Females translate male mRNA transferred during mating
Luciano M. Matzkin,
Jeremy M. Bono,
Helen K. Pigage,
Carson W. Allan,
Fernando Diaz,
John R. McCoy,
Clinton C. Green,
Jeffrey B. Callan,
Stephen P. Delahunt, II
Affiliations
Luciano M. Matzkin
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tucson, AZ, USA; Corresponding author
Jeremy M. Bono
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Corresponding author
Helen K. Pigage
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Carson W. Allan
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
Fernando Diaz
Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
John R. McCoy
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Clinton C. Green
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Jeffrey B. Callan
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Stephen P. Delahunt, II
Department of Biology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Summary: Although RNA is found in the seminal fluid of diverse organisms, it is unknown whether it is functional within females. We developed a proteomic method (VESPA, Variant Enabled SILAC Proteomic Analysis) to test the hypothesis that Drosophila male seminal fluid RNA is translated by females. We found 67 male-derived, female-translated proteins (mdFTPs) in female lower reproductive tracts, many with predicted functions relevant to reproduction. Knockout experiments indicate that mdFTPs play diverse roles in postmating interactions, affecting fertilization success, and the formation/persistence of the insemination reaction mass, a trait hypothesized to be involved in sexual conflict. These findings advance our understanding of reproduction by revealing a mechanism of postmating molecular interactions between the sexes that strengthens and extends male influences on reproduction in previously unrecognized ways. Given the diverse species that carry RNA in seminal fluid, this discovery has broad significance for understanding molecular mechanisms of cooperation and conflict during reproduction.
