The Drosophila seminal Sex Peptide can associate with rival as well as own sperm and provide function for SP in polyandrous females

Abstract

In populations in which females tend to mate with more than one male, sperm competition and cryptic female choice can occur, triggering biases in sperm use and influencing males paternity share outcome of the mating. This competition occurs in the context of molecules and cells of male and female working interdependently towards the common goal of optimal fertilization. For example, a males seminal fluid molecules modify the females physiology to increase reproductive success. However, since some of these modifications induce long-term changes in female physiology, this can indirectly benefit rival males. Indeed, rival males can tailor their ejaculates accordingly, minimizing the energy cost of mating. Here we investigate the direct benefits that seminal fluid proteins from an ejaculate of one male can confer to sperm of a rival. We report that Sex Peptide (SP) that a female receives from one male can bind to sperm from a prior mate, that were already stored in the female. Moreover, the second males SP can restore fertility and facilitate efficient sperm release or utilization of sperm received from the first male that had been stored in the female. Thus, SP from one male can directly benefit another and as such is a key molecular component in the process of inter-ejaculate interaction.