Genetics, Vol. 167, 725-735, June 2004, Copyright © 2004
doi:10.1534/genetics.103.020883

Molecular Population Genetics of Male Accessory Gland Proteins in the Drosophila simulans Complex

Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616

1 Corresponding author: Center for Population Biology, University of California, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616.
E-mail: adkern{at}ucdavis.edu

Accessory gland proteins are a major component of Drosophila seminal fluid. These proteins have a variety of functions and may be subject to sexual selection and/or antagonistic evolution between the sexes. Most population genetic data from these proteins are from D. melanogaster and D. simulans. Here, we extend the population genetic analysis of Acp genes to the other simulans complex species, D. mauritiana and D. sechellia. We sequenced population samples of seven Acp's from D. mauritiana, D. sechellia, and D. simulans. We investigated the population genetics of these genes on individual simulans complex lineages and compared Acp polymorphism and divergence to polymorphism and divergence from a set of non-Acp loci in the same species. Polymorphism and divergence data from the simulans complex revealed little evidence for adaptive protein evolution at individual loci. However, we observed a dramatically inflated index of dispersion for amino acid substitutions in the simulans complex at Acp genes, but not at non-Acp genes. This pattern of episodic bursts of protein evolution in Acp's provides the strongest evidence to date that the population genetic mechanisms driving Acp divergence are different from the mechanisms driving evolution at most Drosophila genes.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J HeredHome page
M. F. Wolfner
Battle and Ballet: Molecular Interactions between the Sexes in Drosophila
J. Hered., July 1, 2009; 100(4): 399 - 410.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
W. G. Eberhard
In the Light of Evolution III: Two Centuries of Darwin Sackler Colloquium: Postcopulatory sexual selection: Darwin's omission and its consequences
PNAS, June 16, 2009; 106(Supplement_1): 10025 - 10032.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
F. C. Almeida and R. DeSalle
Evidence of Adaptive Evolution of Accessory Gland Proteins in Closely Related Species of the Drosophila repleta Group
Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2008; 25(9): 2043 - 2053.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
T. Bedford and D. L. Hartl
Overdispersion of the Molecular Clock: Temporal Variation of Gene-Specific Substitution Rates in Drosophila
Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2008; 25(8): 1631 - 1638.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
L. A. McGraw, A. G. Clark, and M. F. Wolfner
Post-mating Gene Expression Profiles of Female Drosophila melanogaster in Response to Time and to Four Male Accessory Gland Proteins
Genetics, July 1, 2008; 179(3): 1395 - 1408.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
T. Bedford, I. Wapinski, and D. L. Hartl
Overdispersion of the Molecular Clock Varies Between Yeast, Drosophila and Mammals
Genetics, June 1, 2008; 179(2): 977 - 984.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
A. Wong, M. C. Turchin, M. F. Wolfner, and C. F. Aquadro
Evidence for Positive Selection on Drosophila melanogaster Seminal Fluid Protease Homologs
Mol. Biol. Evol., March 1, 2008; 25(3): 497 - 506.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
W. Haerty, S. Jagadeeshan, R. J. Kulathinal, A. Wong, K. Ravi Ram, L. K. Sirot, L. Levesque, C. G. Artieri, M. F. Wolfner, A. Civetta, et al.
Evolution in the Fast Lane: Rapidly Evolving Sex-Related Genes in Drosophila
Genetics, November 1, 2007; 177(3): 1321 - 1335.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
C. S. McBride, J. R. Arguello, and B. C. O'Meara
Five Drosophila Genomes Reveal Nonneutral Evolution and the Signature of Host Specialization in the Chemoreceptor Superfamily
Genetics, November 1, 2007; 177(3): 1395 - 1416.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
B. J. Wagstaff and D. J. Begun
Adaptive Evolution of Recently Duplicated Accessory Gland Protein Genes in Desert Drosophila
Genetics, October 1, 2007; 177(2): 1023 - 1030.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Integr. Comp. Biol.Home page
K. Ravi Ram and M. F. Wolfner
Seminal influences: Drosophila Acps and the molecular interplay between males and females during reproduction
Integr. Comp. Biol., September 1, 2007; 47(3): 427 - 445.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc R Soc BHome page
A. Bjork, W. T Starmer, D. M Higginson, C. J Rhodes, and S. Pitnick
Complex interactions with females and rival males limit the evolution of sperm offence and defence
Proc R Soc B, July 22, 2007; 274(1619): 1779 - 1788.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. C. Fiumera, B. L. Dumont, and A. G. Clark
Associations Between Sperm Competition and Natural Variation in Male Reproductive Genes on the Third Chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster
Genetics, June 1, 2007; 176(2): 1245 - 1260.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. Sanchez-Gracia and J. Rozas
Unusual Pattern of Nucleotide Sequence Variation at the OS-E and OS-F Genomic Regions of Drosophila simulans
Genetics, April 1, 2007; 175(4): 1923 - 1935.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
J. A. Andres, L. S. Maroja, S. M. Bogdanowicz, W. J. Swanson, and R. G. Harrison
Molecular Evolution of Seminal Proteins in Field Crickets
Mol. Biol. Evol., August 1, 2006; 23(8): 1574 - 1584.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
J. J. Welch
Estimating the Genomewide Rate of Adaptive Protein Evolution in Drosophila
Genetics, June 1, 2006; 173(2): 821 - 837.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
D. J. Begun, H. A. Lindfors, M. E. Thompson, and A. K. Holloway
Recently Evolved Genes Identified From Drosophila yakuba and D. erecta Accessory Gland Expressed Sequence Tags
Genetics, March 1, 2006; 172(3): 1675 - 1681.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
D. A. Moeller and P. Tiffin
Genetic Diversity and the Evolutionary History of Plant Immunity Genes in Two Species of Zea
Mol. Biol. Evol., December 1, 2005; 22(12): 2480 - 2490.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
B. J. Wagstaff and D. J. Begun
Molecular Population Genetics of Accessory Gland Protein Genes and Testis-Expressed Genes in Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae
Genetics, November 1, 2005; 171(3): 1083 - 1101.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
D. J. Begun and H. A. Lindfors
Rapid Evolution of Genomic Acp Complement in the melanogaster Subgroup of Drosophila
Mol. Biol. Evol., October 1, 2005; 22(10): 2010 - 2021.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
J. L. Mueller, K. R. Ram, L. A. McGraw, M. C. Bloch Qazi, E. D. Siggia, A. G. Clark, C. F. Aquadro, and M. F. Wolfner
Cross-Species Comparison of Drosophila Male Accessory Gland Protein Genes
Genetics, September 1, 2005; 171(1): 131 - 143.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
B. J. Wagstaff and D. J. Begun
Comparative Genomics of Accessory Gland Protein Genes in Drosophila melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura
Mol. Biol. Evol., April 1, 2005; 22(4): 818 - 832.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
A. D. Kern and D. J. Begun
Patterns of Polymorphism and Divergence from Noncoding Sequences of Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans: Evidence for Nonequilibrium Processes
Mol. Biol. Evol., January 1, 2005; 22(1): 51 - 62.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
W. J. Swanson, A. Wong, M. F. Wolfner, and C. F. Aquadro
Evolutionary Expressed Sequence Tag Analysis of Drosophila Female Reproductive Tracts Identifies Genes Subjected to Positive Selection
Genetics, November 1, 2004; 168(3): 1457 - 1465.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]