Accessory gland secretory proteins in relation to fitness parameters of Drosophila ananassae and D. varians

Abstract

Developmental morphometry, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the accessory gland secretory proteins, fecundity and productivity in relation to protein ejected during subsequent (first to fourth‐time) matings have been studied in Drosophila ananassae Doleschall and Drosophila varians Bock. In both species, size and secretion of accessory glands increases from 1 to 8 days and the stored secretion ejected from males to the female genital tract during subsequent mating varies. The maximum number of eggs and flies are produced from the females mated with bachelor males and it is a minimum when virgin females are mated with fourth‐time mated males. Sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of accessory gland secretory protein patterns and their glycosylation differs in both the species. Correlation coefficient analysis between gland size and quantity of secretion, percentage of secretory protein transferred per mating, and eggs and flies that emerged showed a highly significant, positive relationship. Among different matings, the number of eggs laid and flies that emerged per female between subsequent (first to fourth‐time) matings of males was found to be highly significant and the difference between fecundity and productivity between the two species was highly significant.

Comparison of Fitness Parameters in Different Species of Drosophila

“…The number of offspring produced by different mating in 12 hour mating period of D. melanogaster from 1 to 10 mating decreased from 68 to 24.86 [43]. Hiremani and Shivanna [15] reported that, the fecundity and productivity decreases from first time mating to fourth time mating in D. ananassae (639 to 274.7 and 407.4 to 214.4) and in D. varians (680 to 180 and 544 to 141). Egg viability decreases as larval density increases [17].…”

“…Productivity of first mated flies is more than the subsequent mating. Repeated mating by females leads to a higher productivity and lower longevity [13][14][15][16]. Percentage of viability is an expression of the successive fertility.…”