Ectopic expression of sex-peptide in a variety of tissues in Drosophila females using the P[GAL4] enhancer-trap system |
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Authors: | S Nakayama K Kaiser and T Aigaki |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-03, Japan, JP;(2) Division of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences University of Glasgow, |
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Abstract: | Sex-peptide (SP), which is secreted by the accessory gland of Drosophila males, is transferred to the female during copulation, thereby reducing her sexual appetite (receptivity to males) and stimulating
ovulation/oviposition. SP is known to be taken up into the hemolymph of mated females, but it is not clear whether there are
two separate target tissues, for behavioral changes and ovulation or only one target for both responses. We have employed
the GAL4-UAS system to express SP transgene constructs, both in different tissues and in different cellular components of
virgin females. A cytoplasmic form of SP lacking a signal sequence did not evoke any responses, even when expressed ubiquitously.
In contrast, a membrane-bound form of SP induced typical post-mating behavior, indicating that SP must be outside the cell
in order to exert its biological effects. A total of 204 randomly selected PGAL4] enhancer-trap lines were screened for their
ability to induce SP responses in combination with the membrane-bound SP expressed under GAL4 control. Thirty-three lines
were associated with both behavioral change and stimulated ovulation. No line was associated with only one of the two responses,
implying that the SP target(s) mediating the two responses are either identical, very closely located, or present in two distinct
tissues with a common set of genetic determinants. Western blot analysis of head, thorax, and abdominal extracts revealed
that the biological activity was correlated with expression in the head fraction.
Received: 3 October 1996 / Accepted: 6 January 1997 |
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Keywords: | Drosophila melanogaster Sexual behavior GAL4-UAS system Ovulation/oviposition |
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