Distribution of sperm in the storage organs of the Drosophila melanogaster female at various levels of insemination

Fowler, Graham; Eroshevich, K. E.; Zimmering, S.

doi:10.1007/bf00336577

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…However, this does not seem to be the case. Fowler et al (1968) found when between 51 and 100 sperm were stored, i.e. the range including the mean number in our experimental`females', 65.6% were in the receptacleöa much smaller proportion than the 87.5% in our experimental £ies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 45%

A female nervous system is necessary for normal sperm storage in Drosophila melanogaster: a masculinized nervous system is as good as none

Arthur¹,

Hauschteck‐Jungen²,

Nöthiger³

et al. 1998

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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A male Drosophila melanogaster deposits many more sperm in a female's bursa copulatrix than are stored in her ventral receptacle or paired spermathecae soon after copula has ended. The remaining sperm are expelled by the female. These observations suggest a sexual con£ict over the processes involved in sperm storage. We used genetically manipulated £ies to study the role of the central nervous system in sperm storage. Flies with female bodies but masculinized nervous systems, or isolated female abdomens, stored signi¢cantly fewer sperm than did control females. Furthermore, compared with control £ies, there were relatively more sperm in the ventral receptacle and relatively fewer in the spermathecae. These results suggest that the female nervous input counteracts the male's attempts to force sperm into the ventral receptacle during copula and promotes active transport of sperm to the spermathecae during and after copula. The female is clearly a very active partner in in£uencing processes involved in sperm competition, especially as only stored sperm can be used later to fertilize eggs. To our knowledge, this is the ¢rst study to show directly the involvement of the female nervous system in sperm storage.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 45%

A female nervous system is necessary for normal sperm storage in Drosophila melanogaster: a masculinized nervous system is as good as none

Arthur¹,

Hauschteck‐Jungen²,

Nöthiger³

et al. 1998

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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“…After sealing with nail polish, slides were set aside for a day or longer to permit deeper staining of the sperm heads by orcein. These methods are similar to techniques used by Fowler et al (1968). Counts of sperm heads in the female storage organs were made using a phase contrast microscope at 1,000X magnification.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studies of Esterase 6 in Drosophila melanogaster. V. Progeny Production and Sperm Use in Females Inseminated by Males having Active or Null Alleles

Gilbert¹,

Richmond²,

Sheehan³

1981

Evolution

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Despite more than a decade ofresearch, Aronshtam and Kuzin (1974) have shown the evolutionary significance of molecular that the anterior ejaculatory duct (a secrevariants of enzymes in Drosophila and tory organ connecting the testes and acother organisms is far from clear. Recently cessory glands to the ejaculatory bulb) several workers have stressed that a new contains EST 6 in concentrations nearly research strategy is needed which will in-as great as found in whole fly homogetegrate findings on the biochemistry and nates. Current studies indicate that this psysiology of enzyme variants with ob-enzyme is depleted in males and transserved changes in allele frequencies in nat-ferred to females during copulation (Richural or artificial populations (Clarke, mond et al., 1980(Clarke, mond et al., ). 1973Koehn, 1978). Our laboratory is en-Does this polymorphic enzyme, transgaged in a study of the extent and adap-ferred to females in significant amounts at tive significance of molecular variants at copulation, have a clear adaptive role in the autosomal, esterase 6 (Est 6) locus in Drosophila male and/or female reproduc-D. melanogaster (Cochrane, 1976; Coch-tive fitness? The availability of D. metarane and Richmond, 1979aRichmond, , 1979b. Re-nogaster stocks homozygous for null varicent work (Sheehan et al., 1979) has ants of Est 6 provides an excellent tool for shown that the specific activity of esterase examining this question. Many compo-6 (EST 6) reaches its maximum in adult nents of the male reproductive phenotype males. (The notation Est 6 will be used are potentially affected by a reproductive throughout to denote the genetic locus; the enzyme. These include aspects of courtnotation EST 6 refers to the esterase 6 en-ship, copulation, sperm transfer and storzyme.) Activity shows a gradual increase age, sperm viability and use by the fethrough larval until early pupal stages, male, as well as remating and sperm then remains constant until 12 h post eclo-displacement among males. sion. At this young adult stage, near the The absence of an enzyme which conbeginning of reproductive fertility, males tributes to reproductive fitness could be have about twice the EST 6 activity of expected to lower the productivity of matfemales. EST 6 activity remains at a con-ings, through an effect on one of these stant low level throughout female adult-components. Comparisons of the single hood, but rises to five times this level in mating productivity (progeny per female) males by three days post eclosion, and is of females inseminated by males homomaintained at these high levels in virgin zygous for an active Est 6 allele and males males.homozygous for a null allele were under-The increase in esterase activity in adult taken to test this expectation. Females males corresponds to the period when fer-having a genetic background similar to the tility and the frequency of mating is rising two male types, but homozygous for the in males (Stromnaes and Kvelland, 1962; sex-linked mutation forked, were used to Fowler, 1973). Furth...

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“…In most Drosophilidae species, the seminal receptacle is the main storage organ and is likely to receive sperm that has been first stored in the spermathecae (Fowler et al 1968;Gilbert 1981). Variation in sperm length between species ( Fig.…”

Section: Meta-analysis Of the Coevolution Of Male And Female Traits Imentioning

confidence: 98%

Coevolution of male and female reproductive structures in Drosophila

Joly¹,

Schiffer²

2009

Genetica

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The morphology of male genitalia whilst stable within species, exhibits huge interspecific variation. This variation is likely to be as a result of sexual selection due to the direct involvement of these reproductive structures in mating and sperm transfer. In contrast, internal soft tissue components of the genitalia are generally poorly investigated as they are not directly involved in physical and mechanical adequacy during sperm transfer. However, these soft tissue structures may also drive differential male-female interactions, particularly in internally fertilising organisms where females have the ability to store sperm and bias male reproductive success. In this paper we use the drosophila model to investigate the role of male and female reproductive elements in sexual selection. Our meta-analysis supplemented with additional new data clearly shows that within species, sperm length versus testis length, and sperm length versus seminal receptacle length, are highly correlated. Thus, independent of the phylogenetic relationship among species, gamete evolution is likely to result in sexual selection interactions that drive the evolution of internal reproductive components in both sexes. Our results and discussion of the literature highlight the importance of considering internal soft structures that may influence fertilisation, when investigating selective forces acting on the evolution of reproductive traits.

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Distribution of sperm in the storage organs of the Drosophila melanogaster female at various levels of insemination

Cited by 15 publications

References 3 publications

A female nervous system is necessary for normal sperm storage in Drosophila melanogaster: a masculinized nervous system is as good as none

A female nervous system is necessary for normal sperm storage in Drosophila melanogaster: a masculinized nervous system is as good as none

Studies of Esterase 6 in Drosophila melanogaster. V. Progeny Production and Sperm Use in Females Inseminated by Males having Active or Null Alleles

Coevolution of male and female reproductive structures in Drosophila

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