昆虫雄性生殖腺分泌物的功能

昆虫两性成功交配后,雄性生殖腺分泌物使雌性昆虫的生理和行为都发生了巨大的改变。昆虫雄性生殖腺分泌物含有多种具有生物活性的分子,这些生物活性分子通过成功交配转移到雌虫生殖道后,对雌虫的生殖活动产生影响,使交配雌虫一段时间内不再交配,使已转移的精子易于在雌虫生殖道内储藏,使卵与精子完成受精过程,还可刺激雌虫产卵和卵的发育,调控排卵和产卵等生殖过程。在精子的转移过程中,雄性生殖腺分泌物中的抗菌媒介质能使雌虫的生殖导管提供友好的环境。此外,一些昆虫的雄性生殖腺分泌物还含有一些有毒的化学物质,保护已产下的卵不被天敌取食和病原体侵染。     

菊方翅网蝽内生殖系统的结构与形态发育研究

一般认为网蝽科及其近缘类群所特有的伪储精囊与其它半翅目异翅亚目昆虫的储精囊具有相同的储存精子的功能,但近期的功能形态学研究否定了伪储精囊的储精功能并认定其为雌性生殖附腺。本文从成虫性成熟过程中的内生殖系统发育角度,描述了菊方翅网蝽Corythucha marmorata的卵巢、侧输卵管、伪储精囊、精巢、精囊和雄性生殖附腺的结构及其形态变化。在成虫性成熟过程中,雄虫内生殖器官精囊和雄性附腺逐渐加长,且成熟期的雄性附腺充满粉红色分泌物;雌虫内生殖器官的成熟过程分为卵巢小管的卵室形成、卵黄沉积和卵粒成熟三个阶段,且排完卵后卵巢重新孕卵,出现周期性形态变化;交配时侧输卵管基部膨大为精液接受器,并接受精液(含精子和精浆);交配1d后侧输卵管恢复为正常状态,精液或至少部分精浆弥漫性渗入伪储精囊,并在伪储精囊内形成黄棕色沉积核;未交配雌虫的伪储精囊一直保持透明状,而已交配雌虫的伪储精囊具有明显的黄棕色沉积核。据精液传递和粉红色雄性生殖附腺分泌物渗入雌虫伪储精囊两个关键证据推断,菊方翅网蝽雌虫的伪储精囊具有储存精液的功能。     

蜱雄性附腺分泌物及其功能的研究进展

交配是蜱类繁殖过程的关键环节,诱发雌蜱发生一系列的生理变化,并最终产卵。蜱雄性附腺分泌物在交配过程中发挥着重要作用,具有保护、活化精子,促进受精、卵巢发育和卵黄发生的功能,并对雌蜱的生殖生理行为等产生影响,如诱导雌蜱快速吸血和加速产卵。本文在简要分析蜱雄性附腺结构和分泌物生化特性基础上,系统阐述了蜱雄性附腺分泌物中各种功能因子的研究现状,着重论述其在精子获能、诱导雌蜱吸血、促进雌蜱卵巢发育和卵黄发生等方面的进展,并对未来研究提出了展望,以期为此领域的研究拓展思路。     

优雅蝈螽雌虫性选择

优雅蝈螽雌虫在交配过程中接受雄虫分泌的精包,并且在交配后一段时间内把精包吃掉。精包对雌虫的生殖是必需的,体重大的雄性分泌的精包较大。把2只鸣叫的且体重不同的雄虫放在一起,雌虫会选择体重大的个体交配。     

粘虫精液在雌体生殖系统中的分布转移及其作用

本文叙述了粘虫生殖系统各器官名称、功能及授精过程中精包的形成。并用P³²放射性同位素标记测量及大体放射自显影技术研究精液(包括黄色腺分泌物)在雌体生殖系统内的分布转移及作用。结果表明:(1)粘虫精液除从精包或交配囊内通过导精管转移至受精囊外,还进入卵巢管和粘液腺;并为卵吸收利用,具有促进雌虫卵巢发育的效应:(2)精液在雌体生殖系统中的转移,并非由于精子的可动性,而是由于交配雌虫生殖系统各器官有节奏地进行机械收缩。     

