Mating-Induced Recombination in Fruit Flies

Abstract

In traditional deterministic models the conditions for the evolution of sex and sexual behavior are limited because their benefits are context dependent. In novel and adverse environments both multiple mating and recombination can help generate gene combinations that allow for rapid adaptation. Mating frequency often increases in conditions in which recombination might be beneficial; therefore, increased sexual behavior might evolve to act as a cue that stimulates recombination. We conducted two experiments in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, using linked phenotypic markers to determine how recent bouts of additional mating affect female recombination rate. The first experiment examined the effect of additional mating, mating history, and age on female recombination rate. The second experiment assessed the effect of recent mating events on recombination rate. Together, the experiments suggest that each additional bout of mating temporarily increases female recombination rate. These findings imply that the conditions favoring the evolution of sexual reproduction and multiple mating behaviors are broader than currently appreciated.

DO MALES MATTER? TESTING THE EFFECTS OF MALE GENETIC BACKGROUND ON FEMALE MEIOTIC CROSSOVER RATES INDROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

“…Similarly, females in the initial experiment were held as virgins for 4 days in comparison to our females, which were held as virgin for 12–24 h. It is clear that maternal age affects crossover rate in Drosophila (Plough , ; Bridges ; Neel ; Hayman and Parsons ; Redfield ; Priest et al. ; Tedman‐Aucoin and Agrawal ), and it is possible that capacity for plasticity varies as a function of age as well. It is also possible that the duration of the aging window (4 days vs. 1 day) contributes to the difference between results observed in the current versus original study.…”

“…Males were removed after this window to minimize the potential effects of multiple matings, as previous studies have suggested that increased mating increases crossover rates (Priest et al. ). Although D. melanogaster females display a lack of receptivity to remate soon after mating (Manning , ; Bubis et al.…”

“…Previous work has suggested that mating stress, including the amount of mating and the age at which mating occurs, can significantly affect crossover rates in Drosophila (Redfield ; Priest et al. , ). Moreover, a recent study indicated a significant effect of male genetic background on female crossover rate in Drosophila melanogaster (Stevison ).…”

Male-Mediated Effects on Female Meiotic Recombination

“…There are also condition‐dependent features that lead to changes in recombination within an individual's lifetime, such as variation with maternal age whereby eggs laid later in life exhibit higher numbers of crossovers than eggs laid when females are younger (Bridges 1927, 1929). Attempts to examine plasticity in recombination rates have demonstrated that factors such as temperature (Plough 1917, 1921; Grell 1971; Zhuchenko et al 1986), nutrition (Neel 1941; Davis and Smith 2001), age of mating (Redfield 1966), and the number of matings (Priest et al 2007) also affect recombination rates.…”

“…One of the more surprising patterns of plasticity in recombination rates is the change elicited in response to mating frequency (Redfield 1966; Priest et al 2007). An early study on the effects of age on recombination rates showed that female recombination rates decline shortly after mating (three to four days) and require six to eight days to recover to rates assayed soon after mating (one to two days; Redfield 1966).…”