Research article summary (published 9 Aug 2009):

Contribution of oenocytes and pheromones to courtship behaviour in Drosophila.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND: In Drosophila, cuticular sex pheromones are long-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons synthesized from fatty acid precursors in epidermal cells called oenocytes. The species D. melanogaster shows sex pheromone dimorphism, with high levels of monoenes in males, and of dienes in females. Some biosynthesis enzymes are expressed both in fat body and oenocytes, rendering it difficult to estimate the exact role of oenocytes and of the transport of fatty acids from fat body to oenocytes in pheromone elaboration. To address this question, we RNAi silenced two main genes of the biosynthesis pathway, desat1 and desatF, in the oenocytes of D. melanogaster, without modifying their fat body expression. RESULTS: Inactivation of desat1 in oenocytes resulted in a 96% and 78% decrease in unsaturated hydrocarbons in males and females, respectively. Female pheromones (dienes) showed a decrease of 90%. Inactivation of desatF, which is female-specific and responsible for diene formation, resulted in a dramatic loss of pheromones (-98%) paralleled with a two-fold increase in monoenes. Courtship parameters (especially courtship latency) from wild-type males were more affected by desat1 knocked-down females (courtship latency increased by four fold) than by desatF knocked-down ones (+65% of courtship latency).The number of transcripts in oenocytes was estimated at 0.32 and 0.49 attomole/microg for desat1 in males and females, respectively, about half of the total transcripts in a fly. There were only 0.06 attomole/microg desatF transcripts in females, all located in the oenocytes. CONCLUSION: Knock-down results for desat1 suggest that there must be very little transport of unsaturated precursors from fat body to the oenocytes, so pheromone synthesis occurs almost entirely through the action of biosynthesis enzymes within the oenocytes. Courtship experiments allow us to discuss the behavioral role of diene pheromones, which, under special conditions, could be replaced by monoenes in D. melanogaster. A possible explanation is given of how pheromones could have evolved in species such as D. simulans, which only synthesize monoenes.

Author information

Author/s: Wicker-Thomas, Claude (C); Guenachi, Ilhem (I); Keita, Youssouf F (YF);

Affiliation: CNRS, UPR9034, LEGS and University Paris Sud, 91198 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France. Wicker(-atsign-)legs.cnrs-gif.fr

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: BMC biochemistry (BMC Biochem), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-; vol 10 (issue ) : pp 21

Dates: Created 2009/08/31; Completed 2009/09/10;

PMID: 19671131, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/10/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Analysis of Variance Animals Courtship Drosophila Proteins - deficiency; genetics; metabolism Drosophila melanogaster - chemistry; genetics; physiology Epidermis - cytology; metabolism Fat Body - metabolism Fatty Acid Desaturases - deficiency; genetics; metabolism Female Genes, Insect

Genes, Insect Genetic Speciation Hydrocarbons - analysis; metabolism Male Organ Specificity Pheromones - physiology RNA Interference RNA, Messenger - chemistry Sex Characteristics Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Drosophila Proteins (0) ; Hydrocarbons (0) ; Pheromones (0) ; RNA, Messenger (0) ; Fatty Acid Desaturases (EC 1.14.99.-) ; desat1 protein, Drosophila (EC 1.14.99.-) ; desaturase F, Drosophila melanogaster (EC 1.14.99.-)

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Social experience modifies pheromone expression and mating behavior in male Drosophila melanogaster. 9 Sep 2008
• Does the desaturase-2 locus in Drosophila melanogaster cause adaptation and sexual isolation? 30 Jan 2006
• African morphology, behavior and phermones underlie incipient sexual isolation between us and Caribbean Drosophila melanogaster. 24 Aug 2008
• Comment on "Long-lived Drosophila with overexpressed dFOXO in adult fat body". 2 Feb 2005
• Letter: Reply: Pheromones vs. wings in Drosophila courtship. 30 Dec 1975
• Functional coupling of acoustic and chemical signals in the courtship behaviour of the male Drosophila melanogaster. 5 Apr 2002
• Involvement of cuticular hydrocarbons in the mating success of Drosophila melanogaster females. 21 Jan 2007
• Behavioural genetics: sex in fruitflies is fruitless. 19 Jul 2005
• Male-specific fruitless specifies the neural substrates of Drosophila courtship behaviour. 13 Jun 2005
• Mutations in the desat1 gene reduces the production of courtship stimulatory pheromones through a marked effect on fatty acids in Drosophila melanogaster. 30 Jul 2005

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.