柑橘大实蝇的内生殖系统形态结构

柑橘大实蝇Bactrocera minax(Enderlein),是柑橘的重要害虫。本文基于光学显微镜、扫描电镜、石蜡切片观察,对柑橘大实蝇的内生殖系统形态结构进行研究。结果表明,柑橘大实蝇雌虫内生殖系统主要由卵巢、侧输卵管、中输卵管、受精囊、附腺、前生殖腔(包含布氏交配囊、桑葚腺、生殖腔片)、后生殖腔(阴道和产卵针)组成。雄虫内生殖系统主要由精巢、精泵、输精管、附腺、输入射精管、输出射精管、后附腺和阳茎组成。其雌虫有泄殖腔,位于产卵针前端稍后,雄虫无泄殖腔。雌虫前生殖腔表面被2对肌肉包裹,内部的布氏交配囊、桑葚腺和生殖腔片不易被观察。精泵是一个淡黄色球体,由射精突(精泵内骨骼)、肌纤维(肌肉)、射精囊组成。柑橘大实蝇的内生殖形系统形态结构或组织经过进化,从而适应其伪产卵器的运动、交配、产卵等行为机制。为理解昆虫繁殖生理、进化和多样性,以及昆虫的产卵、交配和代谢物排泄等行为机制提供理论基础。     

斑蜡蝉生殖系统的解剖与组织学

详细描述了斑蜡蝉两性生殖系统各部分的结构与组织学。精巢由6条互相分离的精巢管组成,而卵巢则含有14条典型的端滋式卵巢管。用组织化学方法测定了雄性附腺各段的分泌物的成分,它们分别构成精包、精液与精包鞘。订正了过去文献中关于雌性生殖系统某些部分的解释:过去误称为雌性附腺的其实是受精囊及其腺,而过去误称为受精囊的其实是接纳及消化精包的交配囊。受精囊腺的细胞具有一条曲折的细胞内分泌小管,贯穿内膜开口于腺腔。交配囊体及交配囊管上皮折突的内层为腺细胞,有孔道通过内膜与腔相通,它可以分泌一种(或多种)酶以消化精包。此外还从卵黄发生的速率与精包授精的关系,讨论了精包作为一种蛋白养料的来源,在雌虫营养与生殖上的重要性。     

棕尾别麻蝇雄性附腺分泌物的生理功能

棕尾别麻蝇Boettcherisca peregrina Robinean-Desvoidy雄性附腺的分泌物中包含许多生物活性分子,将成熟的雄性附腺分泌物注射到未交配的雌虫体内,发现其能影响雌虫生殖活性的很多方面:如降低雌虫的再次交配率;增加卵巢内的含卵量;缩短交配后雌虫的寿命。另外,还证明附腺分泌物中存在有可抑制革兰氏阳性菌的物质的存在。     

交配状态对雄性短翅鸣螽(Gampsocleis gratiosa)交配投资的影响

雄性短翅鸣螽在交配过程中具有较大的交配投资, 包括营养投资(精包)和遗传投资(精子)两部分. 考查在交配过程中雌雄交配状态的4种组合处理对雄性释放出的精包与其组分以及精子数量的影响发现: 精包和精护鲜重与雄性体重成正相关关系, 而与雌性体重不相关, 这说明雄性营养投资强度取决于雄性质量而非雌性质量, 该结果支持父方投资假说. 精包及其精护、精荚鲜重在4种交配状态组合条件下没有差异, 而精子数目在雄性第二次交配过程中比第一次显著降低; 雄性在与已交配雌虫配对时, 没有显著提高繁殖投资, 该结果不支持精子竞争假说.     

