Control of oocyte maturation in sexually mature Drosophila females

In many sexually mature insects egg production and oviposition are tightly coupled to copulation. Sex-Peptide is a 36-amino-acid peptide synthesized in the accessory glands of Drosophila melanogaster males and transferred to the female during copulation. Sex-Peptide stimulates vitellogenic oocyte pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental biology 1999-04, Vol.208 (2), p.337-351
Main Authors: Soller, M, Bownes, M, Kubli, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Apoptosis - drug effects
Copulation
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drosophila melanogaster - cytology
Drosophila Proteins
Ecdysterone - pharmacology
Egg Proteins - biosynthesis
Egg Proteins - genetics
Female
Hemolymph - chemistry
Methoprene - pharmacology
Models, Biological
Molecular Mimicry
Oviposition - drug effects
Peptides - pharmacology
RNA, Messenger - analysis
Signal Transduction
Vitellogenesis - drug effects
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Summary:In many sexually mature insects egg production and oviposition are tightly coupled to copulation. Sex-Peptide is a 36-amino-acid peptide synthesized in the accessory glands of Drosophila melanogaster males and transferred to the female during copulation. Sex-Peptide stimulates vitellogenic oocyte progression through a putative control point at about stage 9 of oogenesis. Here we show that application of the juvenile hormone analogue methoprene mimics the Sex-Peptide-mediated stimulation of vitellogenic oocyte progression in sexually mature virgin females. Apoptosis is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone in nurse cells of stage 9 egg chambers at physiological concentrations (10(-7) M). 20-Hydroxyecdysone thus acts as an antagonist of early vitellogenic oocyte development. Simultaneous application of juvenile hormone analogue, however, protects early vitellogenic oocytes from 20-hydroxyecdysone-induced resorption. These results suggest that the balance of these hormones in the hemolymph regulates whether oocytes will progress through the control point at stage 9 or undergo apoptosis. These data are further supported by a molecular analysis of the regulation of yolk protein synthesis and uptake into the ovary by the two hormones. We conclude that juvenile hormone is a downstream component in the Sex-Peptide response cascade and acts by stimulating vitellogenic oocyte progression and inhibiting apoptosis. Since juvenile hormone analogue does not elicit increased oviposition and reduced receptivity, Sex-Peptide must have an additional, separate effect on these two postmating responses.
ISSN:0012-1606
DOI:10.1006/dbio.1999.9210