Smith Damian T, Clarke Naomi V E, Boone James M, Fricke Claudia, Chapman Tracey
School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Huefferstr. 1, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Mar 15;284(1850). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2394.
Sexual conflict, in which the evolutionary interests of males and females diverge, shapes the evolution of reproductive systems across diverse taxa. Here, we used the fruit fly to study sexual conflict in natural, three-way interactions comprising a female, her current and previous mates. We manipulated the potential for sexual conflict by using () null females and by varying remating from 3 to 48 h, a period during which natural rematings frequently occur. -lacking females do not respond to sex peptide (SP) transferred during mating and maintain virgin levels of high receptivity and low fecundity. In the absence of SPR, there was a convergence of fitness interests, with all individuals gaining highest productivity at 5 h remating. This suggests that the expression of sexual conflict was reduced. We observed an unexpected second male-specific advantage to early remating, resulting from an increase in the efficiency of second male sperm use. This early window of opportunity for exploitation by second males depended on the presence of The results suggest that the SP pathway can modulate the expression of sexual conflict in this system, and show how variation in the selective forces that shape conflict and cooperation can be maintained.
性冲突是指雄性和雌性的进化利益出现分歧，它影响着不同分类群生殖系统的进化。在此，我们利用果蝇在包括一只雌性及其现任和前任配偶的自然三方互动中研究性冲突。我们通过使用（）无反应雌性以及将再次交配时间从3小时变化到48小时（这是自然再次交配经常发生的时间段）来操控性冲突的可能性。缺乏（某种物质）的雌性对交配时传递的性肽（SP）没有反应，并保持高接受性和低繁殖力的处女水平。在没有性肽受体（SPR）的情况下，适合度利益趋于一致，所有个体在再次交配5小时时获得最高生产力。这表明性冲突的表现有所减少。我们观察到再次交配过早出现了意外的第二个雄性特异性优势，这是由于第二个雄性精子使用效率提高所致。第二个雄性利用这一早期机会窗口的情况取决于（某种物质）的存在。结果表明，性肽途径可以调节该系统中性冲突的表现，并展示了塑造冲突与合作的选择力变化是如何得以维持的。
