Proteomic analysis of remating inhibition in Queensland fruitfly

The Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) Bactrocera tryoni is a major pest of Australian horticulture. A Sterile Insect Technique is being developed to control Qfly but remating of females with wild males could undermine its success. In Qfly, the transfer of seminal fluid during mating influences the remating propensity of females. However, the protein and peptide composition of Qfly seminal fluid has not been characterised. This thesis presents a proteomic analysis of Qfly seminal fluid to identify candidate peptides for sexual inhibition. It characterises the reproductive gland proteomes of sexually mature virgin males, which possess full gland contents, just-mated males of the same age whose gland contents have been transferred to their mates, and males dissected 13–16.5 hours after mating whose gland contents should be substantially replenished. I find 63 candidate seminal fluid proteins, 21 of which could be sufficiently annotated. I do not find homologues of the Sex Peptide responsible for remating inhibition in Drosophila melanogaster, but I do find matches to other peptide hormones. I also find several proteases, other post-translational protein modifying enzymes, and ligand-binding proteins, some number of which could be responsible for activation and transport of prohormones to their receptors in the female.