Genetic analysis of mate discrimination in Drosophila simulans.

Courtship is an elaborate behavior that conveys information about the identity of animal species and suitability of individual males as mates. In Drosophila, there is extensive evidence that females are capable of evaluating and comparing male courtships, and accepting or rejecting males as mates. These relatively simple responses minimize random sexual encounters involving subpar conspecific males and heterospecific males, and over generations can potentially select novel physical and behavioral traits. Despite its evolutionary and behavioral significance, little is still known about the genes involved in mating choice and how choices for novel males and females arise during evolution. Drosophila simulans and Drosophila sechellia are two recently diverged species of Drosophila in which females have a preference for conspecific males. Here we analyzed a total of 1748 F2 hybrid females between these two species and found a small number of dominant genes controlling the preference for D. simulans males. We also mapped two redundant X-linked loci of mating choice, Macho-XA and Macho-XB, and show that neither one is required for female attractiveness. Together, our results reveal part of the genetic architecture that allows D. simulans females to recognize, mate, and successfully generate progenies with D. simulans males.

Chu Y ，Yang E ，Schinaman JM ，Chahda JS ，Sousa-Neves R ... -  《-》

Female mate recognition and sexual isolation depending on courtship song in Drosophila sechellia and its siblings.

Tomaru M ，Yamada H ，Oguma Y 《GENES & GENETIC SYSTEMS》

Drosophila melanogaster males respond differently at the behavioural and genome-wide levels to Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans females.

Ellis LL ，Carney GE 《-》

Courtship song recognition in the Drosophila melanogaster complex: heterospecific songs make females receptive in D. melanogaster, but not in D. sechellia.

Tomaru M ，Doi M ，Higuchi H ，Oguma Y ... -  《EVOLUTION》

Male mate choice via cuticular hydrocarbon pheromones drives reproductive isolation between Drosophila species.

Mate discrimination is a key mechanism restricting gene flow between species. While studied extensively with respect to female mate choice, mechanisms of male mate choice between species are far less studied. Thus, we have little knowledge of the relative frequency, importance, or overall contribution of male mate discrimination to reproductive isolation. In the present study, we estimated the relative contributions of male and female choice to reproductive isolation between Drosophila simulans and D. sechellia, and show that male mate discrimination accounts for the majority of the current isolation between these species. We further demonstrate that males discriminate based on female cuticular hydrocarbon pheromones, and collect evidence supporting the hypothesis that male mate discrimination may alleviate the costs associated with heterospecific courtship and mating. Our findings highlight the potentially significant contribution of male mate choice to the formation of reproductive isolating barriers, and thus the speciation process.

Shahandeh MP ，Pischedda A ，Turner TL 《-》