Data from: 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 identified genetic variation in egg retention among virgin females. Although previously identified in wild populations, it is unclear why this should be present in a laboratory stock. This study provides a novel insight into the shared genetic architecture of reproductive traits that are the subject of sexual conflict.

许多在性冲突（sexual conflict）下演化出的生殖性状，可能同时受到雌雄两性的调控。对这类性状的遗传结构（genetic architecture）进行研究，能够为其演化机制提供重要见解，但这要求我们将变异的遗传组分（heritable component）作为互作表型（interacting phenotype），分别对雌雄两性进行估算。本研究以黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）为研究对象，对其产卵量（egg production）与交配时长（copula duration）展开探究，以此填补该领域的研究空白。尽管产卵速率同时受两性调控（这可能引发性冲突），但目前仍缺乏将该性状作为互作表型的相关评估研究。目前学界尚未明确交配时长究竟由雄性、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，但无雄性遗传方差，这或暗示当前性拮抗协同进化（sexually antagonistic coevolution）的演化潜力有所降低。与之相反，交配时长在雌雄两性中均存在显著的遗传方差。此外，本研究还在处女雌蝇（virgin females）中发现了保卵性（egg retention）的遗传变异。尽管该性状此前曾在野生种群中被报道，但目前仍无法解释为何实验室种群中也存在该变异。本研究为解析受性冲突影响的生殖性状的共有遗传结构，提供了全新的研究视角。