Thewhitegene controls copulation success inDrosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT Characteristics of male courtship behavior in Drosophila melanogaster have been well-described, but the genetic basis of male-female copulation is largely unknown. Here we show that the white ( w ) gene, a classical gene for eye color, is associated with copulation success. 82.5% of wild-type Canton-S flies copulated within 60 minutes in circular arenas, whereas few white-eyed mutants mated successfully. The w + allele exchanged to the X chromosome or duplicated to the Y chromosome in the white-eyed genetic background rescued the defect of copulation success. The w + -associated copulation success was independent of eye color phenotype. Addition of the mini- white (m w + ) gene to the white-eyed mutant rescued the defect of copulation success in a manner that was m w + copy number-dependent. Lastly, male-female sexual experience mimicked the effects of w + /m w + in improving successful copulation. These data suggest that the w + gene controls copulation success in Drosophila melanogaster .