| Title: | Host plant-driven sensory specialization in Drosophila erecta |
| Author(s): | Linz J; Baschwitz A; Strutz A; Dweck HK; Sachse S; Hansson BS; Stensmyr MC; |
| Address: | "Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knoll-Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Print) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Finding appropriate feeding and breeding sites is crucial for all insects. To fulfil this vital task, many insects rely on their sense of smell. Alterations in the habitat--or in lifestyle--should accordingly also be reflected in the olfactory system. Solid functional evidence for direct adaptations in the olfactory system is however scarce. We have, therefore, examined the sense of smell of Drosophila erecta, a close relative of Drosophila melanogaster and specialist on screw pine fruits (Pandanus spp.). In comparison with three sympatric sibling species, D. erecta shows specific alterations in its olfactory system towards detection and processing of a characteristic Pandanus volatile (3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate, 3M2BA). We show that D. erecta is more sensitive towards this substance, and that the increased sensitivity derives from a numerical increase of one olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) class. We also show that axons from these OSNs form a complex of enlarged glomeruli in the antennal lobe, the first olfactory brain centre, of D. erecta. Finally, we show that 3M2BA induces oviposition in D. erecta, but not in D. melanogaster. The presumed adaptations observed here follow to a remarkable degree those found in Drosophila sechellia, a specialist upon noni fruit, and suggest a general principle for how specialization affects the sense of smell" |
| Keywords: | "Adaptation, Biological/*physiology Animals Chromatography, Gas Drosophila/*physiology Geography Linear Models Microscopy, Confocal Ovulation/drug effects Pandanaceae/chemistry *Phylogeny Plants Principal Component Analysis Smell/genetics/*physiology Speci;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLinz, Jeanine Baschwitz, Amelie Strutz, Antonia Dweck, Hany K M Sachse, Silke Hansson, Bill S Stensmyr, Marcus C eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2013/04/19 Proc Biol Sci. 2013 Apr 17; 280(1760):20130626. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0626. Print 2013 Jun 7" |
