Female pheromones in Drosophila melanogaster are controlled by the doublesex locus

Abstract

XY and XX doublesex D. melanogaster, expressing variable intersexual phenotypes, were compared for their pheromone levels (e.g. 7, 11-heptacosadiene, the main excitatory pheromone of females, and vaccenyl acetate, an inhibitory compound produced only by males). Despite the intersexual phenotype and the presence of female traits, the pheromone patterns of the homozygous dsx mutants, XY as well as XX, were similar to those of heterozygous males. Female-specific dienes were never found in significant amounts in such flies, which often showed significant amounts of the male-specific acetate and triggered very reduced levels of male courtship wing vibration. © 1988, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.