A Genetic Analysis of Male-Predominant Pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster

Chemical signals from males play an important role in stimulating Drosophila melanogaster females to mate, and male-predominant pheromones may influence a female's choice of mates. Male-predominant pheromones also inhibit courtship, thereby functioning as antiaphrodisiacs. Interstrain variation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genetics (Austin) 1988-07, Vol.119 (3), p.639-646
Main Authors: Scott, D, Richmond, R. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biochemistry. Physiology. Immunology
Biological and medical sciences
Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids
Crosses, Genetic
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster - physiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Hybridization, Genetic
Insecta
Invertebrata
Invertebrates
Investigations
Male
Pheromones - genetics
Physiology. Development
Sex Factors
Y Chromosome
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Summary:Chemical signals from males play an important role in stimulating Drosophila melanogaster females to mate, and male-predominant pheromones may influence a female's choice of mates. Male-predominant pheromones also inhibit courtship, thereby functioning as antiaphrodisiacs. Interstrain variation in the ratio of two male-predominant pheromones (7-tricosene and 7-pentacosene) has been reported, but the genetic basis for this potentially important variation has not been examined. In a series of crosses between strains that differ radically in the amounts of 7-tricosene and 7-pentacosene, we have identified both X-linked and autosomal contributions to interstrain variation in the amounts of these compounds. The X-linked loci act as enhancers for production of the compound predominant in the strain from which the X chromosome originated. Autosomal factors for each of the two compounds appear to segregate as high vs. low, with incomplete dominance of high 7-tricosene over low, and low 7-pentacosene over high. A significant negative correlation between the quantities of 7-pentacosene and 7-tricosene in the F2 and backcross progeny, but not in the F1s or parentals, indicates linkage between autosomal loci regulating the expression of each compound. However, the phenotypic distributions of the backcross progeny indicate that additional unlinked loci are also directly involved in the production of these two hydrocarbons.
ISSN:0016-6731
1943-2631
1943-2631
DOI:10.1093/genetics/119.3.639