title: Dietary rescue of altered metabolism gene reveals unexpected Drosophila mating cues.
abstract: To develop and reproduce, animals need long-chain MUFAs and PUFAs. Although some unsaturated FAs (UFAs) can be synthesized by the organism, others must be provided by the diet. The gene, desat1, involved in Drosophila melanogaster UFA metabolism, is necessary for both larval development and for adult sex pheromone communication. We first characterized desat1 expression in larval tissues. Then, we found that larvae in which desat1 expression was knocked down throughout development died during the larval stages when raised on standard food. By contrast pure MUFAs or PUFAs, but not saturated FAs, added to the larval diet rescued animals to adulthood with the best effect being obtained with oleic acid (C18:1). Male and female mating behavior and fertility were affected very differently by preimaginal UFA-rich diet. Adult diet also strongly influenced several aspects of reproduction: flies raised on a C18:1-rich diet showed increased mating performance compared with flies raised on standard adult diet. Therefore, both larval and adult desat1 expression control sex-specific mating signals. A similar nutrigenetics approach may be useful in other metabolic mutants to uncover cryptic effects otherwise masked by severe developmental defects.
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, University of Burgundy, F-21000 Dijon, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, University of Burgundy, F-21000 Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chauvel
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, University of Burgundy, F-21000 Dijon, France Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaiso, University of Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flaven-Pouchon
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, University of Burgundy, F-21000 Dijon, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Farine
authors.affiliation: Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, University of Burgundy, F-21000 Dijon, France jean-francois.ferveur@u-bourgogne.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ferveur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003463:Cues; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D005838:Genotype; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012724:Sex Attractants; D044943:Fatty Acid Desaturases; C408225:desat1 protein, Drosophila
keywords: cis-vaccenyl acetate; fitness; hydrocarbon; lipid