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Mate discrimination among subspecies through a conserved olfactory pathway

Khallaf, Mohammed A. ; Auer, Thomas O. ; Grabe, Veit ; Depetris-Chauvin, Ana ; Ammagarahalli, Byrappa ; Zhang, Dan Dan LU ; Lavista-Llanos, Sofía ; Kaftan, Filip ; Weißflog, Jerrit and Matzkin, Luciano M. , et al. (2020) In Science Advances 6(25).
Abstract

Communication mechanisms underlying the sexual isolation of species are poorly understood. Using four subspecies of Drosophila mojavensis as a model, we identify two behaviorally active, male-specific pheromones. One functions as a conserved male antiaphrodisiac in all subspecies and acts via gustation. The second induces female receptivity via olfaction exclusively in the two subspecies that produce it. Genetic analysis of the cognate receptor for the olfactory pheromone indicates an important role for this sensory pathway in promoting sexual isolation of subspecies, in combination with auditory signals. Unexpectedly, the peripheral sensory pathway detecting this pheromone is conserved molecularly, physiologically, and anatomically... (More)

Communication mechanisms underlying the sexual isolation of species are poorly understood. Using four subspecies of Drosophila mojavensis as a model, we identify two behaviorally active, male-specific pheromones. One functions as a conserved male antiaphrodisiac in all subspecies and acts via gustation. The second induces female receptivity via olfaction exclusively in the two subspecies that produce it. Genetic analysis of the cognate receptor for the olfactory pheromone indicates an important role for this sensory pathway in promoting sexual isolation of subspecies, in combination with auditory signals. Unexpectedly, the peripheral sensory pathway detecting this pheromone is conserved molecularly, physiologically, and anatomically across subspecies. These observations imply that subspecies-specific behaviors arise from differential interpretation of the same peripheral cue, reminiscent of sexually conserved detection but dimorphic interpretation of male pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster. Our results reveal that, during incipient speciation, pheromone production, detection, and interpretation do not necessarily evolve in a coordinated manner.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Science Advances
volume
6
issue
25
article number
aba5279
publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85086805097
  • pmid:32704542
ISSN
2375-2548
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.aba5279
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
09d6615d-048f-48c2-9434-7fe573a6abcd
date added to LUP
2020-07-08 13:13:16
date last changed
2024-06-13 19:37:12
@article{09d6615d-048f-48c2-9434-7fe573a6abcd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Communication mechanisms underlying the sexual isolation of species are poorly understood. Using four subspecies of Drosophila mojavensis as a model, we identify two behaviorally active, male-specific pheromones. One functions as a conserved male antiaphrodisiac in all subspecies and acts via gustation. The second induces female receptivity via olfaction exclusively in the two subspecies that produce it. Genetic analysis of the cognate receptor for the olfactory pheromone indicates an important role for this sensory pathway in promoting sexual isolation of subspecies, in combination with auditory signals. Unexpectedly, the peripheral sensory pathway detecting this pheromone is conserved molecularly, physiologically, and anatomically across subspecies. These observations imply that subspecies-specific behaviors arise from differential interpretation of the same peripheral cue, reminiscent of sexually conserved detection but dimorphic interpretation of male pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster. Our results reveal that, during incipient speciation, pheromone production, detection, and interpretation do not necessarily evolve in a coordinated manner.</p>}},
  author       = {{Khallaf, Mohammed A. and Auer, Thomas O. and Grabe, Veit and Depetris-Chauvin, Ana and Ammagarahalli, Byrappa and Zhang, Dan Dan and Lavista-Llanos, Sofía and Kaftan, Filip and Weißflog, Jerrit and Matzkin, Luciano M. and Rollmann, Stephanie M. and Löfstedt, Christer and Svatoš, Aleš and Dweck, Hany K.M. and Sachse, Silke and Benton, Richard and Hansson, Bill S. and Knaden, Markus}},
  issn         = {{2375-2548}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{25}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
  series       = {{Science Advances}},
  title        = {{Mate discrimination among subspecies through a conserved olfactory pathway}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba5279}},
  doi          = {{10.1126/sciadv.aba5279}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}