Proteomic approach to understanding the maternal effect in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga bullata (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Abstract

Abstract. Progeny of the flesh fly Sarcophaga bullata exposed to short day length show a maternal effect that prevents the expression of pupal diapause. Although ecological aspects of this effect are well studied, not enough is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying this maternal effect. In this study, two-dimensional electrophoresis was performed to detect differences of the abundance of certain proteins in the ovaries of this fly kept under long day and short day conditions for 2 days after eclosion. Eleven proteins that were abundant and showed significant changes were selected for mass spectrometric identification. Ovary proteins that increased in abundance under short-day conditions were similar to twinstar CG4254-PA, muscle protein 20-like protein, GA13413-PA, gene analogous to small peritrophins (Gasp CG10287-PA) and Ribosomal protein LP1 CG4087-PA. Ovary proteins that decreased in abundance under short-day conditions were similar to the ATP synthase beta subunit, fk506-binding protein and storage protein-binding protein. The 2-D proteome maps included 2 additional unknown proteins that were more abundant and 1 that was less abundant in the ovaries of 2-day old short-day females. Twinstar CG4254-PA, muscle protein 20-like protein and GA13413-PA harbour an actin-binding domain. That the 3 actin-binding proteins increase in abundance suggests that it is likely that an alteration in the actin cytoskeleton is involved in this maternal effect in the flesh fly.