多次交配对小菜蛾精包形成与生殖力的影响

【目的】小菜蛾Plutella xylostella是主要为害十字花科作物的一种世界性害虫,强大的生殖能力是其成为田间最难防治的害虫的主要原因之一。交配是营两性生殖昆虫繁衍后代必要的一个生理过程,明确小菜蛾雌雄成虫的交配行为及交配后的生理响应,对于小菜蛾种群监测和综合防治具有重要意义。【方法】解剖观察小菜蛾成虫生殖腺及精包形成;利用行为学与生物学实验,测定和分析小菜蛾成虫交配与再交配能力、精包形成与消化,以及交配次数对精包形成以及雌虫生殖力的影响。【结果】小菜蛾雄成虫在交配过程中精液以精包的形式传递给雌成虫,在交配囊中精包呈白色、不透明、气球状结构,交配结束后精包可被充分消化和吸收。成虫交配能力观测结果显示,小菜蛾雌雄成虫均具有多次交配行为。首次交配后,雄成虫表现出短暂的再交配延迟,20 min内其交配成功率为54.6%,显著低于首次交配。虽然交配次数不会影响雄成虫的交配时长,但雄成虫交配史对其自身的精包大小以及雌成虫的生殖力均具有显著的抑制作用。雌成虫表现出明显的再交配抑制性,交配过的雌成虫在12 h内的交配率显著低于未交配雌成虫的,这可能取决于首次交配后精包的消化和吸收速率。雌成虫多次交配后,其产卵量和卵孵化率与单次交配的相比没有显著差异。【结论】多次交配会使小菜蛾雄成虫再交配延迟,雌成虫再交配受到抑制;多次交配产生的雄成虫精包显著减小,雌成虫产卵量与卵孵化率并没有从多次交配中获得收益。本研究为解析小菜蛾雌雄成虫生殖调控机制奠定理论基础。     

Drosophila males transfer antibacterial proteins from their accessory gland and ejaculatory duct to their mates

The male fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, transfers to his mate proteins that increase his reproductive success by causing changes in her behavior and physiology. Here we show that among the transferred proteins are ones with antibacterial activity. We performed Escherichia coli overlay assays of native PAGE or renatured SDS-PAGE of reproductive tissue extracts of wild-type or transgenic males deficient in accessory gland function. We detected a 28 kDa male accessory gland-derived protein and two ejaculatory duct-derived proteins all with antibacterial activity. Based on its gel mobility and tissue of synthesis, one of the ejaculatory duct proteins is likely to be andropin, a previously-reported 6 kDa antibacterial peptide. All three proteins are transferred to females during mating. Therefore, they could assist in protecting the male's reproductive tract and, after transfer to the female, the female's reproductive tract or eggs against bacterial infection. Since seminal fluid proteins are transferred before the sperm, these antibacterial proteins may also protect sperm from bacterial infection.     

Mating and hormonal triggers regulate accessory gland gene expression in male Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster males transfer accessory gland proteins, as part of their seminal fluid, to females during each mating. Since accessory gland proteins are important for male reproductive success, it is important that the male replenish the proteins he transferred during mating. Previous studies had shown that mating induces the resynthesis of accessory gland proteins, but since mating includes a set of stereotyped behavior patterns as well as the act of copulation, it was not known which aspect of the mating process induces accessory gland protein synthesis. By exposing males to females whose ovipositors had been sealed shut, we have shown that resynthesis of accessory gland proteins occurs only when seminal fluid is transferred to females. By applying juvenile hormone or 20-hydroxyecdysone topically to the cuticle of male flies, we showed that these hormones can act in vivo to stimulate the synthesis of accessory gland proteins to levels similar to those observed after mating.     

