Data from: The role of cuticular hydrocarbons in mate recognition in Drosophila suzukii

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play a central role in the chemical communication of many insects. In Drosophila suzukii, an economically important pest insect, very little is known about chemical communication and the possible role of CHCs. In this study, we identified 60 CHCs of Drosophila suzukii and studied their changes in function of age (maturation), sex and interactions with the opposite sex. We demonstrate that age (maturation) is the key factor driving changes in the CHC profiles. We then test the effect on courtship behaviour and mating of six CHCs, five of which were positively associated with maturation and one negatively. The results of these experiments demonstrate that four of the major CHC peaks with a chain length of 23 carbons, namely 9-tricosene (9-C23:1), 7-tricosene (7-C23:1), 5-tricosene (5-C23:1) and tricosane (n-C23), negatively regulated courtship and mating, even though all these compounds were characteristic for sexually mature flies. We then go on to show that this effect on courtship and mating is likely due to the disruption of the natural ratios in which these hydrocarbons occur in Drosophila suzukii. Overall, these results provide key insights into the cuticular hydrocarbon signals that play a role in D. suzukii mate recognition.表皮碳氢化合物（Cuticular Hydrocarbons, CHCs）在多数昆虫的化学通讯中发挥核心作用。作为一种具有重要经济危害性的害虫，斑翅果蝇（Drosophila suzukii）的化学通讯机制及其表皮碳氢化合物的潜在功能迄今仍鲜为人知。本研究共鉴定出斑翅果蝇的60种表皮碳氢化合物，并分析了其随年龄（成熟度）、性别以及与异性互作的变化规律。研究表明，年龄（成熟度）是驱动表皮碳氢化合物谱发生改变的关键因素。随后，本研究针对6种表皮碳氢化合物对求偶行为与交配的影响开展了测试，其中5种与成熟度呈正相关，1种呈负相关。实验结果显示，4种丰度较高的碳链长度为23的表皮碳氢化合物，即9-二十三碳烯（9-tricosene, 9-C23:1）、7-二十三碳烯（7-tricosene, 7-C23:1）、5-二十三碳烯（5-tricosene, 5-C23:1）以及二十三烷（tricosane, n-C23），可负向调控求偶与交配行为——尽管上述化合物均为性成熟果蝇的特征性成分。后续研究进一步证实，这种对求偶与交配的影响，大概率源于人为破坏了斑翅果蝇体内此类碳氢化合物的天然比例。综上，本研究结果为解析斑翅果蝇配偶识别过程中发挥作用的表皮碳氢化合物信号提供了关键见解。