Abstract
The production of Drosophila cuticular hydrocarbons, including contact pheromones, is under polygenic control. To investigate X-linked loci, EMS mutations were induced in Drosophila simulans flies. A mutant strain was discovered which in both sexes show a reduction in the biosynthesis of both 7-tricosene (7-T) the species contact pheromone and all other linear hydrocarbons. The locus controlling this effect, kete, is recessive and was localized to I, 18.5. Unlike a previously identified gene on the second chromosome of this species, Ngbo, kete does not affect the ratio of 7-T:7-pentacosene (7-P). Other reproductive characteristics are also affected, including egg-hatching. However, courtship behaviors in both sexes appear normal.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (683.3 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Jallon J. M. A few chemical words exchanged by Drosophila during courtship and mating. Behav Genet. 1984 Sep;14(5):441–478. doi: 10.1007/BF01065444. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Juárez P., Chase J., Blomquist G. J. A microsomal fatty acid synthetase from the integument of Blattella germanica synthesizes methyl-branched fatty acids, precursors to hydrocarbon and contact sex pheromone. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1992 Mar;293(2):333–341. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(92)90403-j. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pechine J. M., Perez F., Antony C., Jallon J. M. A further characterization of Drosophila cuticular monoenes using a mass spectrometry method to localize double bonds in complex mixtures. Anal Biochem. 1985 Feb 15;145(1):177–182. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(85)90344-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Perrimon N., Mohler D., Engstrom L., Mahowald A. P. X-linked female-sterile loci in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics. 1986 Jul;113(3):695–712. doi: 10.1093/genetics/113.3.695. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Scott D., Richmond R. C. A genetic analysis of male-predominant pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics. 1988 Jul;119(3):639–646. doi: 10.1093/genetics/119.3.639. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]