PMCID: PMC5470056 DOI: 10.2174/1381612822666161208120835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion is a complex motor behavior that may be expressed in different ways using a variety of strategies depending upon species and pathological or environmental conditions. Quadrupedal or bipedal walking, running, swimming, flying and gliding constitute some of the locomotor modes enabling the body, in all cases, to move from one place to another. Despite these apparent differences in modes of locomotion, both vertebrate and invertebrate species share, at least in part, comparable neural control mechanisms for locomotor rhythm and pattern generation and modulation. Significant advances have been made in recent years in studies of the genetic aspects of these control systems. Findings made specifically using Drosophila (fruit fly) models and preparations have contributed to further understanding of the key role of genes in locomotion. This review focuses on some of the main findings made in larval fruit flies while briefly summarizing the basic advantages of using this powerful animal model for studying the neural locomotor system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Kohsaka
- Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
| | - Pierre A. Guertin
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurosciences, Laval University, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Akinao Nose
- Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, University of Tokyo, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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35
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Moulton MJ, Letsou A. Modeling congenital disease and inborn errors of development in Drosophila melanogaster. Dis Model Mech 2016; 9:253-69. [PMID: 26935104 PMCID: PMC4826979 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.023564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fly models that faithfully recapitulate various aspects of human disease and human health-related biology are being used for research into disease diagnosis and prevention. Established and new genetic strategies in Drosophila have yielded numerous substantial successes in modeling congenital disorders or inborn errors of human development, as well as neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Moreover, although our ability to generate sequence datasets continues to outpace our ability to analyze these datasets, the development of high-throughput analysis platforms in Drosophila has provided access through the bottleneck in the identification of disease gene candidates. In this Review, we describe both the traditional and newer methods that are facilitating the incorporation of Drosophila into the human disease discovery process, with a focus on the models that have enhanced our understanding of human developmental disorders and congenital disease. Enviable features of the Drosophila experimental system, which make it particularly useful in facilitating the much anticipated move from genotype to phenotype (understanding and predicting phenotypes directly from the primary DNA sequence), include its genetic tractability, the low cost for high-throughput discovery, and a genome and underlying biology that are highly evolutionarily conserved. In embracing the fly in the human disease-gene discovery process, we can expect to speed up and reduce the cost of this process, allowing experimental scales that are not feasible and/or would be too costly in higher eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Moulton
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Room 5100, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5330, USA
| | - Anthea Letsou
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Room 5100, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5330, USA
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36
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Berh D, Risse B, Michels T, Otto N, Klambt C. An FIM-Based Long-Term In-Vial Monitoring System for Drosophila Larvae. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2016; 64:1862-1874. [PMID: 28113288 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2016.2628203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila larvae are an insightful model and the automated analysis of their behavior is an integral readout in behavioral biology. Current tracking systems, however, entail a disturbance of the animals, are labor-intensive, and cannot be easily used for long-term monitoring purposes. Here, we present a novel monitoring system for Drosophila larvae, which allows us to analyze the animals in cylindrical culture vials. By utilizing the frustrated total internal reflection in combination with a multi-camera/microcomputer setup, we image the complete housing vial surface and, thus, the larvae for days. We introduce a calibration scheme to stitch the images from the multi-camera system and unfold arbitrary cylindrical surfaces to support different vials. As a result, imaging and analysis of a whole population can be done implicitly. For the first time, this allows us to extract long-term activity quantities of larvae without disturbing the animals. We demonstrate the capabilities of this new setup by automatically quantifying the activity of multiple larvae moving in a vial. The accuracy of the system and the spatio-temporal resolution are sufficient to obtain motion trajectories and higher level features, such as body bending. This new setup can be used for in-vial activity monitoring and behavioral analysis and is capable of gathering millions of data points without both disturbing the animals and increasing labor time. In total, we have analyzed 107 671 frames resulting in 8650 trajectories, which are longer than 30 s, and obtained more than 4.2 × 106 measurements.
