Filice David C S, Long Tristan A F
Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5
Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5.
Biol Lett. 2016 Apr;12(4). doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0105.
In Drosophila melanogaster, prolonged exposure to males reduces the longevity and fecundity of females. This harm arises from the effects of male courtship behaviours and the toxic side effects of the accessory gland proteins (Acps) in their seminal fluids. Here, we examine the relationship between male exposure and its harmful effect on the lifetime fitness of his mates, and quantify the genetic basis for this variation. We found significant additive genetic variation in the magnitude of harm that males impose on females by exposing females to males from a variety of hemiclonal backgrounds for either a brief or prolonged period of time and measuring their fecundity, a meaningful fitness index. Furthermore, we discovered a strong negative correlation between the magnitude of harm and the short-term effects of male exposure on female fitness. We discuss the evolutionary significance of these results with regards to potential life-history trade-offs in females, and its relationship to male body size.
在黑腹果蝇中，长时间接触雄性会降低雌性的寿命和繁殖力。这种伤害源于雄性求偶行为的影响以及其精液中附属腺蛋白（Acps）的毒性副作用。在这里，我们研究了雄性接触与其对配偶终生适应性的有害影响之间的关系，并量化了这种变异的遗传基础。通过将雌性暴露于来自各种半克隆背景的雄性中，短时间或长时间接触，然后测量它们的繁殖力（一个有意义的适应性指标），我们发现雄性对雌性造成伤害的程度存在显著的加性遗传变异。此外，我们发现伤害程度与雄性接触对雌性适应性的短期影响之间存在强烈的负相关。我们讨论了这些结果在雌性潜在生活史权衡方面的进化意义，以及它与雄性体型的关系。
