The ecdysoneless 1 Gene Regulates Metabolism of the Juvenile Hormone and Dopamine in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The dopamine (DA) content and the level of juvenile hormone (JH) degradation were studied in females of the wild-type Canton S strain and the ecdysoneless1 (ecd1) mutant, which does not produce ecdysone at a restrictive temperature (29 degrees C). Exposure at the restrictive temperature considerably increased the JH-hydrolyzing activity and the DA content in five-day ecd1 females compared with flies of both strains growing at 19 degrees C and Canton S females exposed at 29 degrees C. In one-day ecd1 females, the level of JH degradation also increased at the restrictive temperature, but the DA content was low. The effect of ecdysone deficiency on the stress response in Drosophila melanogaster females was studied using changes in DA content and JH degradation were used as indices. The ecd1 mutation did not prevent the initiation of the stress response in females exposed at the restrictive temperature, but changed its intensity (stress reactivity). The interaction of 20-hydroxyecdysone with JH and DA in regulating Drosophila reproduction under normal conditions and in stress is discussed.