Drosophila genes causing male x female interaction in reproduction

有性生殖为交配对的基因型之间的成对相互作用提供了充足的机会。男性与女性相互作用的过程的一个后果是，进化可能无法优化任何性别的功能，而是保留了高水平的变异。这似乎是影响果蝇精子竞争和其他生殖健康属性的因素。被称为附属腺蛋白（Acps）的精液蛋白似乎专门用于介导这些相互作用的各个方面，并且沿着与Acps相互作用的雌性分子，它们作为量化特定雄性x雌性相互作用的分子中心。我们的第一个具体目标是使用从自然种群中分离的遗传菌株来量化生殖适应性组分中的雄性x雌性相互作用，重点关注那些可能由附属腺蛋白介导的相互作用以及它们在雌性中相互作用的蛋白质过程。使用果蝇遗传参考面板（基因组序列和基因表达数据都已经可用），补充适当的额外线路从五个广泛的地理区域，我们将研究男性x女性的相互作用内和之间的线和区域在20 × 20的部分双列设计。在双交配的女性，繁殖力，生育力和女性再交配接受性的父系成功都将系统评分。这项研究将量化生殖健康的组成部分，以验证目标2和3的结果。第二个目标是通过测试特定男性Acp基因的RNAi敲除来剖析男性X女性的相互作用，该基因跨越一系列充分表征的野生女性基因型。将使用正常表达Acps或通过特定Acps的RNAi敲低的雄性对相同生殖表型的比较进行评分。我们将开始重点关注与精子储存和/或精子竞争相关的ACP。此外，我们将研究一个特定的测试情况下，男性和女性的合作伙伴都是已知的，通过测试的性肽和性肽受体的变异等位基因之间的相互作用。将鉴定对每个敲除反应过度和反应迟钝的雌性品系，并且我们将总相互作用划分为由每个Acp介导的组分。通过扩展我们对男性和女性生殖贡献者的遗传变异的理解，我们将深入了解遗传变异如何以及为什么在自然界中保持。此外，由于我们研究的基因变异涉及基本的生殖功能，我们的研究结果将扩大理解特发性人类不育症病例的基础，特别是那些无法确定不育症的性别特异性原因的病例，因此可能反映了伴侣之间的遗传不相容性。

Sexual reproduction provides ample opportunity for pairwise interactions between the genotypes of mating pairs. One consequence of processes that are rife with male x female interactions is that evolution may fail to optimize functions for either sex, and instead there is retained a high level of variation. This appears to be the case for factors influencing sperm competition and other reproductive fitness attributes in Drosophila. The seminal proteins known as accessory gland proteins (Acps) appear to be specialized for mediating aspects of these interactions, and along with the female molecules that interact with Acps, they serve as a molecular entré to quantifying specific male x female interactions. Our first specific aim is to use genetic isolates from natural populations to quantify male x female interactions in components of reproductive fitness with a focus on those likely to be mediated by Accessory Gland Proteins and the proteins processes with which they interact in females. Using lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (for which both genome sequence and gene expression data are already available), supplemented where appropriate with additional lines from five broad geographic regions, we will examine male x female interactions both within and between lines and regions in a 20 x 20 partial diallel design. Paternity success in doubly-mated females, fecundity, fertility, and female remating receptivity will all be systematically scored. This study will quantify reproductive fitness components for validation of the findings of Aims 2 and 3. The second aim is to dissect male x female interactions by testing RNAi knockdowns of specific male Acp genes across a range of well-characterized wild female genotypes. Comparison of the same reproductive phenotypes will be scored using males that express Acps normally, or are knocked down by RNAi for specific Acps. We will begin with a focus on Acps that have been associated with effects on sperm storage and/or sperm competition. In addition, we will examine a specific test case in which both the male and female partners are known, by testing for interactions among variant alleles in Sex Peptide and the Sex Peptide receptor. Female lines that are hyper- and hyporesponsive to each knockdown will be identified, and we will partition total interaction into components mediated by each Acp. By extending our understanding of the genetic variation in male and female contributors to reproduction, we will obtain insights into how and why genetic variation is maintained in nature. Moreover, since the genes whose variation we examine involve basic reproductive functions, our results will expand the foundation for understanding cases of idiopathic human infertility, specifically those in which no sex-specific cause for the infertility can be identified and may thus reflect genetic incompatibility between the partners.