| Title: | A Drosophila male pheromone affects female sexual receptivity |
| Author(s): | Grillet M; Dartevelle L; Ferveur JF; |
| Address: | "Unite Mixte de Recherche 5548 Associee au Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculte des Sciences, Universite de Bourgogne, 6 Boulevard Gabriel, 21 000 Dijon, France" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0962-8452 (Print) 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Sex pheromones are chemical signals frequently required for mate choice, but their reciprocal role on mate preference has rarely been shown in both sexes. In Drosophila melanogaster flies, the predominant cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) are sexually dimorphic: only females produce 7,11-dienes, whereas 7-tricosene (7-T) is the principal male CH. Males generally prefer females with 7,11-dienes, but the role of 7-T on female behaviour remains unclear. With perfumed males, control females mated faster and more often with males carrying increased levels of 7-T showing that this CH acts as a chemical stimulant for D. melanogaster females. Control females-but not antenna-less females-could detect small variation of 7-T. Finally, our finding that desat1 mutant female showed altered response towards 7-T provides an additional role for this gene which affects the production and the perception of pheromones involved in mate choice, in both sexes" |
| Keywords: | "Alkenes Animals Drosophila melanogaster/*physiology Female Male Sex Attractants/*physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineGrillet, Micheline Dartevelle, Laurence Ferveur, Jean-Francois eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2006/03/18 Proc Biol Sci. 2006 Feb 7; 273(1584):315-23. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2005.3332" |
