title: MicroRNAs influence reproductive responses by females to male sex peptide in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: Across taxa, female behavior and physiology change significantly following the receipt of ejaculate molecules during mating. For example, receipt of sex peptide (SP) in female Drosophila melanogaster significantly alters female receptivity, egg production, lifespan, hormone levels, immunity, sleep, and feeding patterns. These changes are underpinned by distinct tissue- and time-specific changes in diverse sets of mRNAs. However, little is yet known about the regulation of these gene expression changes, and hence the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs), in female postmating responses. A preliminary screen of genomic responses in females to receipt of SP suggested that there were changes in the expression of several miRNAs. Here we tested directly whether females lacking four of the candidate miRNAs highlighted (miR-279, miR-317, miR-278, and miR-184) showed altered fecundity, receptivity, and lifespan responses to receipt of SP, when mated once or continually to SP null or control males. The results showed that miRNA-lacking females mated to SP null males exhibited altered receptivity, but not reproductive output, in comparison to controls. However, these effects interacted significantly with the genetic background of the miRNA-lacking females. No significant survival effects were observed in miRNA-lacking females housed continually with SP null or control males. However, continual exposure to control males that transferred SP resulted in significantly higher variation in miRNA-lacking female lifespan than did continual exposure to SP null males. The results provide the first insight into the effects and importance of miRNAs in regulating postmating responses in females.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fricke
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dalmay
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7TJ United Kingdom Tracey.Chapman@uea.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005838:Genotype; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D012098:Reproduction; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D010455:Peptides
keywords: Acp70A; ejaculate; male–female coevolution; postmating sexual selection; sexual conflict