Deletion of the Drosophila neuronal gene found in neurons disrupts brain anatomy and male courtship.

The fne (found-in-neurons) locus encodes one of the three paralogs of the ELAV gene family of Drosophila melanogaster. Members of this family are found throughout metazoans and encode RNA-binding proteins with primarily neuronal localization, but with remarkably diverse functions given their high level of amino acid sequence conservation. The first identified member of the family, elav of Drosophila is a vital gene.

Ontogeny of Drosophila melanogaster female sex-appeal and cuticular hydrocarbons.

The chemical communication system in Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830 plays a major role in courtship and consists of the male-specific cis-Vaccenyl acetate and sex-specific contact pheromones, cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC), which build up during ontogeny (first 4 days). They replace longer CHCs, common to both sexes and present only after the imaginal eclosion. A detailed quantitative description of the evolution of cuticular unsaturated hydrocarbons with age is presented here for males and females of different D.

Germline-dependent gene expression in distant non-gonadal somatic tissues of Drosophila.

Background: Drosophila females commit tremendous resources to egg production and males produce some of the longest sperm in the animal kingdom. We know little about the coordinated regulation of gene expression patterns in distant somatic tissues that support the developmental cost of gamete production.

Results: We determined the non-gonadal gene expression patterns of Drosophila females and males with or without a germline.

Evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons of Hawaiian Drosophilidae.

Hawaiian Drosophila offer an excellent model for adaptive evolution. More than 500 species are reported in Hawaiian islands, and there is considerable diversity in behavior and morphology. Such diversity is mainly driven by sexual selection.