title: Function, developmental genetics, and fitness consequences of a sexually antagonistic trait.
abstract: Sexual conflict is thought to be a potent force driving the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits. In the water strider Rheumatobates rileyi, we show that elaborated traits on male antennae function to grasp resistant females during premating struggles. Using RNA interference, we uncovered novel roles of the gene distal-less (dll) in generating these male-specific traits. Furthermore, graded reduction of the grasping traits resulted in a graded reduction of mating success in males, thus demonstrating both selection for elaboration of the traits and the role of dll in their evolution. By establishing developmental genetic tools in model systems where sexual selection and conflict are understood, we can begin to reveal how selection can exploit ancient developmental genes to enable the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada.
authors.forename: Abderrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khila
authors.forename: Ehab
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abouheif
authors.forename: Locke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D034622:RNA Interference; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C117261:distal-less protein, insect