Characterisation of the symbionts in the Mediterranean fruit fly gut.

Symbioses between bacteria and their insect hosts can range from loose associations through to obligate interdependence. While fundamental evolutionary insights have been gained from the in-depth study of obligate mutualisms, there is increasing interest in the evolutionary potential of flexible symbiotic associations between hosts and their gut microbiomes. Understanding relationships between microbes and hosts also offers the potential for exploitation for insect control.

Gut microbiomes and reproductive isolation in .

Experimental studies of the evolution of reproductive isolation (RI) in real time are a powerful way in which to reveal fundamental, early processes that initiate divergence. In a classic speciation experiment, populations of were subjected to divergent dietary selection and evolved significant positive assortative mating by diet. More recently, a direct role for the gut microbiome in determining this type of RI in has been proposed.

Sexual conflict over remating interval is modulated by the pathway.

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.