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37
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Brooks DS, Vishal K, Kawakami J, Bouyain S, Geisbrecht ER. Optimization of wrMTrck to monitor Drosophila larval locomotor activity. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 93-94:11-17. [PMID: 27430166 PMCID: PMC5722213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
An efficient and low-cost method of examining larval movement in Drosophila melanogaster is needed to study how mutations and/or alterations in the muscular, neural, and olfactory systems affect locomotor behavior. Here, we describe the implementation of wrMTrck, a freely available ImageJ plugin originally developed for examining multiple behavioral parameters in the nematode C. elegans. Our optimized method is rapid, reproducible and does not require automated microscope setups or the purchase of proprietary software. To demonstrate the utility of this method, we analyzed the velocity and crawling paths of two Drosophila mutants that affect muscle structure and/or function. Additionally, we show that this approach is useful for tracking the behavior of adult insects, including Tribolium castaneum and Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Brooks
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Kumar Vishal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
| | - Jessica Kawakami
- Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States
| | - Samuel Bouyain
- Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States
| | - Erika R Geisbrecht
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States.
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38
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Deus EG, Godoy WAC, Sousa MSM, Lopes GN, Jesus-Barros CR, Silva JG, Adaime R. Co-Infestation and Spatial Distribution of Bactrocera carambolae and Anastrepha spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Common Guava in the Eastern Amazon. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2016; 16:iew076. [PMID: 27638949 PMCID: PMC5026474 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iew076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/16/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Field infestation and spatial distribution of introduced Bactrocera carambolae Drew and Hancock and native species of Anastrepha in common guavas [Psidium guajava (L.)] were investigated in the eastern Amazon. Fruit sampling was carried out in the municipalities of Calçoene and Oiapoque in the state of Amapá, Brazil. The frequency distribution of larvae in fruit was fitted to the negative binomial distribution. Anastrepha striata was more abundant in both sampled areas in comparison to Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) and B. carambolae The frequency distribution analysis of adults revealed an aggregated pattern for B. carambolae as well as for A. fraterculus and Anastrepha striata Schiner, described by the negative binomial distribution. Although the populations of Anastrepha spp. may have suffered some impact due to the presence of B. carambolae, the results are still not robust enough to indicate effective reduction in the abundance of Anastrepha spp. caused by B. carambolae in a general sense. The high degree of aggregation observed for both species suggests interspecific co-occurrence with the simultaneous presence of both species in the analysed fruit. Moreover, a significant fraction of uninfested guavas also indicated absence of competitive displacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- E G Deus
- Universidade Federal do Amapá, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Rodovia JK, Km 4, Macapá, Amapá 68902-280, Brazil
| | - W A C Godoy
- Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz. Av. Pádua Dias, Piracicaba, São Paulo 13418-900, Brazil
| | - M S M Sousa
- Universidade Federal do Amapá, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional, Rodovia JK, Km 4, Macapá, Amapá 68902-280, Brazil
| | - G N Lopes
- Universidade Federal do Piauí, Rodovia Municipal Bom Jesus/Viana, Km 01, Bom Jesus, Piauí 64900-000, Brazil
| | | | - J G Silva
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662-900, Brazil
| | - R Adaime
- Universidade Federal do Amapá, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Tropical, Rodovia JK, Km 4, Macapá, Amapá 68902-280, Brazil Universidade Federal do Amapá, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento Regional, Rodovia JK, Km 4, Macapá, Amapá 68902-280, Brazil Embrapa Amapá, Rodovia JK, Km 5, Nº 2600, Macapá, Amapá 68903-419, Brazil
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39
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Interactions among Drosophila larvae before and during collision. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31564. [PMID: 27511760 PMCID: PMC4980675 DOI: 10.1038/srep31564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In populations of Drosophila larvae, both, an aggregation and a dispersal behavior can be observed. However, the mechanisms coordinating larval locomotion in respect to other animals, especially in close proximity and during/after physical contacts are currently only little understood. Here we test whether relevant information is perceived before or during larva-larva contacts, analyze its influence on behavior and ask whether larvae avoid or pursue collisions. Employing frustrated total internal reflection-based imaging (FIM) we first found that larvae visually detect other moving larvae in a narrow perceptive field and respond with characteristic escape reactions. To decipher larval locomotion not only before but also during the collision we utilized a two color FIM approach (FIM2c), which allowed to faithfully extract the posture and motion of colliding animals. We show that during collision, larval locomotion freezes and sensory information is sampled during a KISS phase (german: Kollisions Induziertes Stopp Syndrom or english: collision induced stop syndrome). Interestingly, larvae react differently to living, dead or artificial larvae, discriminate other Drosophila species and have an increased bending probability for a short period after the collision terminates. Thus, Drosophila larvae evolved means to specify behaviors in response to other larvae.
