Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior
Pheromones play an important role in the behavior, ecology, and evolution of many organisms. The structure of many insect pheromones typically consists of a hydrocarbon backbone, occasionally modified with various functional oxygen groups. Here we show that sex-specific triacylclyerides (TAGs) are b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2014-03-01
|
| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/01751 |
| _version_ | 1818018944789774336 |
|---|---|
| author | Jacqueline SR Chin Shane R Ellis Huong T Pham Stephen J Blanksby Kenji Mori Qi Ling Koh William J Etges Joanne Y Yew |
| author_facet | Jacqueline SR Chin Shane R Ellis Huong T Pham Stephen J Blanksby Kenji Mori Qi Ling Koh William J Etges Joanne Y Yew |
| author_sort | Jacqueline SR Chin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pheromones play an important role in the behavior, ecology, and evolution of many organisms. The structure of many insect pheromones typically consists of a hydrocarbon backbone, occasionally modified with various functional oxygen groups. Here we show that sex-specific triacylclyerides (TAGs) are broadly conserved across the subgenus Drosophila in 11 species and represent a novel class of pheromones that has been largely overlooked. In desert-adapted drosophilids, 13 different TAGs are secreted exclusively by males from the ejaculatory bulb, transferred to females during mating, and function synergistically to inhibit courtship from other males. Sex-specific TAGs are comprised of at least one short branched tiglic acid and a long linear fatty acyl component, an unusual structural motif that has not been reported before in other natural products. The diversification of chemical cues used by desert-adapted Drosophila as pheromones may be related to their specialized diet of fermenting cacti. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:46:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aaedc02f5b374918a2d031a2d5feaa89 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:46:21Z |
| publishDate | 2014-03-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-aaedc02f5b374918a2d031a2d5feaa892022-12-22T02:05:20ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2014-03-01310.7554/eLife.01751Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behaviorJacqueline SR Chin0Shane R Ellis1Huong T Pham2Stephen J Blanksby3Kenji Mori4Qi Ling Koh5William J Etges6Joanne Y Yew7Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Free Radical Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AustraliaPhotosensitive Materials Research Center, Toyo Gosei Company, Ltd., Chiba, JapanTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeProgram in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, United StatesTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporePheromones play an important role in the behavior, ecology, and evolution of many organisms. The structure of many insect pheromones typically consists of a hydrocarbon backbone, occasionally modified with various functional oxygen groups. Here we show that sex-specific triacylclyerides (TAGs) are broadly conserved across the subgenus Drosophila in 11 species and represent a novel class of pheromones that has been largely overlooked. In desert-adapted drosophilids, 13 different TAGs are secreted exclusively by males from the ejaculatory bulb, transferred to females during mating, and function synergistically to inhibit courtship from other males. Sex-specific TAGs are comprised of at least one short branched tiglic acid and a long linear fatty acyl component, an unusual structural motif that has not been reported before in other natural products. The diversification of chemical cues used by desert-adapted Drosophila as pheromones may be related to their specialized diet of fermenting cacti.https://elifesciences.org/articles/01751ozone-induced dissociationmass spectrometrybehaviorD. arizonaeD. mojavensislaser desorption ionzation |
| spellingShingle | Jacqueline SR Chin Shane R Ellis Huong T Pham Stephen J Blanksby Kenji Mori Qi Ling Koh William J Etges Joanne Y Yew Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior eLife ozone-induced dissociation mass spectrometry behavior D. arizonae D. mojavensis laser desorption ionzation |
| title | Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| title_full | Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| title_fullStr | Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| title_short | Sex-specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in Drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| title_sort | sex specific triacylglycerides are widely conserved in drosophila and mediate mating behavior |
| topic | ozone-induced dissociation mass spectrometry behavior D. arizonae D. mojavensis laser desorption ionzation |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/01751 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jacquelinesrchin sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT shanerellis sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT huongtpham sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT stephenjblanksby sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT kenjimori sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT qilingkoh sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT williamjetges sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior AT joanneyyew sexspecifictriacylglyceridesarewidelyconservedindrosophilaandmediatematingbehavior |