Sex and the Single Cell. II. There Is a Time and Place for Sex

Robinett, Carmen C.; Vaughan, Alexander; Knapp, Jon-Michael; Baker, Bruce S.

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000365

Cited by 224 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 71 publications

(107 reference statements)

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“…3a-d). Among the dsx-expressing neuron clusters 13,14 stimulated via ChRWR, only the activation of pC1 and pC2l clusters was significantly correlated with the occurrence of both following and wing extension/vibration behaviours in courtship-like following pursuit of a multi-spot pattern (Fig. 3e).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The pC1 cluster includes a male-specific frupositive subset of cells (B20 cells), called the P1 cluster that has been shown to function as the decision-making centre for male courtship 8,17,18 . pC2l represents a non-fru-expressing sexually dimorphic cluster composed of B35 cells 13,14,19 . By examining male flies with different patterns of ChRWR expression in pC1 and pC2l clusters, the functional differences in the contribution of these two neuron groups to courtship-like behaviour were revealed ( Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Visually induced initiation of Drosophila innate courtship-like following pursuit is mediated by central excitatory state

2015

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visually induced initiation of Drosophila innate courtship-like following pursuit is mediated by central excitatory state

2015

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“…We next investigated functional contributions of Wg regulation and apoptosis to male segment reduction through misexpression of either Wg or the antiapoptotic bacculovirus gene p35. Two Dsx-gal4 drivers have been reported with dynamic expression throughout larval, pupal, and adult tissues (38,39). Importantly for our assays, these drivers are expressed throughout the developing imaginal abdomen epithelium.…”

Section: Roles Of Wingless and Apoptosis In Male Segmentmentioning

confidence: 93%

Sexually dimorphic regulation of the Wingless morphogen controls sex-specific segment number in Drosophila

Wang

Kidd

Carroll

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Sexual dimorphism is widespread throughout the metazoa and plays important roles in mate recognition and preference, sexbased niche partitioning, and sex-specific coadaptation. One notable example of sex-specific differences in insect body morphology is presented by the higher diptera, such as Drosophila, in which males develop fewer abdominal segments than females. Because diversity in segment number is a distinguishing feature of major arthropod clades, it is of fundamental interest to understand how different numbers of segments can be generated within the same species. Here we show that sex-specific and segment-specific regulation of the Wingless (Wg) morphogen underlies the development of sexually dimorphic adult segment number in Drosophila. Wg expression is repressed in the developing terminal male abdominal segment by the combination of the Hox protein Abdominal-B (Abd-B) and the sex-determination regulator Doublesex (Dsx). The subsequent loss of the terminal male abdominal segment during pupation occurs through a combination of developmental processes including segment compartmental transformation, apoptosis, and suppression of cell proliferation. Furthermore, we show that ectopic expression of Wg is sufficient to rescue this loss. We propose that dimorphic Wg regulation, in concert with monomorphic segment-specific programmed cell death, are the principal mechanisms of sculpting the sexually dimorphic abdomen of Drosophila.morphogenesis | segmentation | homeotic | epithelia B rachycera, higher diptera that include drosophilidae, exhibit an evolutionary trend toward reduced abdominal size that contributes to swift, maneuverable flight (1). Such reduction is especially pronounced within the infraorder Muscomorpha. Within this group of flies, abdominal reduction is sexually dimorphic such that adult males have fewer segments than females. Lower diptera, which includes mosquitoes and midges, retain ancestral morphology with respect to segment number; both adult males and females generate eight abdominal segments. In Muscomorpha the most posterior adult abdominal segments (all or a subset of segments A5-A8) are modified in females, usually as a telescoping ovipositor, whereas corresponding segments are absent in males (2). In all diptera, segment number is monomorphic during embryogenesis and larval development, reflecting the basal insect body plan of three head, three thoracic, and 11 abdominal segments. For most diptera, only embryonic abdominal segments 1-8 generate adult abdominal tissue (only segments 1-7 in the drosophilidae). The more posterior embryonic segments contribute to the adult genitalia. During pupation, sex-specific developmental programs are deployed that sculpt sexually dimorphic segment morphology and number.The posterior abdomen of Drosophila melanogaster serves as an excellent model to study the development of these sex-specific morphologies. Posterior abdominal segment identity, morphology, and number in both sexes is regulated by the Hox protein Abdominal-B (Abd-B) (3, 4). Abd-B ex...

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“…In addition, the recent finding that developing Drosophila are mosaic for dsx expression-and thus are mosaic for the potential for sexual differentiation-has led to increased appreciation for the potential of evolution through tissuespecific changes in dsx activity (15). Indeed, it was recently found that the diversification of sex combs in Drosophila species is correlated with changes in dsx expression patterns (14).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversification of doublesex function underlies morph-, sex-, and species-specific development of beetle horns

Kijimoto

Moczek

Andrews

2012

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

166

198

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Sex-specific trait expression is frequently associated with highly variable, condition-dependent expression within sexes and rapid divergence among closely related species. Horned beetles are an excellent example for studying the molecular basis of these phenomena because horn morphology varies markedly among species, between sexes, and among alternative, nutritionally-cued morphs within sexes. In addition, horns lack obvious homology to other insect traits and provide a good opportunity to explore the molecular basis of the rapid diversification of a novel trait within and between species. Here we show that the sex-determination gene doublesex (dsx) underlies important aspects of horn development, including differences between sexes, morphs, and species. In male Onthophagus taurus, dsx transcripts were preferentially expressed in the horns of the large, horned morph, and RNAimediated knockdown of dsx dramatically altered male horn allometry by massively reducing horn development in large males, but not in smaller males. Conversely, dsx RNAi induced ectopic, nutrition-sensitive horn development in otherwise hornless females. Finally, in a closely related species (Onthophagus sagittarius) that has recently evolved a rare reversed sexual dimorphism, dsx RNAi revealed reversed as well as novel dsx functions despite an overall conservation of dsx expression. This suggests that rapid evolution of dsx functions has facilitated the transition from a regular sexual dimorphism to a reversed sexual dimorphism in this species. Our findings add beetle horns to existing examples of a close relationship between dsx and sexual trait development, and suggest that dsx function has been coopted to facilitate both the evolution of environmentally-cued intrasexual dimorphisms and rapid species divergences in a novel trait.cooption | polyphenism | evolutionary novelty | interchangeability | weak linkage

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Sex and the Single Cell. II. There Is a Time and Place for Sex

Abstract: In both male and female Drosophila, only a subset of cells have the potential to sexually differentiate, making both males and females mosaics of sexually differentiated and sexually undifferentiated cells.

Cited by 224 publications

References 71 publications

Visually induced initiation of Drosophila innate courtship-like following pursuit is mediated by central excitatory state

Visually induced initiation of Drosophila innate courtship-like following pursuit is mediated by central excitatory state

Sexually dimorphic regulation of the Wingless morphogen controls sex-specific segment number in Drosophila

Diversification of doublesex function underlies morph-, sex-, and species-specific development of beetle horns

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