Figure 4.

Sex peptide storage is impaired in mates of males knocked down for each of nine candidate genes. Mates of each of our nine knockdown males have less SP, as detected by antibodies to SP, in their reproductive tract at 4 days ASM. Tubulin or Actin was used as a loading control. Accessory gland extracts from a single male [Control (+) or RNAi (−)] were used as a positive control, and reproductive tract extracts from four virgin females were used as a negative control (V). Reproductive tract (RT) extracts were obtained from females mated to either control (+) or RNAi (−) males at 30 min ASM (2 RTs per) and 4 days ASM (18 RTs per). CG31326, an off-target for the CG15406 VDRC line, was included as a control. All mates of RNAi males have at least as much SP present in their reproductive tracts at 30 min ASM as do mates of control males, indicating normal SP transfer by knockdown males. However, significantly less SP is present in the female reproductive tract at 4 days ASM to any of the RNAi males, except for the off-target control CG31326, as expected, than is present in mates of control males, suggesting that SP storage is impaired.