Does the fruitless gene influence species-specific variation in mating behaviour?
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
Genes responsible for variation in species-specific mating signals may be important to speciation and biodiversity because evolutionary divergence in these loci can play a role in promoting sexual isolation and decreasing gene flow between natural populations of diverging species. Identifying and studying the divergence of such genes is a key priority of contemporary evolutionary genetics. In a series of QTL studies of divergence of song traits between and within species of the fruit fly Drosophila, the gene fruitless (fru) has been implicated in the control of variation in this classic trait. Much is known about the structure and function of this gene in controlling song production in D. melanogaster, but little if anything about its role in influencing natural variation in song. We propose a) developing a combination of advanced 'gene swap' techniques to move exons of the gene from a range of species into D. melanogaster b) studies of the molecular evolution of fru within and between natural populations and species c) association analysis of variation in fru and traits in natural populations and d) examination of the evolution of regulatory regions to assess in detail the role of fru in natural variation at multiple levels. This will represent a uniquely detailed examination of the evolution of a candidate locus for a complex behavioural trait.
Planned Impact
This proposal will have a broad academic impact, establish a new collaboration and promote knowledge exchange between different areas of biology. Moreover, this proposal has the added value of potential benefits to the public and private sector through training and career development, and to wider society through engaging members of the general public. The postdoctoral researchers will receive career development training and participate in public outreach. The PIs have a strong track record of contribution of public dissemination of research achievements, for example via the Oxfordshire Science Festival, Wellcome initiatives and the general media. and the topic of speciation and the evolution of sexual behaviour will provide many opportunities for further public engagement. We specifically request PTI funding for the development of a display at the St Andrews Botanic Garden, which is visited by schools and adults from throughout Fife.
Organisations
Publications
Neville M
(2014)
Male-Specific Fruitless Isoforms Target Neurodevelopmental Genes to Specify a Sexually Dimorphic Nervous System
in Current Biology
Parker DJ
(2015)
Transcriptomes of parents identify parenting strategies and sexual conflict in a subsocial beetle.
in Nature communications
Ala-Honkola O
(2016)
Postmating-prezygotic isolation between two allopatric populations of Drosophila montana : fertilisation success differs under sperm competition
in Ecology and Evolution
Vigoder FM
(2016)
Inducing Cold-Sensitivity in the Frigophilic Fly Drosophila montana by RNAi.
in PloS one
Parker DJ
(2018)
Inter and Intraspecific Genomic Divergence in Drosophila montana Shows Evidence for Cold Adaptation.
in Genome biology and evolution
Marie-Orleach L
(2019)
Social effects on fruit fly courtship song.
in Ecology and evolution
Kauranen H
(2019)
Selection for reproduction under short photoperiods changes diapause-associated traits and induces widespread genomic divergence.
in The Journal of experimental biology
Chen AL
(2019)
Evolution and diversity of the courtship repertoire in the Drosophila montium species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae).
in Journal of evolutionary biology
Ritchie M
(2020)
Does the response of D. melanogaster males to intrasexual competitors influence sexual isolation?
in Behavioral Ecology
Mo WZ
(2022)
Divergence and correlated evolution of male wing spot and courtship display between Drosophila nepalensis and D. trilutea.
in Insect science
Yusuf LH
(2022)
Divergence and introgression among the virilis group of Drosophila.
in Evolution letters
Bain SA
(2022)
Bringing bioinformatics to schools with the 4273pi project.
in PLoS computational biology
| Title | Data from: Evolution and diversity of the courtship repertoire in the Drosophila montium species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae) |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Data from: Inter- and intra-specific genomic divergence in Drosophila montana shows evidence for cold adaptation |
| Description | [No abstract entered] |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.s813p55 |
| Title | Data from: Localization of QTL for diapause and other photoperiodically regulated life-history traits important in adaptation to seasonally varying environments |
| Description | Seasonally changing environments at high latitudes present great challenges for the reproduction and survival of insects, and photoperiodic cues play an important role in helping them to synchronize their life cycle with prevalent and forthcoming conditions. We have mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for the photoperiodic regulation of four life history traits, female reproductive diapause, cold tolerance, egg-to-eclosion development time and juvenile body weight in Drosophila montana strains from different latitudes in Canada and Finland. The F2 progeny of the cross was reared under a single photoperiod (LD cycle 16:8), which the flies from the Canadian population interpret as early summer and the flies from the Finnish population as late summer. The analysis revealed a unique QTL for diapause induction on the X chromosome and several QTL for this and the other measured traits on the 4th chromosome. Flies' cold tolerance, egg-to-eclosion development time and juvenile body weight had several QTL also on the 2nd, 3rd and 5th chromosome, some of the peaks overlapping with each other. These results suggest that while the downstream output of females' photoperiodic diapause response is partly under a different genetic control from that of the other traits in the given day length, all traits also share some QTL, possibly involving genes with pleiotropic effects and/or multiple tightly linked genes. Nonoverlapping QTL detected for some of the traits also suggest that the traits are potentially capable of independent evolution, even though this may be restricted by epistatic interactions and/or correlations and trade-offs between the traits. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.9b65b |
| Title | Data from: Postmating-prezygotic isolation between two allopatric populations of Drosophila montana: fertilisation success differs under sperm competition |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Data from: Social effects on fruit fly courtship song |
| Description | |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |