Alcohol Consumption as Self-Medication against Blood-Borne Parasites in the Fruit Fly

Milan, Neil F.; Kacsoh, Balint Z.; Schlenke, Todd A.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.01.045

Cited by 117 publications

(118 citation statements)

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“…In addition to physiological defenses, some Drosophila species (D. melanogaster, D. simulans, D. hydei, D. virilis) can modify their oviposition behaviors in response to parasitoid presence (Kacsoh et al 2013). Specifically, when in the presence of female L. boulardi wasps (and other larval endoparasitoid species in the case of D. melanogaster), female flies increase their preference for substrates high in ethanol content, which in turn medicates developing larvae against development endoparasitoids (Milan et al 2012). Given the habit for SWD to oviposit in ripening or ripe fruit, when compared to the decomposing (and thus higher in ethanol content) substrates used by nearly all other Drosophila, it may be that self-medication is a less viable defensive option for SWD when compared to other species.…”

Section: Review Of Drosophila Parasitoid Bionomicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasion biology of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii): a global perspective and future priorities

et al. 2015

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The Asian vinegar fly Drosophila suzukii (spotted wing Drosophila [SWD]) has emerged as a major invasive insect pest of small and stone fruits in both the Americas and Europe since the late 2000s. While research efforts have rapidly progressed in Asia, North America, and Europe over the past 5 years, important new insights may be gained in comparing and contrasting findings across the regions affected by SWD. In this review, we explore common themes in the invasion biology of SWD by examining (1) its biology and current pest status in endemic and recently invaded regions; (2) current efforts and future research needs for the development of predictive models for its geographic expansion; and (3) prospects for both natural and classical (=importation) biological control of SWD in invaded habitats, with emphasis on the role of hymenopteran parasitoids. We conclude that particularly fruitful areas of research should include fundamental studies of its overwintering, host-use, and dispersal capabilities; as well as applied studies of alternative, cost-effective management techniques to complement insecticide use within the integrated pest management framework. Finally, we emphasize that outreach efforts are critical to effective SWD management by highlighting successful Communicated by M. Traugott. Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (strategies and insights gained from various geographic regions.Keywords Biological control Á Drosophila Á Frugivore Á Integrated pest management Á Invasion biology Key message• Spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) is a major invasive pest of soft fruits in the Americas and Europe. • We review the current global distribution and economic impacts of SWD, develop models for predicting its further spread, and discuss the prospects for biological control of this pest. • The following research areas into SWD biology appear particularly promising: its biology at low temperatures, the dispersal and migratory abilities of adults, and exploration in Asian regions for potential classical biological control agents.

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Section: Review Of Drosophila Parasitoid Bionomicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasion biology of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii): a global perspective and future priorities

et al. 2015

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“…D. melanogaster has evolved a high resistance to ethanol, including compared to other Drosophila species, and can grow in artificial media with ethanol concentrations upward of 10% by volume (David 1983;Mercot et al 1994;Kacsoh et al 2013). In contrast, it has been found that some endoparasitoid wasps are sensitive to high levels of ethanol (Milan et al 2012). D. melanogaster adults are capable of prophylactically medicating their offspring through the use of ethanol and anticipatory oviposition.…”

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A Novel Paradigm for Nonassociative Long-Term Memory inDrosophila: Predator-Induced Changes in Oviposition Behavior

