Data from: Dietary choices are influenced by genotype, mating status, and sex in Drosophila melanogaster

Mating causes many changes in physiology, behaviour and gene expression in a wide range of organisms. These changes are predicted to be sex-specific, influenced by the divergent reproductive roles of the sexes. In female insects, mating is associated with an increase in egg production which requires high levels of nutritional input with direct consequences for the physiological needs of individual females. Consequently, females alter their nutritional acquisition in line with the physiological demands imposed by mating. Although much is known about the female mating-induced nutritional response, far less is known about changes in males. In addition, it is unknown whether variation between genotypes translates into variation in dietary behavioral responses. Here we examine mating-induced shifts in male and female dietary preferences across genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster. We find sex- and genotype-specific effects on both the quantity and quality of the chosen diet. These results contribute to our understanding of sex-specific metabolism and reveal genotypic variation that influences responses to physiological demands.

交配可在广泛的生物类群中引发生理、行为与基因表达层面的多重改变。这类改变预计具有性别特异性，其调控机制受到两性分化的生殖角色的影响。在雌性昆虫中，交配会伴随产卵量的提升，而该过程需要大量营养摄入，直接影响雌性个体的生理需求。因此，雌性个体将依据交配带来的生理需求，调整自身的营养获取策略。尽管学界对雌性昆虫交配诱导的营养响应已有较为充分的研究，但对雄性的相关改变却了解甚少。此外，不同基因型间的遗传差异是否会转化为饮食行为响应的差异，目前仍无定论。本研究以黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）的不同基因型种群为研究对象，探究交配诱导的雌雄个体饮食偏好转变。研究发现，交配对受试个体所选饮食的数量与质量均存在性别特异性及基因型特异性的调控效应。本研究结果有助于深化学界对性别特异性代谢的认知，并揭示了可影响生理需求响应的基因型变异。