Wild African Drosophila melanogaster are seasonal specialists on marula fruits
(2018) In Current Biology 28(24). p.3-3968- Abstract
- Although the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster is
arguably the most studied organism on the planet,
fundamental aspects of this species’ natural ecology
have remained enigmatic [1]. We have here investigated
a wild population of D. melanogaster from a
mopane forest in Zimbabwe. We find that these flies
are closely associated with marula fruit (Sclerocarya
birrea) and propose that this seasonally abundant
and predominantly Southern African fruit is a key
ancestral host of D. melanogaster. Moreover, when
fruiting, marula is nearly exclusively used by
D. melanogaster, suggesting that these forest-dwelling
D. melanogaster are seasonal specialists, in... (More) - Although the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster is
arguably the most studied organism on the planet,
fundamental aspects of this species’ natural ecology
have remained enigmatic [1]. We have here investigated
a wild population of D. melanogaster from a
mopane forest in Zimbabwe. We find that these flies
are closely associated with marula fruit (Sclerocarya
birrea) and propose that this seasonally abundant
and predominantly Southern African fruit is a key
ancestral host of D. melanogaster. Moreover, when
fruiting, marula is nearly exclusively used by
D. melanogaster, suggesting that these forest-dwelling
D. melanogaster are seasonal specialists, in a
similar manner to, e.g., Drosophila erecta on screw
pine cones [2]. We further demonstrate that the
main chemicals released by marula activate odorant
receptors that mediate species-specific host choice
(Or22a) [3, 4] and oviposition site selection (Or19a)
[5]. The Or22a-expressing neurons—ab3A—respond
strongly to the marula ester ethyl isovalerate, a volatile
rarely encountered in high amounts in other fruit.
We also show that Or22a differs among African populations
sampled from a wide range of habitats, in
line with a function associated with host fruit usage.
Flies from Southern Africa, most of which carry a
distinct allele at the Or22a/Or22b locus, have ab3A
neurons that are more sensitive to ethyl isovalerate
than, e.g., European flies. Finally, we discuss the
possibility that marula, which is also a culturally
and nutritionally important resource to humans,
may have helped the transition to commensalism in
D. melanogaster. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/89c58c28-368f-4749-a6ee-4f7e610b2e8e
- author
- Mansourian, Suzan LU ; Enjin, Anders LU ; Jirle, Erling LU ; Ramesh, Vedika ; Rehermann, Guillermo ; Becher, Paul G. LU ; Pool, John E. and Stensmyr, Marcus LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-12-17
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- The Fly, commensialism
- in
- Current Biology
- volume
- 28
- issue
- 24
- pages
- 21 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85058225591
- ISSN
- 1879-0445
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 89c58c28-368f-4749-a6ee-4f7e610b2e8e
- date added to LUP
- 2018-12-07 13:52:14
- date last changed
- 2024-02-14 13:37:25
@article{89c58c28-368f-4749-a6ee-4f7e610b2e8e, abstract = {{Although the vinegar fly <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> is<br/>arguably the most studied organism on the planet,<br/>fundamental aspects of this species’ natural ecology<br/>have remained enigmatic [1]. We have here investigated<br/>a wild population of <i>D. melanogaster</i> from a<br/>mopane forest in Zimbabwe. We find that these flies<br/>are closely associated with marula fruit (<i>Sclerocarya<br/>birrea</i>) and propose that this seasonally abundant<br/>and predominantly Southern African fruit is a key<br/>ancestral host of <i>D. melanogaster</i>. Moreover, when<br/>fruiting, marula is nearly exclusively used by<br/><i>D. melanogaster</i>, suggesting that these forest-dwelling<br/><i>D. melanogaster</i> are seasonal specialists, in a<br/>similar manner to, e.g., <i>Drosophila erecta</i> on screw<br/>pine cones [2]. We further demonstrate that the<br/>main chemicals released by marula activate odorant<br/>receptors that mediate species-specific host choice<br/>(Or22a) [3, 4] and oviposition site selection (Or19a)<br/>[5]. The Or22a-expressing neurons—ab3A—respond<br/>strongly to the marula ester ethyl isovalerate, a volatile<br/>rarely encountered in high amounts in other fruit.<br/>We also show that Or22a differs among African populations<br/>sampled from a wide range of habitats, in<br/>line with a function associated with host fruit usage.<br/>Flies from Southern Africa, most of which carry a<br/>distinct allele at the Or22a/Or22b locus, have ab3A<br/>neurons that are more sensitive to ethyl isovalerate<br/>than, e.g., European flies. Finally, we discuss the<br/>possibility that marula, which is also a culturally<br/>and nutritionally important resource to humans,<br/>may have helped the transition to commensalism in<br/><i>D. melanogaster</i>.}}, author = {{Mansourian, Suzan and Enjin, Anders and Jirle, Erling and Ramesh, Vedika and Rehermann, Guillermo and Becher, Paul G. and Pool, John E. and Stensmyr, Marcus}}, issn = {{1879-0445}}, keywords = {{The Fly; commensialism}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{12}}, number = {{24}}, pages = {{3--3968}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{Current Biology}}, title = {{Wild African <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> are seasonal specialists on marula fruits}}, url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/55266565/mmc2.pdf}}, volume = {{28}}, year = {{2018}}, }