Effect of otu mutations on male fertility and spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The 17-ethyl-methyl-sulphonate (EMS) induced female sterile alleles of the ovarian tumour (otu) locus show a wide spectrum of phenotypes and affect various processes of Drosophila oogenesis. These phenotypes have been previously studied in detail, but the exact molecular function of the otu locus in the different processes of oogenesis is only poorly known. To date, no effect of otu mutations have been reported in the males. However, separate species of otu mRNAs are expressed in the testes and the thorax of the adult male, but their role is not known. In this study we analysed the effects of EMS-induced otu mutations on male fertility. We observed that the proportion of totally sterile males is significantly higher in most of the tested otu strains as compared to the wild type. There was a strong correlation between male sterility and severity of impairment in the female phenotype. Spermatogenesis of these semi-sterile strains was analysed by phase contrast microscopy, Hoechst 33258 and Feulgen stain, and by in situ hybridisation with testis-specific probes. No changes which could account for the induction of sterility were recorded and normal amounts of motile sperm were observed in all strains. Sterility turned out to be a consequence of a failure in mating behaviour. The wild type females refused to react to the courtship attempts of the mutant males. We propose two alternative explanations for this. Either the otu locus may play some important role in male somatic tissue, or some germ line function is necessary for correct mating behaviour.