A Model-Based Analysis of Chemical and Temporal Patterns of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in Male Drosophila melanogaster

Kent, Clement F.; Azanchi, Reza; Smith, B. L.; Chu, Adrienne; Levine, Joel D.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000962

Cited by 28 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The aliphatic dienes heptacosadiene (C 27 H 52 ) and nonacosadiene (C 29 H 56 ) are the most prominent components found in female profiles. Previous GC/MS studies also identified these compounds as being the most abundant in females[19, 21]. Heptacosene (C 27 H 54 ) and nonacosene (C 29 H 58 ), two other well-characterized female CHs, could not be unambiguously identified due to overlapping signals from other CHs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A New Male Sex Pheromone and Novel Cuticular Cues for Chemical Communication in Drosophila

et al. 2009

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Summary Background In many insect species, cuticular hydrocarbons serve as pheromones that can mediate complex social behaviors. In Drosophila melanogaster, several hydrocarbons including the male sex pheromone 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA) and female-specific 7,11-dienes influence courtship behavior and can function as cues for short-term memory associated with the mating experience. Behavioral and physiological studies suggest that other unidentified chemical communication cues are likely to exist. To more fully characterize the hydrocarbon profile of the D. melanogaster cuticle, we applied direct ultraviolet laser desorption/ionization orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UV-LDI-o-TOF MS) and analyzed the surface of intact fruit flies at a spatial resolution of approximately 200 μm. Results We report the chemical and spatial characterization of 28 species of cuticular hydrocarbons, including a new major class of oxygen-containing compounds. Using UV-LDI MS, pheromones previously shown to be expressed exclusively by one sex, e.g. cVA, 7,11-heptacosadiene, and 7,11-nonacosadiene, appear to be found on both male and female flies. In males, cVA co-localizes at the tip of the ejaculatory bulb with a second acetylated hydrocarbon named CH503. We describe the chemical structure of CH503 as 3-O-acetyl-1,3-dihydroxy-octacosa-11,19-diene and show one behavioral role for this compound as a long-lived inhibitor of male courtship. Like cVA, CH503 is transferred from males to females during mating. Unlike cVA, CH503 remains on the surface of females for at least 10 days. Conclusions Oxygenated hydrocarbons comprise one major previously undescribed class of compounds on the Drosophila cuticular surface. In addition to cVA, a newly-discovered long chain acetate, CH503, serves as a mediator of courtship-related chemical communication.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Perfuming of courtship targets was performed using a method described by Kent et al [21]. Briefly, 6 – 8 live female flies were placed in a vial coated with lyophilized HPTLC-extracted CH503 or blank fractions (see above) and gently vortexed for 3 × 20 sec with a 20 sec pause between each bout.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Male Sex Pheromone and Novel Cuticular Cues for Chemical Communication in Drosophila

et al. 2009

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“…Th e turnover of cuticular compounds has been studied in very few insects, mostly in solitary insects and in particular during the modifi cation during the sexual maturity cycle. Kent et al (2007) studied the diurnal cycles of Drosophila melanogaster males. Certain compounds seemed to have a greater variability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endogenous synchronization of the chemical signature of Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) worker termites

Darrouzet

Landré

Christidès

2011

Annales de la Société entomologique de France (N.S.)

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Abstract. Termites of the genus Reticulitermes are characteristic of temperate regions. Their colonies comprise various castes, the most numerous being that of workers which can develop into soldiers or secondary reproductives (neotenics). Each caste has a mixture of hydrocarbons (HCs) on the cuticle forming a chemical signature. The primary aim of this study was to compare the changes in the chemical signature of a population of worker termites fed on paper with juvenile hormone to differentiate them into soldiers with a control population of termites fed only on paper or wood for one month. Gas chromatography was used to analyze the cuticular profi les of Reticulitermes fl avipes termites to determine whether they changed, and, if so, when and how. The data collected over one month showed that the workers fed with JH did not differentiate into soldiers but that there were progressive changes in the hydrocarbon profi le independent of the treatment. These results indicate that the differentiation of the chemical signature of the worker caste is a dynamic process, depending only on time and not on colony membership, confi rming that, for these termites, this signature has a lesser role in colony membership than caste membership, unlike the chemical signatures of other social insects. The temporal process of this cuticular change is also associated with a change in the alkene / methyl-branched alkane ratio. Résumé. Synchronization endogène de la signature chimique des termites ouvriers du genreReticulitermes (Isoptera : Rhinotermitidae). Les termites du genre Reticulitermes sont courants dans nos régions tempérées. Leurs sociétés sont composées de différentes castes, celle des ouvriers étant la plus abondante, les individus pouvant y évoluer en soldats ou reproducteurs secondaires. Chaque caste possède une mixture de composés cuticulaires (hydrocarbures) formant une signature chimique quantitative propre à chacune. Le but au départ de cette étude était de comparer la signature chromatographique d'ouvriers Reticulitermes fl avipes nourris par de l'hormone juvénile pour suivre la modifi cation de signature chimique lors de leur induction en soldat. L'expérience qui a duré plus d'un mois n'a pas permis la différentiation en soldat mais a permis de montrer que la signature chimique des ouvriers subissait une modifi cation synchrone pour les 3 colonies analysées, quelque soit le traitement subi, l'environnement, et sans montrer de variations coloniales, à la différence des variations classiquement vues chez les autres insectes sociaux. Ce processus dynamique est également concomitant à la modifi cation de proportions de différentes composés (méthylés versus insaturés) au cours des semaines.

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“…Each individual produces a blend of CHCs and the characteristics of this blend can vary genetically as well as with age, sex, diet and geographic origin within a species (Ferveur, 2005). Some blends show diurnal rhythms (Kent et al, 2007). Analyses of divergence in CHC blend among species suggest a role of CHCs in species recognition and speciation in Drosophila (for example, in Drosophila mojavensis group; Etges and Jackson, 2001).…”

Section: Chemosensory Traits In Speciationmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the scent of speciation: the chemosensory system and its role in premating isolation

2008

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Chemosensory speciation is characterized by the evolution of barriers to genetic exchange that involve chemosensory systems and chemical signals. Here, we review some representative studies documenting chemosensory speciation in an attempt to evaluate the importance and the different aspects of the process in nature and to gain insights into the genetic basis and the evolutionary mechanisms of chemosensory trait divergence. Although most studies of chemosensory speciation concern sexual isolation mediated by pheromone divergence, especially in Drosophila and moth species, other chemically based behaviours (habitat choice, pollinator attraction) can also play an important role in speciation and are likely to do so in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species. Adaptive divergence of chemosensory traits in response to factors such as pollinators, hosts and conspecifics commonly drives the evolution of chemical prezygotic barriers. Although the genetic basis of chemosensory speciation remains largely unknown, genomic approaches to chemosensory gene families and to enzymes involved in biosynthetic pathways of signal compounds now provide new opportunities to dissect the genetic basis of these complex traits and of their divergence among taxa.

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A Model-Based Analysis of Chemical and Temporal Patterns of Cuticular Hydrocarbons in Male Drosophila melanogaster

Cited by 28 publications

References 44 publications

A New Male Sex Pheromone and Novel Cuticular Cues for Chemical Communication in Drosophila

A New Male Sex Pheromone and Novel Cuticular Cues for Chemical Communication in Drosophila

Endogenous synchronization of the chemical signature of Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) worker termites

On the scent of speciation: the chemosensory system and its role in premating isolation

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