Biology subjects

Yew, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Yew, J..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Microbe-dependent inter-organ communication regulates germline stem cell proliferation in Drosophila

Animals integrate environmental cues with internal physiological states through inter-organ communication to regulate reproduction. However, how environmental microbes are incorporated into these systemic pathways to control reproductive stem cell proliferation remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that environmental microbes colonizing the gut promote stem cell-mediated oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster by increasing germline stem cell (GSC) number. This process requires microbial activation of gut metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), linking microbial cues to organismal physiology. We further show that microbial cues modulate circadian clock gene expression in both the gut and brain, and that circadian gene activity in these tissues is required for microbe-induced increases in GSCs. These metabolic changes promote ecdysone and juvenile hormone signaling in ovarian somatic cells, and single-cell transcriptomic analyses further reveal cell type-specific metabolic and hormonal responses across germline and follicle cell populations. Together, our findings establish that microbe-dependent gut-mediated inter-organ communication integrates metabolism, circadian gene expression, and endocrine signaling to regulate stem cell-mediated reproduction in Drosophila.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Microbiome composition shapes temperature tolerance in a Hawaiian picture-winged Drosophila

Hawaiian picture-winged Drosophila are undergoing rapid biodiversity loss, with twelve species listed as endangered and others in decline. Gut microbiota are increasingly recognized as contributors to host adaptation that are capable of influencing stress tolerance, reproduction, and other fitness-related traits. We investigated the role of microbial communities in local adaptation using two populations of Drosophila basisetae from Hawaiian rainforests at 900 m and 1200 m elevation. Microbiome profiling of wild flies by high throughput amplicon sequencing revealed distinct bacterial and fungal communities between sites. Whole-genome resequencing of the two Drosophila populations identified weak but significant population genetic structure, with evidence of admixture and gene flow. Despite this connectivity, 16 outlier SNPs across 18 genes showed patterns consistent with divergent selection, suggesting localized adaptation. To test microbiome effects on host physiology experimentally, we conducted a fully factorial research design with microbiome inoculations in laboratory-reared flies acclimated to 18 {degrees}C (control) or 24 {degrees}C (stressful). Flies treated with low-elevation microbiota had higher survival across temperatures, whereas those treated with high-elevation microbiota produced more eggs, indicating microbiome-mediated differences in reproductive investment. Activity levels at 18 {degrees}C were higher when flies received microbiota from their native population. Measures of critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and male accessory gland size showed complex interactions among microbiome source, temperature, and fly population. These results indicate that microbes may modulate host thermal tolerance and reproduction in environmentally-dependent and population-specific ways. Our findings suggest that microbiome-host-environment interactions may contribute to both phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary adaptation to enhance resilience to environmental stress, with important implications for conservation in rapidly changing Hawaiian ecosystems. Summary statementThis study demonstrates that microbiome composition influences thermal tolerance through alterations in survival and reproduction in the Hawaiian picture wing, Drosophila basisetae, potentially contributing to adaptive phenotypic changes between populations.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2018

The Drosophila microbiome has a limited influence on sleep, activity, and courtship behaviors

In animals, commensal microbes modulate various physiological functions, including behavior. While microbiota exposure is required for normal behavior in mammals, it is not known how widely this dependency is present in other animal species. We proposed the hypothesis that the microbiome has a major influence on the behavior of the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster), a major invertebrate model organism. Several assays were used to test the contribution of the microbiome on some well-characterized behaviors: defensive behavior, sleep, locomotion, and courtship in microbe-bearing, control flies and two generations of germ-free animals. None of the behaviors were largely influenced by the absence of a microbiome, and the small or moderate effects were not generalizable between replicates and/or generations. These results refute the hypothesis, indicating that the Drosophila microbiome does not have a major influence over several behaviors fundamental to the animals survival and reproduction. The impact of commensal microbes on animal behaviour may not be broadly conserved.

neuroscience↗