A genetic model of copulatory wounding in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: In the animal kingdom, copulatory wounds occur due to aggressive behavior or injury from the female or male appendages in contact. Copulatory wounds are a source of sexual conflict as the injury can lead to death or infection. In the laboratory, Drosophila melanogaster does not ordinarily exhibit signs of injury during copulation, but here we find can be induced to do so by overexpression of the serine protease, Hayan, in either the male or female fruit fly. Melanin deposits mark sites of injury along the female ventral abdomen and occur following a single copulation event. The male fly mid-legs are the source of injury as they rub against the ventral female abdomen. Surgical removal of the male mid-legs prevents melanization while still permitting mating to occur. Likewise, removal of the

SUBMITTER: Jalkut SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13643778 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature