Sexual conflict and interacting phenotypes: a quantitative genetic analysis of fecundity and copula duration in Drosophila melanogaster

Many reproductive traits that have evolved under sexual conflict may be influenced by both sexes. Investigation of the genetic architecture of such traits can yield important insight into their evolution, but this entails that the heritable component of variation is estimated for males and females – as an interacting phenotype. We address the lack of research in this area through an investigation of egg production and copula duration in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Despite egg production rate being determined by both sexes, which may cause sexual conflict, an assessment of this trait as an interacting phenotype is lacking. It is currently unclear whether copula duration is determined by males and/or females. We found significant female, but not male, genetic variance for egg production rate which may indicate reduced potential for ongoing sexually antagonistic coevolution. In contrast, copula duration was determined by significant genetic variance in both sexes. We also ident...许多在性冲突（sexual conflict）下演化的繁殖性状，可同时受雌雄两性的调控。针对这类性状的遗传结构（genetic architecture）开展研究，能够为其演化机制提供重要理论洞见，但该研究需要将雌雄两性的遗传变异组分（heritable component of variation）作为互作表型（interacting phenotype）进行估算。本研究以黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）为实验对象，对其产卵量与交配时长展开分析，以填补该领域的研究空白。尽管产卵速率同时受雌雄两性调控，这一现象或引发性冲突，但目前仍缺乏将该性状作为互作表型的相关评估研究。当前学界尚不清楚交配时长是由雄性、雌性还是二者共同决定。本研究发现，产卵速率存在显著的雌性遗传方差，但无显著雄性遗传方差，这一结果或暗示当前性拮抗协同进化（sexually antagonistic coevolution）的潜在进程有所减缓。与之相反，交配时长则在雌雄两性中均存在显著的遗传方差。本研究还……