| Title: | Natural variation in the strength and direction of male mating preferences for female pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster |
| Author(s): | Pischedda A; Shahandeh MP; Cochrane WG; Cochrane VA; Turner TL; |
| Address: | "Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America. Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America ; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America" |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0087509 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Many animal species communicate using chemical signals. In Drosophila, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are involved in species and sexual identification, and have long been thought to act as stimulatory pheromones as well. However, a previous study reported that D. melanogaster males were more attracted to females that were lacking CHCs. This surprising result is consistent with several evolutionary hypotheses but is at odds with other work demonstrating that female CHCs are attractive to males. Here, we investigated natural variation in male preferences for female pheromones using transgenic flies that cannot produce CHCs. By perfuming females with CHCs and performing mate choice tests, we found that some male genotypes prefer females with pheromones, some have no apparent preference, and at least one male genotype prefers females without pheromones. This variation provides an excellent opportunity to further investigate the mechanistic causes and evolutionary implications of divergent pheromone preferences in D. melanogaster males" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Drosophila melanogaster/genetics/*physiology Female Genetic Variation Hydrocarbons/metabolism Male Organisms, Genetically Modified Pheromones/genetics/*physiology *Sexual Behavior, Animal;" |
| Notes: | "MedlinePischedda, Alison Shahandeh, Michael P Cochrane, Wesley G Cochrane, Veronica A Turner, Thomas L eng R01 GM098614/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2014/02/04 PLoS One. 2014 Jan 28; 9(1):e87509. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087509. eCollection 2014" |
