A single mating is sufficient to induce persistent reduction of immune defense in mated female Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: In many species, female reproductive investment comes at a cost to immunity and resistance to infection. Mated Drosophila melanogaster females are more susceptible to bacterial infection than unmated females. Transfer of the male seminal fluid protein Sex Peptide reduces female post-mating immune defense. Sex Peptide is known to cause both short- and long-term changes to female physiology and behavior. While previous studies showed that females were less resistant to bacterial infection as soon as 2.5 h and as long as 26.5 h after mating, it is unknown whether this is a binary switch from mated to unmated state or whether females can recover to unmated levels of immunity. It is additionally unknown whether repeated mating causes progressive reduction in defense capacity. We compared the im

SUBMITTER: Gordon KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10162487 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature