Utilization of Mating Behavior as a Parameter to Understand Adaptive Response in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> using Ethyl Methanesulfonate and Methyl Methanesulfonate

Abstract

Monofunctional alkylating agents, Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS) and Methyl Methanesulfonate (MMS) were used to understand adaptive response utilising mating behaviour as a parameter in D. melanogaster. Selected conditioning and challenging doses of EMS (0.5mM and 15mM) or MMS (0.1mM and 3mM) by larval feeding were tested employing different combinations of crosses. The results have revealed that both EMS and MMS affected courtship elements significantly in different combinations of crosses. Nonetheless, significant increases in orientation, tapping, wing vibration and licking were observed when both males and females were treated with a challenging dose of MMS compared to EMS (p<0.05). On par with this, were also the results of female rejection elements in both the tested chemicals. When conditioning and challenging doses were given after 2 hours of time lag between them to 48±4h or 72±4h aged larvae of D. melanogaster, the results showed that male and female courtship elements significantly reduced compared to the additive effect of respective agents. Similarly, the courtship latency and copulation latency were significantly decreased in contrast to copulation duration which was significantly increased (p<0.05). Thus the results demonstrate the presence of adaptive response in D. melanogaster using courtship elements and the authors opine that mating behaviour can be used as a parameter to analyze adaptive response in D. melanogaster within a short period of time compared to other test procedures.