A male-specific fatty acid omega-hydroxylase, SXE1, is necessary for efficient male mating in Drosophila melanogaster.
In Drosophila, sexual differentiation, physiology, and behavior are thought to be mediated by numerous male- and female-specific effector genes whose expression is controlled by sex-specifically expressed transcriptional regulators. One such downstream effector gene, sex-specific enzyme 1 (sxe1, cyp4d21), has been identified in a screen for genes with sex-biased expression in the head. Sxe1 was also identified in another screen as a circadian regulated gene. Here, we analyzed the spatial and temporal regulation of sxe1 and identified a function for this gene in male courtship. We show that male-specific transcriptional regulator DSX(M) and the clock genes are necessary for cycling of sxe1 mRNA during the diurnal cycle. Similar to sxe1 mRNA, expression of SXE1 protein oscillates in a diurnal fashion, with highest protein levels occurring around midnight. SXE1 protein expression is restricted to nonneuronal cells associated with diverse sensory bristles of both the chemo- and mechanosensory systems. Suppression or knockout of sxe1 significantly reduces mating success throughout the diurnal cycle. Finally, the metabolomic profile of wild-type and sxe1 mutant males revealed that sxe1 likely functions as a fatty acid omega-hydroxylase, suggesting that male courtship and mating success is mediated by small compounds generated by this enzyme.
Fujii
Shinsuke
S
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.
Toyama
Akemi
A
Amrein
Hubert
H
D000483:Alleles; D000619:Aminohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C532920:Cyp4d21 protein, Drosophila; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A; D000619:Aminohydrolases