Egg laying decisions in Drosophila are consistent with foraging costs of larval progeny

Decision-making is defined as selection amongst options based on their utility, in a flexible and context-dependent manner. Oviposition site selection by the female fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been suggested to be a simple and genetically tractable model for understanding the biological mechanisms that implement decisions. Paradoxically, female Drosophila have been found to avoid oviposition on sugar which contrasts with known Drosophila feeding preferences. Here we demonstrate that female Drosophila prefer egg laying on sugar, but this preference is sensitive to the size of the egg laying substrate. With larger experimental substrates, females preferred to lay eggs directly on sugar containing media over other (plain, bitter or salty) media. This was in contrast to smaller substrates with closely spaced choices where females preferred non-sweetened media. We show that in small egg laying chambers newly hatched first instar larvae are able to migrate along a diffusion gradient to the sugar side. In contrast, in contexts where females preferred egg laying directly on sugar, larvae were unable to migrate to find the sucrose if released on the sugar free side of the chamber. Thus, where larval foraging costs are high, female Drosophila choose to lay their eggs directly upon the nutritious sugar substrate. Our results offer a powerful model for female decision-making.     

Differential responses to artificial selection on oviposition site preferences in Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans

The preference–performance relationship in plant–insect interactions is a central theme in evolutionary ecology. Among many insects, eggs are vulnerable and larvae have limited mobility, making the choice of an appropriate oviposition site one of the most important decisions for a female. We investigated the evolution of oviposition preferences in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen and Drosophila simulans Sturtevant by artificially selecting for the preference for 2 natural resources, grape and quince. The main finding of our study is the differential responses of D. melanogaster and D. simulans. Although preferences evolved in the experimental populations of D. melanogaster, responses were not consistent with the selection regimes applied. In contrast, responses in D. simulans were consistent with expectations, demonstrating that this species has selectable genetic variation for the trait. Furthermore, crosses between D. simulans divergent lines showed that the genetic factors involved in grape preference appear to be largely recessive. In summary, our artificial selection study suggests that D. melanogaster and D. simulans possess different genetic architectures for this trait.     

Associations between female remating behavior, oogenesis and oviposition in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila pseudoobscura

An association between female remating behavior, oogenesis and oviposition was examined in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila pseudoobscura to investigate mechanisms that elicit remating. Females receptive to remating oviposited more eggs in both species; however, the species differed in the association between remating behavior and the number and distribution of oocyte stages. We found no differences in the number of either developing eggs of different stages or mature eggs between female D. pseudoobscura that were either receptive or nonreceptive to remating. In contrast, D. melanogaster females that are receptive to remating had significantly more mature eggs in the ovaries than nonreceptive females. Nonremating females had a significantly greater number of immature, vitellogenic oocytes. These results suggest that factors associated with oogenesis are related to female remating behavior in D. melanogaster but not in D. pseudoobscura. We discuss these results in conjunction with other evidence on the role male ejaculatory components play in mediating female remating behavior.     

短小乳杆菌的代谢产物对黑腹果蝇产卵选择性的影响

【目的】研究黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster对短小乳杆菌Lactobacillus brevis有氧与无氧代谢产物的产卵选择,并解析这些代谢产物影响果蝇产卵行为的机制和生物学意义。【方法】应用产卵双选择装置,检测成年雌果蝇产卵的选择行为;利用黑暗条件(暗盒)、嗅觉突变体和摘除前足味觉感受器的方式探究介导该行为的感觉系统;通过在不同浓度乳酸(0, 70, 280 mmol/L)的培养基上培养黑腹果蝇,探究乳酸对其后代的发育历期和存活率的影响;利用免疫荧光染色法检测乳酸对果蝇肠道上皮细胞增殖情况的影响。【结果】短小乳杆菌无氧代谢产物引起成年雌性黑腹果蝇产卵避性,产卵指数为-0.47;短小乳杆菌有氧代谢产物乳酸含量为0.4 mmol/L,无氧代谢产物乳酸含量为126.8 mmol/L;雌性果蝇对乳酸同样产生产卵避性反应,且产卵避性随乳酸浓度的增高而增强。切除前足的果蝇对乳酸的产卵避性显著降低。与对照相比, 70 mmol/L的乳酸使幼虫的成蛹时间和成虫羽化时间分别延长了1.42 d和1.17 d,存活率降低了36.0%。乳酸明显破坏肠道上皮的完整性,促进肠道上皮细胞的增殖。【结论】短小乳杆菌无氧代谢产物引起成年果蝇产卵避性。果蝇主要通过味觉感知短小乳杆菌无氧代谢产物乳酸,这引起果蝇产卵避性,从而提高后代的生长发育和幼虫的存活率。     

