Divergence of desiccation-related traits in two <i>Drosophila</i> species of the <i>takahashii</i> subgroup from the western Himalayas

Parkash, Ravi; Ramniwas, Seema; Kajla, Babita; Aggarwal, Dau Dayal

doi:10.1242/jeb.065730

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 44 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…Body lipid content, proteins, trehalose and glycogen content were estimated in larvae as well as adults (N=20 IF lines per population × 10 replicates of each sex) of both sexes of D. kikkawai following the method of Parkash and co-workers (Parkash et al, 2012b).…”

Section: Estimation Of Energy Metabolitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-specific divergence for adaptations to dehydration stress in Drosophila kikkawai

Parkash

Ranga

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYSeveral studies on diverse Drosophila species have reported higher desiccation resistance of females, but the physiological basis of such sex-specific differences has received less attention. We tested whether sex-specific differences in cuticular traits (melanic females and non-melanic males) of Drosophila kikkawai correspond with divergence in their water balance mechanisms. Our results are interesting in several respects. First, positive clinal variation in desiccation resistance was correlated with cuticular melanisation in females but with changes in cuticular lipid mass in males, despite a lack of differences between the sexes for the rate of water loss. Second, a comparative analysis of water budget showed that females of the northern population stored more body water as well as hemolymph content and exhibited greater dehydration tolerance than flies from the southern tropics. In contrast, we found no geographical variation in the males for water content and dehydration tolerance. Third, an ~10-fold increase in the rate of water loss after organic solvent treatment of male D. kikkawai suggested a role of cuticular lipids in cuticular transpiration, but had no effect in the females. Fourth, geographical differences in the storage of carbohydrate content (metabolic fuel) were observed in females but not in males. Interestingly, in females, the rate of utilization of carbohydrates did not vary geographically, but males from drier localities showed a 50% reduction compared with wetter localities. Thus, body melanisation, increased body water, hemolymph, carbohydrate content and greater dehydration tolerance confer greater desiccation resistance in females, but a reduced rate of water loss is the only possible mechanism to cope with drought stress in males. Finally, acclimated females showed a significant increase in drought resistance associated with higher trehalose content as well as dehydration tolerance, while males showed no acclimation response. Thus, sex-specific differences in desiccation resistance of D. kikkawai are associated with divergence in some water balance strategies, despite a lack of differences in the rate of water loss between the two sexes.

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Section: Estimation Of Energy Metabolitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-specific divergence for adaptations to dehydration stress in Drosophila kikkawai

Parkash

Ranga

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Trehalose, glycogen, body lipid content and proteins were estimated following the method of Parkash et al (Parkash et al, 2012), and full details of homogenate preparation, use of the Megazyme Trehalose Assay Kit for trehalose estimation and use of the gluco-amylase assay for glycogen, estimation of proteins using the bicinchoninic assay, and estimation of lipids per fly by subtracting the lipid free dry mass from initial dry mass per fly, are given therein.…”

Section: Estimation Of Energy Metabolitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Divergent strategies for adaptations to stress resistance in two tropical Drosophila species: effects of developmental acclimation for D. bipectinata and the invasive species - D. malerkotliana

Parkash

Singh

Lambhod

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Previous studies on two tropical Drosophila species (D. malerkotliana and D. bipectinata) have shown lower resistance to stress-related traits but the rapid colonization of D. malerkotliana in the past few decades is not consistent with its sensitivity to desiccation and cold stress. We tested the hypothesis that developmental acclimation at two growth temperatures (17 and 25°C) can confer adaptations to desiccation and thermal stresses. We found divergence in developmental plastic effects on cuticular traits, i.e. a significant increase of body melanisation (~2-fold) and of cuticular lipid mass (~3-fold) in D. malerkotliana but only 1.5-fold higher cuticular lipid mass in D. bipectinata when grown at 17°C compared with 25°C. A comparison of the water budget of these two species showed significantly higher effects of developmental acclimation on body water content, rate of water loss and dehydration tolerance resulting in higher desiccation resistance in D. malerkotliana than in D. bipectinata. When grown in cooler conditions (17°C), D. malerkotliana had greater resistance to cold as well as desiccation stress. In contrast, heat resistance of D. bipectinata was higher when grown at 25°C. These laboratory observations are supported by data on seasonally varying populations. Furthermore, adult D. malerkotliana acclimated to different stresses showed greater resistance to those stresses than D. bipectinata adults. Thus, significant increase in stress resistance of D. malerkotliana through developmental acclimation may be responsible for its invasion and ecological success on different continents compared with D. bipectinata.

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“…Contrary to the rationale that desert insects can withstand higher water loss than mesic species, the aquatic beetle, Peltodytes muticus (Coleoptera: Haliplidae) is known for its highest tolerance in comparison to the desert spider beetle, Mezium affine (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) (Pallarés et al, 2016). Closely related Drosophila species (Diptera: Drosophilidae) have evolved different water balance mechanisms as demonstrated in D. nepalensis vs. D. takahashii and D. immigrans vs. D. nasuta (Parkash et al, 2012a,b).…”

Section: Dry But Not Deadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insects With Survival Kits for Desiccation Tolerance Under Extreme Water Deficits

Thorat

Nath

2018

Front. Physiol.

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The year 2002 marked the tercentenary of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s discovery of desiccation tolerance in animals. This remarkable phenomenon to sustain ‘life’ in the absence of water can be revived upon return of hydrating conditions. Today, coping with climate change-related factors, especially temperature-humidity imbalance, is a global challenge. Under such adverse circumstances, desiccation tolerance remains a prime mechanism of several plants and a few animals to escape the hostile consequences of fluctuating hydroperiodicity patterns in their habitats. Among small animals, insects have demonstrated impressive resilience to dehydration and thrive under physiological water deficits without compromising on revival and survival upon rehydration. The focus of this review is to compile research insights on insect desiccation tolerance, gathered over the past several decades from numerous laboratories worldwide working on different insect groups. We provide a comparative overview of species-specific behavioral changes, adjustments in physiological biochemistry and cellular and molecular mechanisms as few of the noteworthy desiccation-responsive survival kits in insects. Finally, we highlight the role of insects as potential mechanistic models in tracking global warming which will form the basis for translational research to mitigate periods of climatic uncertainty predicted for the future.

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Divergence of desiccation-related traits in two Drosophila species of the takahashii subgroup from the western Himalayas

Cited by 11 publications

References 44 publications

Sex-specific divergence for adaptations to dehydration stress in Drosophila kikkawai

Sex-specific divergence for adaptations to dehydration stress in Drosophila kikkawai

Divergent strategies for adaptations to stress resistance in two tropical Drosophila species: effects of developmental acclimation for D. bipectinata and the invasive species - D. malerkotliana

Insects With Survival Kits for Desiccation Tolerance Under Extreme Water Deficits

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