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The evolution of courtship behaviours through the origination of a new gene in Drosophila

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 07:23 authored by Hongzheng Dai, Ying Chen, Sidi Chen, Qiyan Mao, David Kennedy, Patrick Landback, Adam Eyre-WalkerAdam Eyre-Walker, Wei Du, Manyuan Long
New genes can originate by the combination of sequences from unrelated genes or their duplicates to form a chimeric structure. These chimeric genes often evolve rapidly, suggesting that they undergo adaptive evolution and may therefore be involved in novel phenotypes. Their functions, however, are rarely known. Here, we describe the phenotypic effects of a chimeric gene, sphinx, that has recently evolved in Drosophila melanogaster. We show that a knockout of this gene leads to increased male¿male courtship in D. melanogaster, although it leaves other aspects of mating behavior unchanged. Comparative studies of courtship behavior in other closely related Drosophila species suggest that this mutant phenotype of male¿male courtship is the ancestral condition because these related species show much higher levels of male¿male courtship than D. melanogaster. D. melanogaster therefore seems to have evolved in its courtship behaviors by the recruitment of a new chimeric gene.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

ISSN

0027-8424

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Issue

21

Volume

105

Page range

7478-7483

Pages

6.0

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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