Quantitative trait loci for locomotor behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Locomotion is an integral component of most animal behaviors and many human diseases and disorders are associated with locomotor deficits, but little is known about the genetic basis of natural variation in locomotor behavior. Locomotion is a complex trait, with variation attributable to the joint segregation of multiple interacting quantitative trait loci (QTL), with effects that are sensitive to the environment. We assessed variation in a component of locomotor behavior (locomotor reactivity) in a population of 98 recombinant inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster and mapped four QTL affecting locomotor reactivity by linkage to polymorphic roo transposable element insertion sites. We used complementation tests of deficiencies to fine map these QTL to 12 chromosomal regions and complementation tests of mutations to identify 13 positional candidate genes affecting locomotor reactivity, including Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc), which catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine. Linkage disequilibrium mapping in a population of 164 second chromosome substitution lines derived from a single natural population showed that polymorphisms at Ddc were associated with naturally occurring genetic variation in locomotor behavior. These data implicate variation in the synthesis of bioamines as a factor contributing to natural variation in locomotor reactivity.     

Population-based resequencing of experimentally evolved populations reveals the genetic basis of body size variation in Drosophila melanogaster

Body size is a classic quantitative trait with evolutionarily significant variation within many species. Locating the alleles responsible for this variation would help understand the maintenance of variation in body size in particular, as well as quantitative traits in general. However, successful genome-wide association of genotype and phenotype may require very large sample sizes if alleles have low population frequencies or modest effects. As a complementary approach, we propose that population-based resequencing of experimentally evolved populations allows for considerable power to map functional variation. Here, we use this technique to investigate the genetic basis of natural variation in body size in Drosophila melanogaster. Significant differentiation of hundreds of loci in replicate selection populations supports the hypothesis that the genetic basis of body size variation is very polygenic in D. melanogaster. Significantly differentiated variants are limited to single genes at some loci, allowing precise hypotheses to be formed regarding causal polymorphisms, while other significant regions are large and contain many genes. By using significantly associated polymorphisms as a priori candidates in follow-up studies, these data are expected to provide considerable power to determine the genetic basis of natural variation in body size.     

Natural genetic variation in social environment choice: context-dependent gene-environment correlation in Drosophila melanogaster

Gene-environment correlation (rGE) occurs when an individual's genotype determines its choice of environment, generating a correlation between environment and genotype frequency. In particular, social rGE, caused by genetic variation in social environment choice, can critically determine both individual development and the course of social selection. Despite its foundational role in social evolution and developmental psychology theory, natural genetic variation in social environment choice has scarcely been examined empirically. Drosophila melanogaster provides an ideal system for investigating social rGE. Flies live socially in nature and have many opportunities to make social decisions; and natural, heterozygous genotypes may be replicated, enabling comparisons between genotypes across environments. Using this approach, I show that all aspects of social environment choice vary among natural genotypes, demonstrating pervasive social rGE. Surprisingly, genetic variation in group-size preference was density dependent, indicating that the behavioral and evolutionary consequences of rGE may depend on the context in which social decisions are made. These results provide the first detailed investigation of social rGE, and illustrate that that genetic variation may influence organismal performance by specifying the environment in which traits are expressed.     

Adaptive diversity in genetic control of egg-laying behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Summary

In the absence of insemination or of a suitable oviposition site, Drosophila melanogaster females react with egg retention patterns which differ as to the position in the genital tract at which the mechanism operates (ovarioles for initial retention; uterus for oviposition blocking) and to physiological basis. A study of the first laboratory generation of isofemale lines, founded by using three different samples of wild flies collected the same year from a natural population, showed a significant genetic variability in initial egg retention by virgin females and in the capacity for oviposition blocking by mated flies reacting to an unfavorable oviposition site. Comparison of isofemale lines showed that these two adaptive behavior patterns also differ in their genetic determination. They are controlled, and therefore can react, independently to selection pressures resulting from seasonal variation in the natural environment.     

