Decoding the Reproductive System of the Olive Fruit Fly, Bactrocera oleae

Abstract

In most diploid organisms, mating is a prerequisite for reproduction and, thus, critical to the maintenance of their population and the perpetuation of the species. Besides the importance of understanding the fundamentals of reproduction, targeting the reproductive success of a pest insect is also a promising method for its control, as a possible manipulation of the reproductive system could affect its destructive activity. Here, we used an integrated approach for the elucidation of the reproductive system and mating procedures of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae. Initially, we performed a RNAseq analysis in reproductive tissues of virgin and mated insects. A comparison of the transcriptomes resulted in the identification of genes that are differentially expressed after mating. Functional annotation of the genes showed an alteration in the metabolic, catalytic, and cellular processes after mating. Moreover, a functional analysis through RNAi silencing of two differentially expressed genes, yellow-g and troponin C, resulted in a significantly reduced oviposition rate. This study provided a foundation for future investigations into the olive fruit fly’s reproductive biology to the development of new exploitable tools for its control.

Characterization of reproductive proteins in the Mexican fruit fly points towards the evolution of novel functions

“…In other species, the seminal fluids transferred by the male during copulation stimulate egg production [72,73]. Proteins related to oogenesis could be manipulated in A. ludens, to increase egg production for mass rearing or decrease the number of eggs after copulation, as in Bactrocera oleae where researchers manipulated two genes that caused a decreased oviposition rate [74] or decreased egg production after mating with a sterile male as part of SIT.

Figure 4Proteins according to their function based on the PANTHER protein family category in ( a ) male accessory glands, ( b ) testes and ( c ) ejaculatory bulb.

…”

The ZcVgR gene is involved in the regulation of reproduction and lifespan in female Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) mediated by short-term high temperature

“…In Drosophila melanogaster strains lacking the octopamine receptor beta-2R gene, female oviposition is signi cantly inhibited (Li et al, 2015). The TnC gene, on the other hand, is mainly involved in muscle contraction, which is important for the normal functioning of the insect reproductive system (Heifetz and Wolfner, 2004), and the use of dsRNA to silence the TnC gene in female Bactrocera oleae, signi cantly reduced the number of eggs (Gregoriou et al, 2021). Vg and Eip74EF promote oocyte maturation in D. melanogaster (Roy et al, 2022;Schonbaum et al, 2000), and silencing the ZcVgR gene resulted in downregulation of the ZcVg1 gene, and upregulation of the ZcVg3 and Eip74EF genes, suggesting that the ZcVg1, ZcVg3, and Eip74EF genes have an important effect on female reproduction in Z. cucurbitae.…”

The Roles of Mating, Age, and Diet in Starvation Resistance in Bactrocera oleae (Olive Fruit Fly)

“…In Tephritid flies, protein digestion can be more energetically expensive than sugar digestion, leaving fewer resources for other essential functions, such as maintaining energy reserves [10,11,[63][64][65]. Specifically, in C. capitata, nutritional status is a dominant factor known to affect the male's signaling performance and determine the female's decision to accept a male as a sexual partner [63].…”