1
|
Bett VK, Trejo-Arellano MS, Vicoso B. Chromatin Landscape Is Associated With Sex-Biased Expression and Drosophila-Like Dosage Compensation of the Z Chromosome in Artemia franciscana. Mol Biol Evol 2025; 42:msaf085. [PMID: 40202086 PMCID: PMC12060005 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaf085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2025] [Accepted: 02/25/2025] [Indexed: 04/10/2025] Open
Abstract
The males and females of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana are highly dimorphic, and this dimorphism is associated with substantial sex-biased gene expression in heads and gonads. How these sex-specific patterns of expression are regulated at the molecular level is unknown. A. franciscana also has differentiated ZW sex chromosomes, with complete dosage compensation, but the molecular mechanism through which compensation is achieved is unknown. Here, we conducted CUT&TAG assays targeting 7 post-translational histone modifications (H3K27me3, H3K9me2, H3K9me3, H3K36me3, H3K27ac, H3K4me3, and H4K16ac) in heads and gonads of A. franciscana, allowing us to divide the genome into 12 chromatin states. We further defined functional chromatin signatures for all genes, which were correlated with transcript level abundances. Differences in the occupancy of the profiled epigenetic marks between sexes were associated with differential gene expression between males and females. Finally, we found a significant enrichment of the permissive H4K16ac histone mark in the Z-specific region in both tissues of females but not males, supporting the role of this histone mark in mediating dosage compensation of the Z chromosome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Beatriz Vicoso
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hindmarsh Sten T, Li R, Hollunder F, Eleazer S, Ruta V. Male-male interactions shape mate selection in Drosophila. Cell 2025; 188:1486-1503.e25. [PMID: 39952248 PMCID: PMC11955089 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2025] [Indexed: 02/17/2025]
Abstract
Males of many species have evolved behavioral traits to both attract females and repel rivals. Here, we explore mate selection in Drosophila from both the male and female perspective to shed light on how these key components of sexual selection-female choice and male-male competition-work in concert to guide reproductive strategies. We find that male flies fend off competing suitors by interleaving their courtship of a female with aggressive wing flicks, which both repel competitors and generate a "song" that obscures the female's auditory perception of other potential mates. Two higher-order circuit nodes-P1a and pC1x neurons-are coordinately recruited to allow males to flexibly interleave these agonistic actions with courtship displays, assuring they persistently pursue females until their rival falters. Together, our results suggest that female mating decisions are shaped by male-male interactions, underscoring how a male's ability to subvert his rivals is central to his reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hindmarsh Sten
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rufei Li
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Florian Hollunder
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shade Eleazer
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nässel DR. A brief history of insect neuropeptide and peptide hormone research. Cell Tissue Res 2025; 399:129-159. [PMID: 39653844 PMCID: PMC11787221 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03936-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2024] [Accepted: 11/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2025]
Abstract
This review briefly summarizes 50 years of research on insect neuropeptide and peptide hormone (collectively abbreviated NPH) signaling, starting with the sequencing of proctolin in 1975. The first 25 years, before the sequencing of the Drosophila genome, were characterized by efforts to identify novel NPHs by biochemical means, mapping of their distribution in neurons, neurosecretory cells, and endocrine cells of the intestine. Functional studies of NPHs were predominantly dealing with hormonal aspects of peptides and many employed ex vivo assays. With the annotation of the Drosophila genome, and more specifically of the NPHs and their receptors in Drosophila and other insects, a new era followed. This started with matching of NPH ligands to orphan receptors, and studies to localize NPHs with improved detection methods. Important advances were made with introduction of a rich repertoire of innovative molecular genetic approaches to localize and interfere with expression or function of NPHs and their receptors. These methods enabled cell- or circuit-specific interference with NPH signaling for in vivo assays to determine roles in behavior and physiology, imaging of neuronal activity, and analysis of connectivity in peptidergic circuits. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in reports on the multiple functions of NPHs in development, physiology and behavior. Importantly, we can now appreciate the pleiotropic functions of NPHs, as well as the functional peptidergic "networks" where state dependent NPH signaling ensures behavioral plasticity and systemic homeostasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cooke M, Chembars MS, Pitts RJ. The conserved IR75 subfamily mediates carboxylic acid detection in insects of public health and agricultural importance. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2025; 25:ieaf012. [PMID: 39891408 PMCID: PMC11785732 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaf012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2024] [Revised: 12/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2025] [Indexed: 02/03/2025]
