RUI: Genetic Analysis of Drosophila Pheromones

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9614934 Scott When speciation occurs, different populations of a species have diverged enough that they become genetically isolated. Males and females of the new species do not mate with each other. In this project a quantitative genetic analysis will show the genetic basis for variation in male courtship signals, which are pheromones, and female responses to the signals, between two strains of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. These two fruit fly strains have partial behavioral reproductive isolation and so are a good system for study of the earliest stages of speciation. Specific segments of the chromosomes of one strain will be introgressed into the other and the resulting lines will be analyzed for alteration of male signals and female responses. This approach will ultimately allow the identification of genes involved in the male and female components of mate selection. Speciation is a basic process in the generation of biodiversity. In addition to elucidating the early stages of speciation, this research is relevant to integrated pest management techniques using pheromones. Knowledge about the fruit fly gained from this study will help to determine whether resistance to pheromone-based pest management techniques are likely to evolve in related pests, such as mosquitoes, medflies and tsetse flies.