title: Biological stoichiometry of growth in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: We examined the relationship between growth rate, C:N:P stoichiometry, and nucleic acid content in Drosophila melanogaster. The "Growth Rate Hypothesis" predicts that N and P contents per unit body mass will be high during ontogenetic stages characterized by rapid growth, reflecting the large requirement for P-rich ribosomal RNA during these periods. The ratio of RNA:DNA also is predicted to change with changes in growth rate. Growth is rapid in early D. melanogaster larvae, slowing considerably just prior to pupation. As predicted, a positive relationship was found between growth rate and N and P content, but not C. Thus, body C:P and N:P ratios declined with increasing growth rate. The relationship between RNA content and growth rate also was positive. Additionally, the fraction of total body P contributed by ribosomal RNA increased with increasing growth rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0088, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: H Arthur
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hargand
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Elser
authors.forename: Therese A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Markow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D012313:RNA; D002244:Carbon; D004247:DNA; D009584:Nitrogen