Abstract
Insects perceive and respond to carboxylic acids (CAs), amines, and aldehydes primarily via conserved ionotropic receptors (IRs). These receptors form the basis for a second olfactory system distinct from the well-characterized odorant receptors. Neurons expressing IRs are housed in dedicated sensilla and innervate glomeruli, separate from those innervated by odorant receptor neurons. The IR8a co-receptor is highly conserved across insect orders and, together with ionotropic receptor tuning receptors, primarily detects CAs. The conservation of genes and the anatomical separation of neural pathways underscore the importance of these compound classes and CAs, specifically in insect chemical ecology. We provide a summary of carboxylic acid detection in insects, focusing on dipteran and lepidopteran species of significance to public health and agriculture. An overview of insect behavior toward CAs is provided, as well as a comprehensive update on carboxylic acid receptor function in insects. Phylogenetic analysis of publicly available genome databases reveals several species that encode and express homologs of previously deorphanized carboxylic acid receptors, highlighting avenues for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Cooke
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Laboratory of Arthropod Sensory Biology & Neuroethology, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Michael S Chembars
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Laboratory of Arthropod Sensory Biology & Neuroethology, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Ronald Jason Pitts
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Laboratory of Arthropod Sensory Biology & Neuroethology, Waco, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Vega-Trejo R, Sanghvi K, Todorova B, Sepil I, Bath E. Fear of mating out (FOMO): voyeurism does not increase mating propensity in fruit flies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:31916. [PMID: 39738633 PMCID: PMC11685763 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83465-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 12/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/02/2025] Open
Abstract
Mate availability and social information can influence mating behaviour in both males and females. Social information obtained from conspecifics can influence mate choice, particularly shown by studies on mate choice copying. However, the role of directly observing conspecific mating on mating behaviour has been less explored. As such, whether conspecifics are copulating or not could inform 'observers' about the availability of mates, or even stimulate observers to mate themselves. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we tested whether exposure to the visual cue of a mating pair would increase the mating propensity of an observer pair (i.e., voyeur). We followed a factorial design where a male-female pair (voyeur flies) were placed together with or without visual access to another pair of flies (who were either mating or not mating). We found no evidence that mating latency or duration of mating were affected by whether voyeurs had visual access to a mating or non-mating pair. These results could be due to biological factors (e.g., use of other non-visual cues by flies to acquire information related to sex), or methodological limitations of our study (e.g., flies unable to watch other pairs). Generally, our results suggest that fruit flies do not use visual cues from conspecifics mating to adjust their own mating latency or mating duration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Regina Vega-Trejo
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
| | - Krish Sanghvi
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Biliana Todorova
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Eleanor Bath
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wāng Y, Jiang Y. Drosophila melanogaster as a tractable eco-environmental model to unravel the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 192:109012. [PMID: 39332284 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.109012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
