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Abdominal-B regulates the male seminal fluid transferome and new female fecundity factors required for sperm sex peptide binding

ABSTRACT: Seminal fluid proteins determine reproductive success in a wide range of animals. In the Drosophila male accessory gland, seminal fluid is mainly produced by two cell types, a vast majority of main cells and a small number of secondary cells that are characterized by a specialized secretory apparatus with unusually enlarged dense core granule vesicles. Loss of Abdominal-B expression from secondary cells in the enhancer mutant iab-6cocu disrupts their transcriptional and secretory identity. In consequence, mutant males fail to induce the long-term post-mating response, concomitant with loss of receptivity and sustained egg laying, in females. Here, we determine how secondary cells shape the seminal transferome and the female response by assessing iab-6cocu male accessory gland and female mate reproductive tract proteomes. We find downregulation of seminal fluid proteins constituting a signaling network that enables sperm binding and sustained action of key regulator Sex peptide and identify two new Sex peptide network proteins crucial for female fecundity, Cornutus (CG1701) and Hanrej (CG42564). Cornutus is required for dense core granule vesicle release, providing a link between the products of these compartments and the female long-term post-mating response. Our data highlights the importance of secondary cell signaling and secretion for overall seminal fluid composition and Sex peptide network function as well as the interdependence of main and secondary cells and their secretory products, advancing the general understanding of how seminal fluid signaling pathways modulate female physiology, sperm use and offspring production.

INSTRUMENT(S):

ORGANISM(S): Drosophila Melanogaster (fruit Fly)

TISSUE(S): Accessory Sex Gland, Reproductive System

SUBMITTER: Katarzyna Kjøge

LAB HEAD: Jan Enghild

PROVIDER: PXD072877 | Pride | 2026-01-15

REPOSITORIES: Pride

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			Action	DRS
	20201020_KK_cocu_acg_nm_1_1.raw	Raw
	20201020_KK_cocu_acg_nm_1_2.raw	Raw
	20201020_KK_cocu_acg_nm_1_3.raw	Raw
	20201020_KK_cocu_acg_nm_2_1.raw	Raw
	20201020_KK_cocu_acg_nm_2_2.raw	Raw

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Abdominal-B regulates the male seminal fluid transferome and new female fecundity factors required for sperm sex peptide binding

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