Condition dependence and the nature of genetic variation for male sex comb bristle number in Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetic architecture of variation underlying male sex comb bristle number, a rapidly evolving secondary sexual character of Drosophila, was examined. First, in order to test for condition dependence, diet was manipulated in a set of ten Drosophila melanogaster full-sib families. We confirmed heightened condition dependent expression of sex comb bristle number and its female homologue (distal transverse row bristles) as compared to non-sex sternopleural bristles. Significant genotype by environment effects were detected for the sex traits indicating a genetic basis for condition dependence. Next we measured sex comb bristle number and sternopleural bristle number, as well as residual mass, a commonly used condition index, in a set of thirty half-sib families. Sire effect was not significant for sex comb and sternopleural bristle number, and we detected a strong dominance and/or maternal effect or X chromosome effect for both traits. A strong sire effect was detected for condition and its heritability was the highest as compared to sex comb and sternopleural bristles. We discuss our results in light of the rapid response to divergent artificial selection for sex comb bristle number reported previously. The nature of genetic variation for male sex traits continues to be an important unresolved issue in evolutionary biology.

Determination of EGFR Signaling Output by Opposing Gradients of BMP and JAK/STAT Activity.

A relatively small number of signaling pathways drive a wide range of developmental decisions, but how this versatility in signaling outcome is generated is not clear. In the Drosophila follicular epithelium, localized epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation induces distinct cell fates depending on its location. Posterior follicle cells respond to EGFR activity by expressing the T-box transcription factors Midline and H15, while anterior cells respond by expressing the homeodomain transcription factor Mirror. We show that the choice between these alternative outputs of EGFR signaling is regulated by antiparallel gradients of JAK/STAT and BMP pathway activity and that mutual repression between Midline/H15 and Mirror generates a bistable switch that toggles between alternative EGFR signaling outcomes. JAK/STAT and BMP pathway input is integrated through their joint and opposing regulation of both sides of this switch. By converting this positional information into a binary decision between EGFR signaling outcomes, this regulatory network ultimately allows the same ligand-receptor pair to establish both the anterior-posterior (AP) and dorsal-ventral (DV) axes of the tissue.