Micro- and nanoplastics have emerged as pervasive environmental pollutants with potential ecotoxicological impacts on various organisms, including the model organismDrosophila melanogaster. Here we comprehensively synthesize current research on the adverse effects of micro- and nanoplastics onDrosophila, highlighting key findings and identifying gaps in the literature. Micro- and nanoplastics can lead to physical damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, genotoxicity, epigenetic changes, apoptosis, and necrosis inDrosophila. Exposure to plastic debris affects nutrient absorption, energy metabolism, and reproductive health, often in a sex-specific manner. For instance, male flies are generally more susceptible to the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics than female flies, showing greater mortality and metabolic disruptions. Furthermore, the combined exposure of plastics with heavy metals can exacerbate toxic effects, leading to enhanced oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and gut damage. While antagonistic effects have been identified particularly with silver compounds, where polystyrene microplastics reduce the bioavailability and toxicity of silver. The adverse effects of plastic particles onDrosophiladepend on size, with smaller particles penetrating deeper into tissues and eliciting stronger toxic responses. The chemical composition of the plastics and the presence of additives also play crucial roles in determining toxicity levels. Chronic exposure to low levels can be as harmful as acute high-dose exposure, highlighting the need for comprehensive, long-term studies to fully understand the ecological and biological impacts of plastic pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yán Wāng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Yang Jiang
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li J, Ning C, Liu Y, Deng B, Wang B, Shi K, Wang R, Fang R, Zhou C. The function of juvenile-adult transition axis in female sexual receptivity of Drosophila melanogaster. eLife 2024; 12:RP92545. [PMID: 39240259 PMCID: PMC11379460 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Female sexual receptivity is essential for reproduction of a species. Neuropeptides play the main role in regulating female receptivity. However, whether neuropeptides regulate female sexual receptivity during the neurodevelopment is unknown. Here, we found the peptide hormone prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), which belongs to the insect PG (prothoracic gland) axis, negatively regulated virgin female receptivity through ecdysone during neurodevelopment in Drosophila melanogaster. We identified PTTH neurons as doublesex-positive neurons, they regulated virgin female receptivity before the metamorphosis during the third-instar larval stage. PTTH deletion resulted in the increased EcR-A expression in the whole newly formed prepupae. Furthermore, the ecdysone receptor EcR-A in pC1 neurons positively regulated virgin female receptivity during metamorphosis. The decreased EcR-A in pC1 neurons induced abnormal morphological development of pC1 neurons without changing neural activity. Among all subtypes of pC1 neurons, the function of EcR-A in pC1b neurons was necessary for virgin female copulation rate. These suggested that the changes of synaptic connections between pC1b and other neurons decreased female copulation rate. Moreover, female receptivity significantly decreased when the expression of PTTH receptor Torso was reduced in pC1 neurons. This suggested that PTTH not only regulates female receptivity through ecdysone but also through affecting female receptivity associated neurons directly. The PG axis has similar functional strategy as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in mammals to trigger the juvenile-adult transition. Our work suggests a general mechanism underlying which the neurodevelopment during maturation regulates female sexual receptivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Ning
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaohua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Zhongguancun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Bingcai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rencong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruixin Fang
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Asinof SK, Card GM. Neural Control of Naturalistic Behavior Choices. Annu Rev Neurosci 2024; 47:369-388. [PMID: 38724026 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-111020-094019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
In the natural world, animals make decisions on an ongoing basis, continuously selecting which action to undertake next. In the lab, however, the neural bases of decision processes have mostly been studied using artificial trial structures. New experimental tools based on the genetic toolkit of model organisms now make it experimentally feasible to monitor and manipulate neural activity in small subsets of neurons during naturalistic behaviors. We thus propose a new approach to investigating decision processes, termed reverse neuroethology. In this approach, experimenters select animal models based on experimental accessibility and then utilize cutting-edge tools such as connectomes and genetically encoded reagents to analyze the flow of information through an animal's nervous system during naturalistic choice behaviors. We describe how the reverse neuroethology strategy has been applied to understand the neural underpinnings of innate, rapid decision making, with a focus on defensive behavioral choices in the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Asinof
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Gwyneth M Card
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Neuroscience, and Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA;
- Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Suárez-Grimalt R, Grunwald Kadow IC, Scheunemann L. An integrative sensor of body states: how the mushroom body modulates behavior depending on physiological context. Learn Mem 2024; 31:a053918. [PMID: 38876486 PMCID: PMC11199956 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053918.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
