The DD2R gene expression level in the corpus allatum affects the fitness of female Drosophila melanogaster

The effect of tissue-specific suppression of the dopamine D2-like receptor gene (DD2R) in the corpus allatum (CA; the gland that synthesizes young hormone (JH)) on the Drosophila melanogaster resistance to heat stress has been studied. A decreased expression of the DD2R gene in the CA has been found to substantially decrease the heat stress resistance of mature transgenic females, but not males, D. melanogaster compared to the control group, this phenomenon being weakly pronounced in young flies. The effect of DD2R activation on the D. melanogaster reproductive function has been estimated. It has been shown that treatment of D. melanogaster with a synthetic specific agonist of DD2R decreases the fertility, the effect being considerably stronger in mature flies tan in young ones. It is concluded that the change in the number of DD2Rs in CA or their activation decreases the fitness of Drosophila.