Germline-dependent gene expression in distant non-gonadal somatic tissues of Drosophila.
BACKGROUND
Drosophila females commit tremendous resources to egg production and males produce some of the longest sperm in the animal kingdom. We know little about the coordinated regulation of gene expression patterns in distant somatic tissues that support the developmental cost of gamete production.


RESULTS
We determined the non-gonadal gene expression patterns of Drosophila females and males with or without a germline. Our results show that germline-dependent expression in the non-gonadal soma is extensive. Interestingly, gene expression patterns and hormone titers are consistent with a hormone axis between the gonads and non-gonadal soma.


CONCLUSIONS
The germline has a long-range influence on gene expression in the Drosophila sexes. We suggest that this is the result of a germline/soma hormonal axis.
Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. mparisi@sas.upenn.edu
Michael J
MJ
Parisi
Vaijayanti
V
Gupta
David
D
Sturgill
James T
JT
Warren
Jean-Marc
JM
Jallon
John H
JH
Malone
Yu
Y
Zhang
Lawrence I
LI
Gilbert
Brian
B
Oliver
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005838:Genotype; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
D006728:Hormones