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40
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Anreiter I, Vasquez OE, Allen AM, Sokolowski MB. Foraging Path-length Protocol for Drosophila melanogaster Larvae. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27167330 DOI: 10.3791/53980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila melanogaster larval path-length phenotype is an established measure used to study the genetic and environmental contributions to behavioral variation. The larval path-length assay was developed to measure individual differences in foraging behavior that were later linked to the foraging gene. Larval path-length is an easily scored trait that facilitates the collection of large sample sizes, at minimal cost, for genetic screens. Here we provide a detailed description of the current protocol for the larval path-length assay first used by Sokolowski. The protocol details how to reproducibly handle test animals, perform the behavioral assay and analyze the data. An example of how the assay can be used to measure behavioral plasticity in response to environmental change, by manipulating feeding environment prior to performing the assay, is also provided. Finally, appropriate test design as well as environmental factors that can modify larval path-length such as food quality, developmental age and day effects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Anreiter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
| | - Oscar E Vasquez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
| | - Aaron M Allen
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto; Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research;
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41
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Lihoreau M, Clarke IM, Buhl C, Sumpter DJT, Simpson SJ. Collective selection of food patches in Drosophila. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:668-75. [PMID: 26747899 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.127431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a model organism for research on social interactions. Although recent studies have described how individuals interact on foods for nutrition and reproduction, the complex dynamics by which groups initially develop and disperse have received little attention. Here we investigated the dynamics of collective foraging decisions by D. melanogaster and their variation with group size and composition. Groups of adults and larvae facing a choice between two identical, nutritionally balanced food patches distributed themselves asymmetrically, thereby exploiting one patch more than the other. The speed of the collective decisions increased with group size, as a result of flies joining foods faster. However, smaller groups exhibited more pronounced distribution asymmetries than larger ones. Using computer simulations, we show how these non-linear phenomena can emerge from social attraction towards occupied food patches, whose effects add up or compete depending on group size. Our results open new opportunities for exploring complex dynamics of nutrient selection in simple and genetically tractable groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Lihoreau
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Ireni M Clarke
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Camille Buhl
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - David J T Sumpter
- Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, Uppsala 751 06, Sweden
| | - Stephen J Simpson
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
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42
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Lihoreau M, Poissonnier LA, Isabel G, Dussutour A. Drosophila females trade off good nutrition with high quality oviposition sites when choosing foods. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2514-24. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.142257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Animals, from insects to human, select foods to regulate their acquisition of key nutrients in amounts and balances maximising fitness. In species where the nutrition of juveniles depends on parents, adults must make challenging foraging decisions that simultaneously address their own nutrient needs as well as those of the progeny. Here we examined how fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster, a species where individuals eat and lay eggs in decaying fruits, integrate feeding decisions (individual nutrition) and oviposition decisions (offspring nutrition) when foraging. Using cafeteria assays with artificial diets varying in concentrations and ratios of protein to carbohydrates, we show that Drosophila females exhibit complex foraging patterns, alternating between laying eggs on high carbohydrate foods and feeding on foods with different nutrient contents depending on their own nutritional state. Although larvae showed faster development on high protein foods, both survival and learning performances were higher on balanced foods. We suggest that the apparent mismatch between the oviposition preference of females for high carbohydrate foods and the high performances of larvae on balanced foods reflects a natural situation where high carbohydrate ripened fruits gradually enrich in proteinaceous yeast as they start rotting, thereby yielding optimal nutrition for the developing larvae. Our findings that animals with rudimentary parental care uncouple feeding and egg-laying decisions in order to balance their own diet and provide a nutritionally optimal environment to their progeny reveals unsuspected levels of complexity in the nutritional ecology of parent-offspring interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Lihoreau
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, France
| | - Laure-Anne Poissonnier
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, France
- Current address: School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, 5005 12 SA, Australia
| | - Guillaume Isabel
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, France
| | - Audrey Dussutour
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse University, CNRS, UPS, France
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43
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Anderson BB, Scott A, Dukas R. Social behavior and activity are decoupled in larval and adult fruit flies. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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44
