Identification of Novel Genes Involved in Female Mating Choice

In nature, we often observe females selectively choosing males. Although the evolutionary significance of female decisions and its inheritable nature was first remarked by Charles Darwin, we still have a poor understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern this behavior. To begin tackling this problem, I focused on a group of highly divergent genes from three closely related Drosophila species in which females display very distinct mating choices. Here, I tested whether 45 of such genes had effect on female mating using RNA interference and identified eight genes that either produced statistically significant delayed mating or deficits in mating. Two genes, CG17946 and CG32713, cause a delayed mating phenotype and six genes, CG1571, CG 7423, CG33223, CG12200, CG 11878 and CG32598, cause a reduced mating phenotype upon ubiquitous RNAi expression. Furthermore, I found that two of the candidate genes- CG11878 and CG7423- are actually expressed in female adult brain.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Sciences

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Chu, Youngmin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sousa Neves, Rui
• Mizutani, Claudia
• Ritzmann, Roy

• Biology
• Female
• Drosophila
• mating
• Decision
• Choice
• fast evolving

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1364923180

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:case1364923180