Abstract
BackgroundSperm storage plays a key role in the reproductive success of many sexually-reproducing organisms, and the capacity of long-term sperm storage varies across species. While there are theoretical explanations for why such variation exists, to date there are no controlled empirical tests of the reproductive consequences of additional long-term sperm storage. While Dipterans ancestrally have three long-term sperm organs, known as the spermathecae, Drosophila contain only two.ResultsWe identified a candidate gene, which we call spermathreecae (sp3), in which a disruption cause the development of three functional spermathecae rather than the usual two in Drosophila. We used this disruption to test the reproductive consequences of having an additional long-term sperm storage organ. Compared to females with two spermathecae, females with three spermathecae store a greater total number of sperm and can produce offspring a greater length of time. However, they did not produce a greater total number of offspring.ConclusionsThus, additional long-term sperm storage in insects may increase female fitness through extending the range of conditions where she produces offspring, or through increasing the quality of offspring via enhanced local sperm competition at fertilization.
Highlights
Sperm storage plays a key role in the reproductive success of many sexually-reproducing organisms, and the capacity of long-term sperm storage varies across species
Short-term sperm storage occurs in the seminal receptacle, while long-term sperm storage capacity is provided by the spermathecae
Compared to the two control P-element insertion strains, which had no incidence of three spermathecae (P{GawB} fruNP0021: 0/20, P{GawB}121Y: 0/26), a significant proportion of females bearing the insertion P{GawB}1471 had three spermathecae
Summary
Sperm storage plays a key role in the reproductive success of many sexually-reproducing organisms, and the capacity of long-term sperm storage varies across species. The processes of recruitment, maintenance, and utilization of sperm is enhanced by specialized organs within the female reproductive tract, referred to as sperm-storage organs. These organs are present in most animal species, including bats [1, 2], birds [3, 4], reptiles [5], molluscs [6], arachnids [7], and insects [8]. There is likely an energetic cost to the production and maintenance of sperm storage organs [12], and there is a selective balance between the benefits of additional storage organs and the costs
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