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Bretman A, Fricke C, Westmancoat JD, Chapman T. Effect of competitive cues on reproductive morphology and behavioral plasticity in male fruitflies. Behav Ecol 2015; 27:452-461. [PMID: 27004011 PMCID: PMC4797378 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity will be favored whenever there are significant fitness benefits of responding to environmental variation. The extent and nature of the plasticity that evolves depends on the rate of environmental fluctuations and the capacity to track and respond to that variability. Reproductive environments represent one arena in which changes can be rapid. The finding that males of many species show morphological, physiological, and behavioral plasticity in response to premating and postmating reproductive competition (RC) suggests that plasticity is broadly beneficial. The developmental environment is expected to accurately predict the average population level of RC but to be a relatively poor indicator of immediate RC at any particular mating. Therefore, we predict that manipulation of average RC during development should cause a response in plasticity "set" during development (e.g., size of adult reproductive structures), but not in flexible plasticity determined by the immediate adult environment (e.g., behavioral plasticity in mating duration). We tested this prediction in Drosophila melanogaster males by manipulating 2 independent cues of average RC during development: 1) larval density and 2) the presence or absence of adult males within larval culture vials. Consistent with the prediction, both manipulations resulted in the development of males with significantly larger adult accessory glands (although testis size decreased when males were added to culture vials). There was no effect on adult plasticity (mating duration, extended mating in response to rivals). The results suggest that males have evolved independent responses to long- and short-term variation in RC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Bretman
- School of Biology, University of Leeds , Manton Building, Leeds LS2 9JT , UK
| | - Claudia Fricke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster , Huefferstr. 1, 48149 Muenster , Germany , and
| | - James D Westmancoat
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia , Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ , UK
| | - Tracey Chapman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia , Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ , UK
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45
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Visual attraction in Drosophila larvae develops during a critical period and is modulated by crowding conditions. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2015; 201:1019-27. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-015-1034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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46
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Yew JY, Chung H. Insect pheromones: An overview of function, form, and discovery. Prog Lipid Res 2015; 59:88-105. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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47
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Leung JCK, Taylor-Kamall RW, Hilliker AJ, Rezai P. Agar-polydimethylsiloxane devices for quantitative investigation of oviposition behaviour of adult Drosophila melanogaster. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2015; 9:034112. [PMID: 26180569 PMCID: PMC4482806 DOI: 10.1063/1.4922737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a model organism and its behaviours including oviposition (egg-laying) on agar substrates have been widely used for assessment of a variety of biological processes in flies. Physical and chemical properties of the substrate are the dominant factors affecting Drosophila's oviposition, but they have not been investigated precisely and parametrically with the existing manual approaches. As a result, many behavioral questions about Drosophila oviposition, such as the combined effects of the aforementioned substrate properties (e.g., exposure area, sugar content, and stiffness) on oviposition and viability, and their threshold values, are yet to be answered. In this paper, we have devised a simple, easily implementable, and novel methodology that allows for modification of physical and chemical composition of agar substrates in order to quantitatively study survival and oviposition of adult fruit flies in an accurate and repeatable manner. Agar substrates have been modified by surface patterning using single and hexagonally arrayed through-hole polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes with various diameters and interspacing, as well as by substrate stiffness and sugar content modification via alteration of chemical components. While pure PDMS substrates showed a significant lethal effect on flies, a 0.5 mm diameter through-hole access to agar was found to abruptly increase the survival of adult flies to more than 93%. Flies avoided ovipositing on pure PDMS and on top of substrates with 0.5 mm diameter agar exposure areas. At a hole diameter of 2 mm (i.e., 0.25% exposure area) or larger, eggs were observed to be laid predominately inside the through-holes and along the edges of the PDMS-agar interface, showing a trending increase in site selection with 4 mm (i.e., 1% exposure area threshold) demonstrating natural oviposition rates similar to pure agar. The surface-modified agar-PDMS hybrid devices and the threshold values reported for the substrate physical and chemical conditions affecting oviposition are novel; therefore, we advocate their use for future in-depth studies of oviposition behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster with accuracy and repeatability. The technique is also useful for development of novel assays for learning and decision-making studies as well as miniaturized devices for self-assembly of eggs and embryonic developmental investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob C K Leung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University , Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | | | - Arthur J Hilliker
