A male-specific fatty acid omega-hydroxylase, SXE1, is necessary for efficient male mating in Drosophila melanogaster

作者：Fujii Shinsuke; Toyama Akemi; Amrein Hubert^*

来源：Genetics, 2008, 180(1): 179-190.

DOI：10.1534/genetics.108.089177

In Drosophila, sexual differentian, physiology, and behaviour are thought to be mediated by numerous male- and female-specific effector genes whose expression is controlled by sex-specifically expressed nanscriptional regulators. One such downstream effector gene, sex-specific enzyme 1 (sxe1, cyp4d2l), has been identified in a screen for genes with sex-biased expression in the head. Sxe1 was also identified in another screen as a circadian regulated gene. Here, we analyzed the spatial and temporal regulation of Sxe! and identified a function for this gene i male courtship. We show that male-specific transcriptional regulator DSXM and the clock genes are necessary for cycling of Sxe1 m RNA during the diurnal cycle. Similar to sxe1 mRNA, expression of SXE1 protein oscillates in a diurnal fashion, with highest protein levels occurring arround midnight. SXE1 protein expression is restricted to nonneuronal cells assoicated with diverse sensory bristles of both the chemo-and mechanosensory systems. Suppression or knockout of sxe1 significantly reduces mating success throughout the diurnal cycle. Finally, the metabolomic profile of wild-type and sxe1 mutant males reveald that sxe1 likely functions as fauy acid omega-hydroxylase, suggesting that male courtship and mating success is ediated by small compounds generated by this enzyme.

• 出版日期2008-9