The brain constantly compares past and present experiences to predict the future, thereby enabling instantaneous and future behavioral adjustments. Integration of external information with the animal's current internal needs and behavioral state represents a key challenge of the nervous system. Recent advancements in dissecting the function of the Drosophila mushroom body (MB) at the single-cell level have uncovered its three-layered logic and parallel systems conveying positive and negative values during associative learning. This review explores a lesser-known role of the MB in detecting and integrating body states such as hunger, thirst, and sleep, ultimately modulating motivation and sensory-driven decisions based on the physiological state of the fly. State-dependent signals predominantly affect the activity of modulatory MB input neurons (dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and octopaminergic), but also induce plastic changes directly at the level of the MB intrinsic and output neurons. Thus, the MB emerges as a tightly regulated relay station in the insect brain, orchestrating neuroadaptations due to current internal and behavioral states leading to short- but also long-lasting changes in behavior. While these adaptations are crucial to ensure fitness and survival, recent findings also underscore how circuit motifs in the MB may reflect fundamental design principles that contribute to maladaptive behaviors such as addiction or depression-like symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Suárez-Grimalt
- Institute for Biology/Genetics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Neurophysiologie and NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Lisa Scheunemann
- Institute for Biology/Genetics, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Neurophysiologie and NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ramdya P. AI networks reveal how flies find a mate. Nature 2024; 629:1010-1011. [PMID: 38778186 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-01320-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
|
11
|
Simpson JH. Descending control of motor sequences in Drosophila. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102822. [PMID: 38096757 PMCID: PMC11215313 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The descending neurons connecting the fly's brain to its ventral nerve cord respond to sensory stimuli and evoke motor programs of varying complexity. Anatomical characterization of the descending neurons and their synaptic connections suggests how these circuits organize movements, while optogenetic manipulation of their activity reveals what behaviors they can induce. Monitoring their responses to sensory stimuli or during behavior performance indicates what information they may encode. Recent advances in all three approaches make the descending neurons an excellent place to better understand the sensorimotor integration and transformation required for nervous systems to govern the motor sequences that constitute animal behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie H Simpson
- Dept. Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chen Y, Zhang Y, Ai S, Xing S, Zhong G, Yi X. Female semiochemicals stimulate male courtship but dampen female sexual receptivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311166120. [PMID: 38011549 PMCID: PMC10710021 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311166120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a vital role in mate attraction and discrimination among many insect species. Here, we document a unique example of semiochemical parsimony, where four chemicals act as both aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs in different contexts in Bactrocera dorsalis. Specifically, we identified four female-specific semiochemicals, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl cis-9-hexadecenoate, and ethyl palmitate, which serve as aphrodisiacs to attract male flies and arouse male courtship. Interestingly, these semiochemicals, when sexually transferred to males during mating, can function as anti-aphrodisiacs, inhibiting the receptivity of subsequent female mates. We further showed that the expression of elongase11, a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of these semiochemicals, is under the control of doublesex, facilitating the exclusive biosynthesis of these four semiochemicals in females and guaranteeing effective chemical communication. The dual roles of these semiochemicals not only ensure the attractiveness of mature females but also provide a simple yet reliable mechanism for female mate discrimination. These findings provide insights into chemical communication in B. dorsalis and add elements for the design of pest control programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Shupei Ai
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Shuyuan Xing
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Guohua Zhong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| | - Xin Yi
