Within-species divergence in the seminal fluid proteome and its effect on male and female reproduction in a beetle

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Research Article

Takashi Yamane¹  Johanna Rönn¹  Göran Arnqvist¹  Julieta Goenaga² 

[1] Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden;Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden;Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, 11 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark;

关键词: Acps;    Accessory glands;    Proteomics;    Speciation;    Sperm competition;    Sexual conflict;    Bruchidae;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12862-015-0547-2

 received in 2015-10-19, accepted in 2015-11-20,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMale seminal fluid proteins (SFPs), transferred to females during mating, are important reproductive proteins that have multifarious effects on female reproductive physiology and that often show remarkably rapid and divergent evolution. Inferences regarding natural selection on SFPs are based primarily on interspecific comparative studies, and our understanding of natural within-species variation in SFPs and whether this relates to reproductive phenotypes is very limited. Here, we introduce an empirical strategy to study intraspecific variation in and selection upon the seminal fluid proteome. We then apply this in a study of 15 distinct populations of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus.ResultsPhenotypic assays of these populations showed significant differences in reproductive phenotypes (male success in sperm competition and male ability to stimulate female fecundity). A quantitative proteomic study of replicated samples of male accessory glands revealed a large number of potential SFPs, of which ≥127 were found to be transferred to females at mating. Moreover, population divergence in relative SFP abundance across populations was large and remarkably multidimensional. Most importantly, variation in male SFP abundance across populations was associated with male sperm competition success and male ability to stimulate female egg production.ConclusionsOur study provides the first direct evidence for postmating sexual selection on standing intraspecific variation in SFP abundance and the pattern of divergence across populations in the seminal fluid proteome match the pattern predicted by the postmating sexual selection paradigm for SFP evolution. Our findings provide novel support for the hypothesis that sexual selection on SFPs is an important engine of incipient speciation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Goenaga et al. 2015