0000000000860572
AUTHOR
Gilles Sureau
Genetic elimination of known pheromones reveals the fundamental chemical bases of mating and isolation in Drosophila
Overexpression of the UAS-tra transgene in Drosophila melanogaster females led to the complete elimination of their cuticular pheromones. According to current models of Drosophila behavior, these flies should induce no courtship. In fact, they are still attractive to conspecific males. Three classes of stimuli are shown to induce courtship, with different effects on male behavior: ( i ) known pheromones produced by control females, ( ii ) stimuli produced by living control and transgenic flies, and ( iii ) as-yet-undetermined pheromones present on both control and transgenic flies. Only the latter class of pheromones are required for mating. They appear to represent a layer of ancestral at…
Co-adaptation of pheromone production and behavioural responses in Drosophila melanogaster males
0016-6723 (Print) Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; In Drosophila melanogaster, male courtship behaviour is genetically controlled and is influenced by sex pheromones. 7-tricosene (7-T) induces a dose-dependent inhibition of male-male courtship, whereas 7,11-dienes stimulate male courtship of females. There is a geographical quantitative variation in the production of two predominant male hydrocarbons, 7-T and 7-pentacosene (7-P). We have previously found that 7-P, the main hydrocarbon from males of West African strains, stimulates males that mainly produce 7-T. Using both 'natural' and genetically engineered strains, we find that genetic factors coding for low levels of 7-P…