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou510642, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sten TH, Li R, Hollunder F, Eleazer S, Ruta V. Male-male interactions shape mate selection in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.03.565582. [PMID: 37961193 PMCID: PMC10635267 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Males of many species have evolved behavioral traits to both attract females and repel rivals. Here, we explore mate selection in Drosophila from both the male and female perspective to shed light on how these key components of sexual selection - female choice and male-male competition - work in concert to guide reproductive strategies. We find that male flies fend off competing suitors by interleaving their courtship of a female with aggressive wing flicks, which both repel competitors and generate a 'song' that obscures the female's auditory perception of other potential mates. Two higher-order circuit nodes - P1a and pC1x neurons - are coordinately recruited to allow males to flexibly interleave these agonistic actions with courtship displays, assuring they persistently pursue females until their rival falters. Together, our results suggest that female mating decisions are shaped by male-male interactions, underscoring how a male's ability to subvert his rivals is central to his reproductive success.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hindmarsh Sten
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Rufei Li
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Florian Hollunder
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shadé Eleazer
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mabuchi Y, Cui X, Xie L, Kim H, Jiang T, Yapici N. Visual feedback neurons fine-tune Drosophila male courtship via GABA-mediated inhibition. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3896-3910.e7. [PMID: 37673068 PMCID: PMC10529139 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Many species of animals use vision to regulate their social behaviors. However, the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying visually guided social interactions remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the Drosophila ortholog of the human GABAA-receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) is required in a class of visual feedback neurons, lamina tangential (Lat) cells, to fine-tune male courtship. GABARAP is a ubiquitin-like protein that maintains cell-surface levels of GABAA receptors. We demonstrate that knocking down GABARAP or GABAAreceptors in Lat neurons or hyperactivating them induces male courtship toward other males. Inhibiting Lat neurons, on the other hand, delays copulation by impairing the ability of males to follow females. Remarkably, the fly GABARAP protein and its human ortholog share a strong sequence identity, and the fly GABARAP function in Lat neurons can be rescued by its human ortholog. Using in vivo two-photon imaging and optogenetics, we reveal that Lat neurons are functionally connected to neural circuits that mediate visually guided courtship pursuits in males. Our work identifies a novel physiological function for GABARAP in regulating visually guided courtship pursuits in Drosophila males. Reduced GABAA signaling has been linked to social deficits observed in the autism spectrum and bipolar disorders. The functional similarity between the human and the fly GABARAP raises the possibility of a conserved role for this gene in regulating social behaviors across insects and mammals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Mabuchi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xinyue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lily Xie
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tianxing Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mishra S, Sharma N, Lone SR. Understanding the impact of sociosexual interactions on sleep using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1220140. [PMID: 37670770 PMCID: PMC10476103 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1220140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is conserved across species, and it is believed that a fixed amount of sleep is needed for normal neurobiological functions. Sleep rebound follows sleep deprivation; however, continuous sleep deprivation for longer durations is believed to be detrimental to the animal's wellbeing. Under some physiologically demanding situations, such as migration in birds, the birth of new offspring in cetaceans, and sexual interactions in pectoral sandpipers, animals are known to forgo sleep. The mechanisms by which animals forgo sleep without having any obvious negative impact on the proper functioning of their neurobiological processes are yet unknown. Therefore, a simple assay is needed to study how animals forgo sleep. The assay should be ecologically relevant so it can offer insights into the physiology of the organisms. Equally important is that the organism should be genetically amenable, which helps in understanding the cellular and molecular processes that govern such behaviors. This paper presents a simple method of sociosexual interaction to understand the process by which animals forgo sleep. In the case of Drosophila melanogaster, when males and females are in proximity, they are highly active and lose a significant amount of sleep. In addition, there is no sleep rebound afterward, and instead, males engaged in sexual interactions continue to show normal sleep. Thus, sexual drive in the fruit flies is a robust assay to understand the underlying mechanism by which animals forgo sleep.