Genetic variability and robustness of host odor preference in Drosophila melanogaster

Chemosensory stimuli play a crucial role for host selection in insects, including the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Drosophila has been instrumental in unraveling the neurological basis of olfactory processing in insects. Basic knowledge regarding chemical ecology and thorough studies of olfactory preferences are still lacking to a great extent in D. melanogaster, however. We have characterized repeatable variation in olfactory preference between five classical D. melanogaster wild-type strains toward a large array of natural host odors and synthetic compounds. By recording the rate of attraction over up to 24 hr, we could compare stimuli varying in attractiveness and characterize phenotypic parameters on the basis of individual stimuli and the whole stimulus array. Behavioral differences between strains were predominantly due to variation in a single phenotypic parameter: their overall responsiveness toward optimal and suboptimal olfactory stimuli. These differences were not explained by variation in olfactory sensitivity, locomotory activity, or general vigor monitored by survival. Comparisons with three recently established wild-type strains indicated that a high behavioral threshold against accepting suboptimal olfactory stimuli is the characteristic phenotype of wild D. melanogaster.     

Adaptive protein evolution of X-linked and autosomal genes in Drosophila: implications for faster-X hypotheses

Patterns of sex chromosome and autosome evolution can be used to elucidate the underlying genetic basis of adaptative change. Evolutionary theory predicts that X-linked genes will adapt more rapidly than autosomes if adaptation is limited by the availability of beneficial mutations and if such mutations are recessive. In Drosophila, rates of molecular divergence between species appear to be equivalent between autosomes and the X chromosome. However, molecular divergence contrasts are difficult to interpret because they reflect a composite of adaptive and nonadaptive substitutions between species. Predictions based on faster-X theory also assume that selection is equally effective on the X and autosomes; this might not be true because the effective population sizes of X-linked and autosomal genes systematically differ. Here, population genetic and divergence data from Drosophila melanogaster, Drosophila simulans, and Drosophila yakuba are used to estimate the proportion of adaptive amino acid substitutions occurring in the D. melanogaster lineage. After gene composition and effective population size differences between chromosomes are controlled, X-linked and autosomal genes are shown to have equivalent rates of adaptive divergence with approximately 30% of amino acid substitutions driven by positive selection. The results suggest that adaptation is either unconstrained by a lack of beneficial genetic variation or that beneficial mutations are not recessive and are thus highly visible to natural selection whether on sex chromosomes or on autosomes.     

大蒜素调控黑腹果蝇产卵偏嗜性和适合度

[目的]研究果蝇对大蒜素的产卵选择,并解析果蝇产卵避性的机制和生物学意义.[方法]应用产卵双向选择装置,检测黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster雌成虫对0.01％,0.015％和0.02％大蒜素的产卵选择性;利用产卵装置,检测黑腹果蝇对大蒜素的位置效应;通过毛细管摄食法检测黑腹果蝇摄食行为;利用黑暗(...     

Do parasitoid preferences for different host species match virulence?

Abstract.  Leptopilina boulardi is a parasitoid wasp specialist of Drosophila larvae of the melanogaster subgroup. In Mediterranean areas, natural populations are highly virulent against their main host Drosophila melanogaster . In Congo, populations are less virulent against D. melanogaster but are able to develop successfully inside the tropical African species Drosophila yakuba . Host preferences are compared between two laboratory isofemale lines of L. boulardi , obtained from populations of Congo and Tunisia, respectively, and differing in virulence levels against D. melanogaster and D. yakuba . Host selection is studied by offering female parasitoids a choice between larvae of the two host species. In agreement with optimal foraging models, the line highly virulent against D. melanogaster shows a clear preference for this host species. The other line, less virulent against D. melanogaster but more virulent against D. yakuba , prefers to oviposit on D. yakuba . Such preferences can be observed after a period of host-patch exploitation only, suggesting that experience plays an important role in the host-selection process. These results evidence the existence of intraspecific variability in preference between two host species in L. boulardi , a major requisite in theoretical models of parasite specialization by the host. They also sustain the hypothesis that intraspecific variation in parasitoid preferences between host species might mirror intraspecific variation in virulence.     