et al. 2015

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Learning processes in Drosophila have been studied through the use of Pavlovian associative memory tests, and these paradigms have been extremely useful in identifying both genetic factors and neuroanatomical structures that are essential to memory formation. Whether these same genes and brain compartments also contribute to memory formed from nonassociative experiences is not well understood. Exposures to environmental stressors such as predators are known to induce innate behavioral responses and can lead to new memory formation that allows a predator response to persist for days after the predator threat has been removed. Here, we utilize a unique form of nonassociative behavior in Drosophila where female flies detect the presence of endoparasitoid predatory wasps and alter their oviposition behavior to lay eggs in food containing high levels of alcohol. The predator-induced change in fly oviposition preference is maintained for days after wasps are removed, and this persistence in behavior requires a minimum continuous exposure time of 14 hr. Maintenance of this behavior is dependent on multiple long-term memory genes, including orb2, dunce, rutabaga, amnesiac, and Fmr1. Maintenance of the behavior also requires intact synaptic transmission of the mushroom body. Surprisingly, synaptic output from the mushroom body (MB) or the functions of any of these learning and memory genes are not required for the change in behavior when female flies are in constant contact with wasps. This suggests that perception of this predator that leads to an acute change in oviposition behavior is not dependent on the MB or dependent on learning and memory gene functions. Because wasp-induced oviposition behavior can last for days and its maintenance requires a functional MB and the wild-type products of several known learning and memory genes, we suggest that this constitutes a paradigm for a bona fide form of nonassociative long-term memory that is not dependent on associated experiences.KEYWORDS Drosophila melanogaster; learning and memory; long-term memory; behavior A fundamental trait that higher-order organisms possess is the ability to remember and recall past experiences. This wonderful ability of higher organisms to remember past experiences is observed in all animals and therefore drives intense interest to elucidate the molecular underpinning of learning and memory in model systems, such as Drosophila. Insight into the biology of memory has been gained with a wide array of experimental approaches ranging from behavioral phenomena and underlying physiological correlates to experimental interventions such as pharmacological, biochemical, and anatomical perturbations in model genetic systems. Genetic manipulations also provide key insight into behavioral plasticity, as this approach allows us to understand the genetic components regulating this plasticity while providing clues into the extent of evolutionary conservation among the different molecular mechanisms governing this plasticity (Greenspan 1995).Drosophila...

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“…This weight increase may be a result of D. melanogaster larvae metabolizing ethanol and using it as a food source (12). Ingestion of ethanol during the larval stage has additional benefits, such as protection from natural parasites such as endoparasitoid wasps (13).…”

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Competing dopamine neurons drive oviposition choice for ethanol in Drosophila

Azanchi

Kaun

Heberlein

2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The neural circuits that mediate behavioral choice evaluate and integrate information from the environment with internal demands and then initiate a behavioral response. Even circuits that support simple decisions remain poorly understood. In Drosophila melanogaster, oviposition on a substrate containing ethanol enhances fitness; however, little is known about the neural mechanisms mediating this important choice behavior. Here, we characterize the neural modulation of this simple choice and show that distinct subsets of dopaminergic neurons compete to either enhance or inhibit egg-laying preference for ethanol-containing food. Moreover, activity in α′β′ neurons of the mushroom body and a subset of ellipsoid body ring neurons (R2) is required for this choice. We propose a model where competing dopaminergic systems modulate oviposition preference to adjust to changes in natural oviposition substrates.I n nature, rotting fruit is the social hub for the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Flies use fermenting fruit as a food source (1) and a site for oviposition (2). The choice of a suitable oviposition substrate is an ecologically important decision with a direct impact on species fitness. However, other than having a clear preference for fermenting fruit, how females choose oviposition sites in nature is largely unknown.One of the main metabolites of fermentation is ethanol, which is present in ripe fleshy fruits (3). Although ethanol concentrations in the fruit are rather low [≤5% (vol/vol)] (4), plumes containing ethanol vapor can act as long-distance signals to attract flies to rotting fruit (3, 5). When given the choice, female flies prefer to lay their eggs on media containing low concentrations of ethanol (up to 5%) (6), which leads to enhanced fitness of the developing larva and the adult fly.D. melanogaster's resistance to ethanol toxicity may have evolved to allow inhabitation of ethanol-containing environments (7). For example, adult flies allowed to mate on ethanolcontaining media improve mating success and fecundity (8). Although rearing larvae on food containing relatively high ethanol concentrations delays development and decreases survival (9-11), larvae reared on low concentrations of ethanol develop into heavier adults (7,12). This weight increase may be a result of D. melanogaster larvae metabolizing ethanol and using it as a food source (12). Ingestion of ethanol during the larval stage has additional benefits, such as protection from natural parasites such as endoparasitoid wasps (13).Studies on the neural circuits underlying the oviposition program and choice of oviposition substrates have been initiated only recently in D. melanogaster (14, 15). Ethanol is a particularly intriguing stimulus for oviposition preference, because it has, depending on concentration, both beneficial and detrimental effects on developing larvae. In flies, the function of dopaminergic neurons has been implicated in responses to both rewarding and aversive stimuli (16-19), making it a candidate neuromodulator to signa...

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Alcohol Consumption as Self-Medication against Blood-Borne Parasites in the Fruit Fly

Cited by 117 publications

References 39 publications

Invasion biology of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii): a global perspective and future priorities

Invasion biology of spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii): a global perspective and future priorities

A Novel Paradigm for Nonassociative Long-Term Memory inDrosophila: Predator-Induced Changes in Oviposition Behavior

Competing dopamine neurons drive oviposition choice for ethanol in Drosophila

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