Volatile codes: Correlation of olfactory signals and reception in Drosophila-yeast chemical communication

Abstract

Drosophila have evolved strong mutualistic associations with yeast communities that best support their growth and survival, resulting in the development of novel niches. It has been suggested that flies recognize their cognate yeasts primarily based on the rich repertoire of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from the yeasts. Thus, it remained an exciting avenue to study whether fly spp. detect and discriminate yeast strains based on odor alone, and if so, how such resolution is achieved by the olfactory system in flies. We used two fly species known to exploit different niches and harboring different yeasts, D. suzukii (a pest of fresh fruit) and D. melanogaster (a saprophytic fly and a neurogenetic model organism). We initially established the behavioral preference of both fly species to six Drosophila-associated yeasts; then chemically analyzed the VOC profile of each yeast which revealed quantitative and qualitative differences; and finally isolated and identified the physiologically active constituents from yeast VOCs for each drosophilid that potentially define attraction. By employing chemical, behavioral, and electrophysiological analyses, we provide a comprehensive portrait of the olfactory neuroethological correlates underlying fly-yeast coadaptation in two drosophilids with distinct habitats.

Enhanced yeast feeding following mating facilitates control of the invasive fruit pest Drosophila suzukii

“…; Scheidler et al . ), we investigated attraction of D. suzukii to H. uvarum and blueberry volatiles in a wind tunnel bioassay. More mated than unmated females responded to yeast and blueberry odours (χ 2 = 7·06, d.f.…”

“…; Scheidler et al . ). Field studies have confirmed D. suzukii attraction to fermentation odours, and yeast volatiles are currently employed in trap lure and attract‐and‐kill formulations (Cha et al .…”

RNAi Efficiency, Systemic Properties, and Novel Delivery Methods for Pest Insect Control: What We Know So Far

“…Yeasts are naturally growing on the surface of rotting fruits and produce volatiles, which attract Drosophilids (Becher et al, 2012; Scheidler et al, 2015). Murphy et al (2016) reported that D. suzukii larval survival rate, number of eggs laid by females and locomotor activity of flies were decreased when the D. suzukii was fed on genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing dsRNA targeting D. suzukii y-tubulin 23C ( yTub23C ).…”

Olfactory attraction of Drosophila suzukii by symbiotic acetic acid bacteria

“…Pseudomonas putida has been shown to produce volatiles that attract the olive fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Liscia et al 2013), and numerous bacteria have been shown to produce volatiles that attract the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Jang and Nishijima 1990;Robacker et al 1998). Similarly, a recent study on yeasts isolated from the larval frass and adult midguts of spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, and their fruit food source, found a specific association between the flies and some yeasts with a preference for Hanseniaspora uvarum (Scheidler et al 2015). The volatile compounds produced by mutualistic microorganisms living inside host insects that have a symbiotic relationship with plants might trigger their trophic interaction (Frago et al 2012).…”