Investigating natural variation in Drosophila courtship song by the evolve and resequence approach

A primary goal of population genetics is to determine the genetic basis of natural trait variation. We could significantly advance this goal by developing comprehensive genome-wide approaches to link genotype and phenotype in model organisms. Here we combine artificial selection with population-based resequencing to investigate the genetic basis of variation in the interpulse interval (IPI) of Drosophila melanogaster courtship song. We performed divergent selection on replicate populations for only 14 generations, but had considerable power to differentiate alleles that evolved due to selection from those that evolved stochastically. We identified a large number of variants that changed frequency in response to selection for this simple behavior, and they are highly underrepresented on the X chromosome. Though our power was adequate using this experimental technique, the ability to differentiate causal variants from those affected by linked selection requires further development.     

Fatty-acid preference changes during development in Drosophila melanogaster

Fatty-acids (FAs) are required in the diet of many animals throughout their life. However, the mechanisms involved in the perception of and preferences for dietary saturated and unsaturated FAs (SFAs and UFAs, respectively) remain poorly explored, especially in insects. Using the model species Drosophila melanogaster, we measured the responses of wild-type larvae and adults to pure SFAs (14, 16, and 18 carbons) and UFAs (C18 with 1, 2, or 3 double-bonds). Individual and group behavioral tests revealed different preferences in larvae and adults. Larvae preferred UFAs whereas SFAs tended to induce both a strong aversion and a persistent aggregation behavior. Adults generally preferred SFAs, and laid more eggs and had a longer life span when ingesting these substances as compared to UFAs. Our data suggest that insects can discriminate long-chain dietary FAs. The developmental change in preference shown by this species might reflect functional variation in use of FAs or stage-specific nutritional requirements, and may be fundamental for insect use of these major dietary components.     

A comprehensive study of genic variation in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. V. Structural-functional constraints on protein molecules and enzymes and the levels and patterns of variation among genes.

Ever since isozyme-allozyme polymorphisms were detected there has been an incessant effort to relate the amount of observed protein variation to various aspects of molecular structure and function. Structural-functional constraints can limit the amount of overall genic variation, and the observed variation can be due to neutral mutation and random genetic drift, mutation-selection balance, or balancing selection. The present analysis of structural-functional constraints on gene-enzyme variation in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster shows that while both subunit size and substrate group show significant effects on number of alleles and mean heterozygosity, only substrate group affects population structure significantly. Subunit structure (monomer vs. multimer), IUB enzyme class (e.g., transferase, lyase), and tolerance of null alleles showed no significant effect on level or pattern of variation. While partly interdependent, these results suggest that efforts should be made to distinguish between constraints arising from molecular structure and physiological function.     

Oviposition site preferences and performance in natural resources in the human commensals Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans

The choice of egg laying site and progeny's performance in a rearing site are important components of habitat selection. Despite the huge amount of genetic, morphological, behavioral and physiological data regarding Drosophila melanogaster Meigen and D. simulans Sturtevant, oviposition site preferences remain poorly known. We investigated resource preference (acceptance and choice) and performance (measured as larval viability, developmental time and wing size) in Vitis vinifera Linneo (grape) and Cydonia oblonga Miller (quince), two fruit plants that D. melanogaster and D. simulans use as breeding substrates in Western Argentina. Females of both species preferred V. vinifera over C. oblonga when offered to lay eggs on grape and/or quince, with D. melanogaster showing a more biased preference for V. vinifera than its sibling. Concerning performance, flies reared in C. oblonga developed faster than in V. vinifera, regardless of the species and D. simulans had a shorter developmental time than D. melanogaster. We also observed inter and intraspecific (between flies reared in different resources) differences in wing size and shape. Our study provides novel data concerning ecological aspects scarcely addressed in these species, and suggest that the use of different resource may be a relevant factor in their recent evolutionary history.     

