<i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> sex peptide regulates mated female midgut morphology and physiology.

ABSTRACT: Drosophila melanogaster females experience a large shift in energy homeostasis after mating to compensate for nutrient investment in egg production. To cope with this change in metabolism, mated females undergo widespread physiological and behavioral changes, including increased food intake and altered digestive processes. The mechanisms by which the female digestive system responds to mating remain poorly characterized. Here, we demonstrate that the seminal fluid protein Sex Peptide (SP) is a key modulator of female post-mating midgut growth and gene expression. SP is both necessary and sufficient to trigger post-mating midgut growth in females under normal nutrient conditions, and likely acting via its receptor, Sex Peptide Receptor (SPR). Moreover, SP is responsible for almost th

SUBMITTER: White MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7817148 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature