Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to investigate sex specific differences.

Abstract

Sex differences in physiology, anatomy, behavior, and genetics are well-documented throughout the animal kingdom. These differences are often neglected in research. This imbalance can have detrimental effects, as seen in cases where certain drugs have stronger side effects in females than in males. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, presents a promising model for studying these sex-specific differences because it shares many disease-related genes and is easy to use. RNA of 10-day-old and 30-day-old D. melanogaster (w¹¹¹⁸) was isolated and sequenced. In 10-day-old flies 3969 genes are significantly higher expressed in males than in females, and 7176 genes are significantly lower expressed in males. In 30-day-old males 3735 genes are significantly higher expressed than in females, and 7101 genes are significantly lower expressed. In detail, the present study shows that male flies exhibit higher expression levels of genes involved in toll signaling, Imd signaling, insulin signaling, and lipid metabolism. These findings highlight D. melanogaster as a valuable model organism for studying sex differences in these highly conserved signaling pathways. This model could help analyzing the sex-specific effects of dietary interventions or drugs, ultimately leading to a better understanding of sex-specific interconnections and improving the development of more effective, sex-specific medical treatments.