Honey bee males and queens use glandular secretions to enhance sperm viability before and after storage

Internal fertilization requires live sperm to be transferred from male to female before egg fertilization. Both males and females assist the insemination process by providing sperm with glandular secretions, which have been inferred to contain subsets of proteins that maintain sperm viability. Here we show that in the honeybee (Apis mellifera) secretions of the male accessory glands, the major contributors towards seminal fluid, enhance sperm survival. We further demonstrate that the protein fraction of the male accessory gland secretion is indeed important for achieving the maximal effect on sperm survival. After sperm storage, the queens also provide sperm with secretions from spermathecal glands and we show that these secretions have a comparable positive effect on sperm viability. SDS gels show that the proteomic profiles of accessory gland secretion and spermathecal fluid secretion hardly overlap, which suggests that males and females use different proteins to enhance sperm viability during, respectively, ejaculation and final sperm storage.     

Identity and transfer of male reproductive gland proteins of the dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti: potential tools for control of female feeding and reproduction

Male reproductive gland proteins (mRGPs) impact the physiology and/or behavior of mated females in a broad range of organisms. We sought to identify mRGPs of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses. Earlier studies with Ae. aegypti demonstrated that "matrone" (a partially purified male reproductive accessory gland substance) or male accessory gland fluid injected into virgin female Ae. aegypti affect female sexual refractoriness, blood feeding and digestion, flight, ovarian development, and oviposition. Using bioinformatic comparisons to Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland proteins and mass spectrometry of proteins from Ae. aegypti male accessory glands and ejaculatory ducts (AG/ED) and female reproductive tracts, we identified 63 new putative Ae. aegypti mRGPs. Twenty-one of these proteins were found in the reproductive tract of mated females but not of virgin females suggesting that they are transferred from males to females during mating. Most of the putative mRGPs fall into the same protein classes as mRGPs in other organisms, although some appear to be evolving rapidly and lack identifiable homologs in Culex pipiens, Anopheles gambiae, and D. melanogaster. Our results identify candidate male-derived molecules that may have an important influence on behavior, survival, and reproduction of female mosquitoes.     

Male accessory gland proteins in Drosophila: a multifaceted field [corrected

Male accessory gland in Drosophila is a secretory tissue of the reproductive system. The proteins synthesized in the accessory gland are tissue specific, stage specific-seen only during the adult stage and sex specific in the sense of male limited expression. These secretions that form a component of the seminal fluid are transferred to the female at the time of copulation and play an important role in reproduction. In conjunction with sperm, these secretory proteins assure reproductive success by reducing the female's receptivity to mating and escalating the rate of egg laying. Some of these proteins are antibacterial in nature with a likely function of protecting the female's genital tract against microbial infection during/after mating. Most of the genes involved in the synthesis of accessory gland proteins are autosomal but a few are still X-linked. Their male specific expression is achieved at the time of sex determination. The level of expression of these genes is dose dependent and they follow Mendelian pattern of segregation. Further, majority of these proteins are rapidly evolving with high rates of non-synonymous substitutions. In this review, by considering the work carried out in different fields, we have tried to generate a comprehensive picture about the male accessory gland and the role of its proteins in the reproduction of Drosophila.     

平疣桑椹石磺生殖系统结构及精子储存场所

雌雄同体贝类精子的储存和利用规律一直是国内外贝类生物学研究的难点之一,本文利用活体解剖、显微观察、组织切片和扫描电镜技术,综合研究了平疣桑椹石磺(Platevindex mortoni)的生殖系统及精子储存场所。结果显示,其生殖系统包括生殖器本部、雌性生殖部分和雄性生殖部分。生殖器本部由两性腺、两性输送管、蛋白腺、黏液腺、支囊组成;雌性生殖部分包括输卵管、受精囊、阴道,位于身体中后方体腔内;雄性生殖部分包括输精管、刺激器、阴茎、阴茎鞘和阴茎牵引肌,位于身体前端右侧体腔内;其阴茎有阴茎鞘,阴茎表面布满倒刺。平疣桑椹石磺阴茎为直线状,无雄性附属腺。未交配的性成熟个体支囊内充满细长精子,受精囊内无精子;而交配后充当雌性个体的支囊内均为细长的自体精子,受精囊内有大量活力较强的粗短精子,其支囊为自体精子的存储场所,而受精囊为异体精子的存储场所。其精子储运情况为:两性腺内精子成熟后暂存于支囊,交配时通过输精管运输至阴茎,由阴茎输送精子至对方的阴道,异体精子进入受精囊内存储待用。     

