Male pheromonal role in reproductive isolation between Drosophila melanogaster races

• Main Authors: Cheng-Ta Chiang, 江政達
• Other Authors: Chau-Ti Ting
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35239007431609299007

碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 分子與細胞生物研究所 === 94 === Pheromonal cuticular hydrocarbons have been shown to play important roles in species recognition and sexual isolation. A high correlation between female cuticular hydrocarbons and differentiation of mating behavior was observed in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the role of the male cuticular hydrocarbons in this sexual isolation remains elusive. In this study, male cuticular hydrocarbons not only diverged between Z and M races, but also within Z race (namely ZA and ZB groups). Females from ZA group prefer to mate with males carrying Z male cuticular hydrocarbons indicating that the importance of the male cuticular hydrocarbons in sexual isolation. On the other hand, females from ZB group prefer to mate with Z males, but mating success of Z males carrying Z or M male cuticular hydrocarbons is similar. Genetic mapping by using chromosome substitution lines showed that the production of the male pheromonal signal is mainly controlled by the third chromosome. Several cuticular hydrocarbon candidates for ZA females preference, including 7T, 5T, 25Br, 7P, and 5P, were suggested by combining the results of behavioral experiments and cuticular hydrocarbons variation analysis. My study provides the first evidence demonstrating that male cuticular hydrocarbon changes are one of the key switches in racial differentiation. Evolutionary forces shaping female preferences might uncover in the near feature.