Fecal-Derived Phenol Induces Egg-Laying Aversion in Drosophila
Mansourian, Suzan LU ; Corcoran, Jacob LU ; Enjin, Anders LU
; Löfstedt, Christer
LU
; Dacke, Marie
LU
and Stensmyr, Marcus C.
LU
(2016)
In Current Biology
26(20).
p.2762-2769
- Abstract
Feces is an abundant, rich source of energy, utilized by a myriad of organisms, not least by members of the order Diptera, i.e., flies. How Drosophila melanogaster reacts to fecal matter remains unclear. Here, we examined oviposition behavior toward a range of fecal samples from mammals native to the putative Southeast African homeland of the fly. We show that D. melanogaster display a strong oviposition aversion toward feces from carnivorous mammals but indifference or even attraction toward herbivore dung. We identify a set of four predictor volatiles, which can be used to differentiate fecal from non-fecal matter, as well as separate carnivore from herbivore feces. Of these volatiles, phenol—indicative of carnivore feces—confers... (More)
Feces is an abundant, rich source of energy, utilized by a myriad of organisms, not least by members of the order Diptera, i.e., flies. How Drosophila melanogaster reacts to fecal matter remains unclear. Here, we examined oviposition behavior toward a range of fecal samples from mammals native to the putative Southeast African homeland of the fly. We show that D. melanogaster display a strong oviposition aversion toward feces from carnivorous mammals but indifference or even attraction toward herbivore dung. We identify a set of four predictor volatiles, which can be used to differentiate fecal from non-fecal matter, as well as separate carnivore from herbivore feces. Of these volatiles, phenol—indicative of carnivore feces—confers egg-laying aversion and is detected by a single class of sensory neurons expressing Or46a. The Or46a-expressing neurons are necessary and sufficient for oviposition site aversion. We further demonstrate that carnivore feces—unlike herbivore dung—contain a high rate of pathogenic bacteria taxa. These harmful bacteria produce phenol from L-tyrosine, an amino acid specifically enriched in high protein diets, such as consumed by carnivores. Finally, we demonstrate that carnivore feces, as well as phenol, is also avoided by a ball-rolling species of dung beetle, suggesting that phenol is a widespread avoidance signal because of its association with pathogenic bacteria.
(Less)
- author
- Mansourian, Suzan
LU
; Corcoran, Jacob
LU
; Enjin, Anders
LU
; Löfstedt, Christer
LU
; Dacke, Marie
LU
and Stensmyr, Marcus C.
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2016-10-24
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Current Biology
- volume
- 26
- issue
- 20
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84994796710
- pmid:27641770
- wos:000386404200043
- ISSN
- 0960-9822
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.065
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- fdd59cf9-66cd-43a2-8553-2c1d8a22e573
- date added to LUP
- 2016-11-30 14:43:13
- date last changed
- 2025-04-05 23:58:15
@article{fdd59cf9-66cd-43a2-8553-2c1d8a22e573,
abstract = {{<p>Feces is an abundant, rich source of energy, utilized by a myriad of organisms, not least by members of the order Diptera, i.e., flies. How Drosophila melanogaster reacts to fecal matter remains unclear. Here, we examined oviposition behavior toward a range of fecal samples from mammals native to the putative Southeast African homeland of the fly. We show that D. melanogaster display a strong oviposition aversion toward feces from carnivorous mammals but indifference or even attraction toward herbivore dung. We identify a set of four predictor volatiles, which can be used to differentiate fecal from non-fecal matter, as well as separate carnivore from herbivore feces. Of these volatiles, phenol—indicative of carnivore feces—confers egg-laying aversion and is detected by a single class of sensory neurons expressing Or46a. The Or46a-expressing neurons are necessary and sufficient for oviposition site aversion. We further demonstrate that carnivore feces—unlike herbivore dung—contain a high rate of pathogenic bacteria taxa. These harmful bacteria produce phenol from L-tyrosine, an amino acid specifically enriched in high protein diets, such as consumed by carnivores. Finally, we demonstrate that carnivore feces, as well as phenol, is also avoided by a ball-rolling species of dung beetle, suggesting that phenol is a widespread avoidance signal because of its association with pathogenic bacteria.</p>}},
author = {{Mansourian, Suzan and Corcoran, Jacob and Enjin, Anders and Löfstedt, Christer and Dacke, Marie and Stensmyr, Marcus C.}},
issn = {{0960-9822}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
number = {{20}},
pages = {{2762--2769}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Current Biology}},
title = {{Fecal-Derived Phenol Induces Egg-Laying Aversion in <i>Drosophila</i>}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.065}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.065}},
volume = {{26}},
year = {{2016}},
}