Male age and strain affect ejaculate quality in the Mexican fruit fly

Aging in all organisms is inevitable. Male age can have profound effects on mating success and female reproduction, yet relatively little is known on the effects of male age on different components of the ejaculate. Furthermore, in mass‐reared insects used for the Sterile Insect Technique, there are often behavioral differences between mass‐reared and wild males, while differences in the ejaculate have been less studied. The ejaculate in insects is composed mainly of sperm and accessory gland proteins. Here, we studied how male age and strain affected (i) protein quantity of testes and accessory glands, (ii) the biological activity of accessory gland products injected into females, (iii) sperm viability, and (iv) sperm quantity stored by females in wild and mass‐reared Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae). We found lower protein content in testes of old wild males and lower sperm viability in females mated with old wild males. Females stored more sperm when mated to young wild males than with young mass‐reared males. Accessory gland injections of old or young males did not inhibit female remating. Knowledge of how male age affects different ejaculate components will aid our understanding on investment of the ejaculate and possible postcopulatory consequences on female behavior.     

Seminal proteins but not sperm induce morphological changes in the Drosophila melanogaster female reproductive tract during sperm storage

In most insects, sperm transferred by the male to the female during mating are stored within the female reproductive tract for subsequent use in fertilization. In Drosophila melanogaster, male accessory gland proteins (Acps) within the seminal fluid are required for efficient accumulation of sperm in the female's sperm storage organs. To determine the events within the female reproductive tract that occur during sperm storage, and the role that Acps and sperm play in these events, we identified morphological changes that take place during sperm storage in females mated to wild-type, Acp-deficient or sperm-deficient males. A reproducible set of morphological changes occurs in a wild-type mating. These were categorized into 10 stereotypic stages. Sperm are not needed for progression through these stages in females, but receipt of Acps is essential for progression beyond the first few stages of morphological change. Furthermore, females that received small quantities of Acps reached slightly later stages than females that received no Acps. Our results suggest that timely morphological changes in the female reproductive tract, possibly muscular in nature, may be needed for successful sperm storage, and that Acps from the male are needed in order for these changes to occur.     

Structure of male accessory glands of Bolivarius siculus (fischer) (Orthoptera,Tettigoniidae) and protein analysis of their secretions

In Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera), male reproductive accessory glands are involved in the construction of a two‐part spermatophore; one part, the spermatophylax, is devoid of sperm and considered a nuptial gift. The morphology, ultrastructure, and secretion protein content of the male reproductive accessory glands from Bolivarius siculus were investigated. Two main groups of gland tubules open into the ejaculatory duct: the “first‐order” glands, a number of large anterior tubules, and the “second‐order” glands, smaller and more numerous tubules positioned posteriorly. Along with a further subdivision of the gland tubules, we here describe for the first time an additional gland group, the intermediate tubules, which open between first and second‐order glands. The mesoderm‐derived epithelium of all glands is a single layer of microvillated cells, which can be either flattened or cylindric in the proximal or distal region of the same gland. Epithelial cells, very rich in RER and Golgi systems, produce secretions of both electron‐dense granules and globules or electron‐transparent material, discharged into the gland lumen by apocrine or merocrine mechanisms, respectively. With one exception, a unique electrophoresis protein profile was displayed by each of the gland types, paralleling their unique morphologies. To assess the contribution of different types of accessory glands to the construction of the spermatophore, the protein patterns of the gland secretions were compared with those of the extracts from the two parts of the spermatophore. All samples showed bands distributed in a wide range of molecular weight, including proteins of very low molecular mass. However, one major high molecular weight protein band (>180 kDa) is seen exclusively in extracts from the first‐order glands, and corresponds to an important protein component of the spermatophylax. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.