Uric acid metabolism modulates diet-dependent responses to intraspecific competition in Drosophila larvae

Juliano Morimoto* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
4 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Intraspecific competition drives ecological specialisation and niche expansion. In holometabolous insects, larval intraspecific competition (‘crowding’) has lasting fitness consequences to individuals shapes adaptive responses. However, our understanding of the molecular profile of larval crowding responses remains allusive. Here, I used a genetic construct in Drosophila melanogaster with disrupted uric acid metabolism (uro-) to characterise the role of the uric acid metabolism – and its interactive effects with larval crowding, diet and urea concentration – on female oviposition and larval development. Uro- larvae developed faster in sugar-rich diets. However, uro- larvae pupated at lower heights in protein- and sugar-rich diets in crowded larval conditions and showed slower development in protein-rich mixed-genotype environments. uro- did not affect female oviposition nor larval pupation success. Overall, this study provides the first step towards an integrated understanding of the molecular pathways underpinning the responses to intraspecific competition in holometabolous insects.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105598
Number of pages16
JournaliScience
Volume25
Issue number12
Early online date28 Nov 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Dec 2022

Bibliographical note

The author would like to thank Dr Dawn Shewring for the technical support in obtaining the uric acid kits. JM is funded by the Royal Society Research Grant (RGS\R2\202220) and the BBSRC (BB/V015249/1).

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • ethology
  • Urate Oxidase
  • gout

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