- Department of Biology, York University , Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University , Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
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48
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Mast JD, De Moraes CM, Alborn HT, Lavis LD, Stern DL. Evolved differences in larval social behavior mediated by novel pheromones. eLife 2014; 3:e04205. [PMID: 25497433 PMCID: PMC4270068 DOI: 10.7554/elife.04205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 10/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromones, chemical signals that convey social information, mediate many insect social behaviors, including navigation and aggregation. Several studies have suggested that behavior during the immature larval stages of Drosophila development is influenced by pheromones, but none of these compounds or the pheromone-receptor neurons that sense them have been identified. Here we report a larval pheromone-signaling pathway. We found that larvae produce two novel long-chain fatty acids that are attractive to other larvae. We identified a single larval chemosensory neuron that detects these molecules. Two members of the pickpocket family of DEG/ENaC channel subunits (ppk23 and ppk29) are required to respond to these pheromones. This pheromone system is evolving quickly, since the larval exudates of D. simulans, the sister species of D. melanogaster, are not attractive to other larvae. Our results define a new pheromone signaling system in Drosophila that shares characteristics with pheromone systems in a wide diversity of insects. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04205.001 The release of chemical signals called pheromones is a common tactic used by animals in many social situations, such as to attract potential mates or to follow trails left by other members of their colony. Larvae of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster—a species commonly studied in the laboratory—gather together when sharing a food source and then cooperate in a way that may increase how efficiently they feed. It has been proposed that pheromones coordinate this behavior, but no larval pheromones had been identified. Mast et al. noticed that Drosophila larvae crawling on a surface tended to occupy areas where other larvae had crawled before. This suggested that larvae had left attractive chemicals on the surface. Mast et al. identified two such substances by analyzing the chemicals left on the surface and then by testing the response of larvae to each compound. Ultimately, Mast et al. found that a single sensory neuron in the larva is responsible for detecting these attractive chemical signals. Furthermore, two genes called pickpocket23 and pickpocket29 control this response. These genes were previously known for their roles in detecting sex pheromones, and they are members of a diverse family of calcium channel subunits that are involved in detecting multiple ‘sensory modalities’ such as touch and taste. When either pickpocket23 or pickpocket29 are inactivated, larvae ignore the social cues left by their neighbors. Mast et al. also looked for an evolutionary role for these pheromones. Larvae of a closely related fly species called Drosophila simulans produce a subtly different blend of compounds to D. melanogaster, and this blend is not attractive to any of the species tested. While Drosophila simulans larvae were not attracted to the cues left by their own species, they were attracted to the pheromones produced by Drosophila melanogaster, indicating that they retain the sensory mechanisms to detect and respond to these pheromones. These results suggest that larvae experience a rapidly evolving, complex, pheromone-rich environment that may help them tailor their behavior to survive. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04205.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Mast
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | | | - Hans T Alborn
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, USDA-ARS, Gainesville, United States
| | - Luke D Lavis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
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Clark JT, Ray A. The taste of togetherness. eLife 2014; 3:e05490. [PMID: 25497434 PMCID: PMC4264403 DOI: 10.7554/elife.05490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The larvae of fruit flies produce pheromones to control whether they are attracted to others of the same species or whether they avoid members of a different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Trevorrow Clark
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, California, United States
| | - Anandasankar Ray
- Entomology Department, the Institute for Integrative Genome Biology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of California Riverside, California, United States,
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50
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Abstract
Many animals copy the choices of others but the functional and mechanistic explanations for copying are still not fully resolved. We relied on novel behavioral protocols to quantify the value of patch-choice copying in fruit flies. In a titration experiment, we quantified how much nutritional value females were willing to trade for laying eggs on patches already occupied by larvae (social patches). Females were highly sensitive to nutritional quality, which was positively associated with their offspring success. Females, however, perceived social, low-nutrition patches (33% of the nutrients) as equally valuable as non-social, high-nutrition ones (100% of the nutrients). In follow-up experiments, we could not, however, either find informational benefits from copying others or detect what females' offspring may gain from developing with older larvae. Because patch-choice copying in fruit flies is a robust phenomenon in spite of potential costs due to competition, we suggest that it is beneficial in natural settings, where fruit flies encounter complex dynamics of microbial communities, which include, in addition to the preferred yeast species they feed on, numerous harmful fungi and bacteria. We suggest that microbial ecology underlies many cases of copying in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Golden
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Reuven Dukas
- Animal Behaviour Group, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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