黑腹果蝇对高盐的产卵避性反应及其生物学意义

【目的】研究黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster对高盐的产卵避性,并通过高盐下后代生存率和发育历期的变化来揭示这一现象的生物学意义。【方法】应用产卵双选择装置,检测黑腹果蝇和雅库巴果蝇D. yakuba雌成虫分别对含有0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl的培养基的产卵选择性;利用产卵装置,检测黑腹果蝇对1 mol/L NaCl的位置效应;通过强迫产卵实验检测钠盐胁迫下黑腹果蝇的产卵能力;通过毛细管摄食法和观察口器延伸,检测钠盐胁迫下黑腹果蝇的摄食行为。利用黑暗条件和突变体Orco2分别探究视觉和嗅觉对高盐的产卵选择性。通过外科手术法摘除黑腹果蝇前足部分味觉感受器,并使用咸味突变体Ionotropic Receptor 76b (IR76b),研究介导该行为的感觉系统。在含有不同浓度NaCl (0,0. 25,0. 50,0. 75和1 mol/L)的培养基上培养黑腹果蝇,探究NaCl对黑腹果蝇后代的发育历期和存活率的影响。【结果】雌性黑腹果蝇产卵对高盐产生避性反应,对0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl的产卵偏嗜指数分别为-0. 45和-0. 59;雅库巴果蝇对高盐的反应与黑腹果蝇相同,对0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl的产卵偏嗜指数分别为-0. 78和-0. 99;并且两种果蝇均对0. 25和1 mol/L KCl和CaCl2产生产卵避性反应。黑腹果蝇避开含0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl培养基,位置指数分别为-0. 74和-0. 88。高盐不影响黑腹果蝇的生育能力,其对0,0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl的产卵指数分别为5. 59,6. 63和5. 41。黑腹果蝇对0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl摄食产生明显排斥反应,摄食指数分别为-0. 37和-0. 41,且随浓度增大食欲越低。同时在黑暗条件下,黑腹果蝇对0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl仍产生了显著的避性反应,产卵偏嗜指数分别为-0. 49和-0. 59,摘除前足的黑腹果蝇对0. 25 mol/L NaCl的产卵偏嗜指数为-0. 05,IR76b突变体对高盐的产卵避性反应消失,对0. 25和1 mol/L NaCl的产卵偏嗜指数分别为0. 46和0. 39。0. 25 mol/L NaCl明显延长了后代成蛹时间0. 40 d,后代幼虫存活率降低了16. 5%,而在1 mol/L NaCl上后代卵完全不能形成蛹和成虫。【结论】黑腹果蝇雌成虫通过咸味感觉器官感知高盐而产生产卵避性反应,以促进后代的生长发育和提高后代的幼虫存活率。     

GENETIC VARIATION IN CACTOPHILIC DROSOPHILA FOR OVIPOSITION ON NATURAL YEAST SUBSTRATES

Theory predicts that environmental heterogeneity in space or in time can maintain genetic polymorphism. Stable polymorphisms are expected to be more readily maintained if there are genotype specific habitat preferences. Genotype specific preferences for oviposition sites in Drosophila could be a major factor promoting habitat selection, and thus the maintenance of genetic variation. This hypothesis is being tested using the cactophilic species, D. buzzatii and D. aldrichi, where available evidence indicates a potential for such habitat selection, the habitats (oviposition sites) being yeast species found in the natural environment of these flies (cactus rots). Genetic variation for oviposition preferences was tested using isofemale lines—for D. buzzatii, a total of 60 lines from seven localities widely distributed through the species range in Australia, and for D. aldrichi, 21 lines from three of these localities. Females were given a choice of five yeast species as oviposition sites. Genetic variation for oviposition preferences on these natural substrates was demonstrated. There was significant variation among isofemale lines within populations in their patterns of preferences for oviposition on the five yeast species. However, analyses of preferences for each yeast species separately showed that the genetic variation for preferences relates to only three of the five species. Heritabilities of individual female preferences for these three species were low, ranging up to 9%. Little geographic differentiation was apparent among populations, most likely due to similar selection regimes within each population. Within populations, this kind of habitat selection could act to maintain polymorphisms, both at loci determining the habitat preferences and at other loci in linkage disequilibrium with them.     

Germline stem cell maintenance as a proximate mechanism of life‐history trade‐offs?

We suggest that the commonly observed trade-offs between early- and late-life reproduction may be mediated by genetic variation in germline stem cell maintenance. Stem cell biology provides a natural framework and experimental methods for understanding the mechanistic basis of life-history evolution. At the same time, natural variation in life-history strategies can serve as a powerful tool for identifying the genes and molecular pathways involved in the maintenance of stem cells in aging adults. We illustrate the connections between life-history and stem cells with examples drawn primarily from Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans, and suggest a number of testable hypotheses and avenues for future investigation that can be addressed with existing models and tools.