Collapse
|
16
|
Ueda A, Berg A, Khan T, Ruzicka M, Li S, Cramer E, Iyengar A, Wu CF. Intense light unleashes male-male courtship behaviour in wild-type Drosophila. Open Biol 2023; 13:220233. [PMID: 37463658 PMCID: PMC10353890 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila courtship studies have elucidated several principles of the neurogenetic organization of complex behaviour. Through an integration across sensory modalities, males perform stereotypic patterns of chasing, courtship song production and copulation attempts. Here we report a serendipitous finding that intense light not only enhances courtship toward female targets but also triggers unexpected courtship behaviours among male flies. Strikingly, in wild-type male-only chambers, we observed extreme behavioural manifestations, such as 'chaining' and 'wheeling', resembling previously reported male-male courtship behaviours in fruitless mutants and in transformants with ectopic mini-white+ overexpression. This male-male courtship was greatly diminished in a variety of visual system mutants, including disrupted phototransduction (norpA), eliminated eye-colour screening pigments (white), or deletion of the R7 photoreceptor cells (sevenless). However, light-induced courtship was unhampered in wing-cut flies, despite their inability to produce courtship song, a major acoustic signal during courtship. Unexpectedly the olfactory mutants orco and sbl displayed unrestrained male-male courtship. Particularly, orco males attained maximum courtship scores under either dim or intense light conditions. Together, our observations support the notion that the innate male courtship behaviour is restrained by olfactory cues under normal conditions but can be unleashed by strong visual stimulation in Drosophila.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Ueda
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Abigayle Berg
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Tashmit Khan
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | | | - Shuwen Li
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Ellyn Cramer
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Atulya Iyengar
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Chun-Fang Wu
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bonheur M, Swartz KJ, Metcalf MG, Wen X, Zhukovskaya A, Mehta A, Connors KE, Barasch JG, Jamieson AR, Martin KC, Axel R, Hattori D. A rapid and bidirectional reporter of neural activity reveals neural correlates of social behaviors in Drosophila. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1295-1307. [PMID: 37308660 PMCID: PMC10866131 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01357-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Neural activity is modulated over different timescales encompassing subseconds to hours, reflecting changes in external environment, internal state and behavior. Using Drosophila as a model, we developed a rapid and bidirectional reporter that provides a cellular readout of recent neural activity. This reporter uses nuclear versus cytoplasmic distribution of CREB-regulated transcriptional co-activator (CRTC). Subcellular distribution of GFP-tagged CRTC (CRTC::GFP) bidirectionally changes on the order of minutes and reflects both increases and decreases in neural activity. We established an automated machine-learning-based routine for efficient quantification of reporter signal. Using this reporter, we demonstrate mating-evoked activation and inactivation of modulatory neurons. We further investigated the functional role of the master courtship regulator gene fruitless (fru) and show that fru is necessary to ensure activation of male arousal neurons by female cues. Together, our results establish CRTC::GFP as a bidirectional reporter of recent neural activity suitable for examining neural correlates in behavioral contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moise Bonheur
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kurtis J Swartz
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa G Metcalf
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xinke Wen
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Anna Zhukovskaya
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Avirut Mehta
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kristin E Connors
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Julia G Barasch
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew R Jamieson
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kelsey C Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard Axel
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daisuke Hattori
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zhuang L, Li C, Peng F, Xue E, Li W, Sun X, Chen P, Zhou Q, Xue L. Depletion of ESCRT ameliorates APP-induced AD-like symptoms in Drosophila. J Cell Physiol 2023. [PMID: 37183375 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, produced from amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β and γ-secretases, has been implicated in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the precise intracellular trafficking pathway of APP and its subcellular locations to produce Aβ have remained unclear. To address these issues, we established fly AD models that recapitulated multiple AD-like symptoms by expressing human APP in the Drosophila nerve system. The ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport) machinery regulates the sorting and trafficking of endocytosed proteins, yet its role in AD pathogenesis has not been explored in vivo. We found that knockdown of distinct ESCRT components ameliorated APP-induced morphological and behavioral defects, including impaired wing expansion, eye degeneration, dopamine neuron loss, locomotor disability, lifespan shortening, and cognitive deficits. Mechanistically, we showed that impaired ESCRT impeded APP's intracellular transportation from early endosomes to late endosomes, resulting in reduced Aβ production and amyloid deposit load. These data suggest that APP undergoes ESCRT-mediated endocytic trafficking, and Aβ is generated mainly in late endosomes. Our data provide the first in vivo evidence to support a physiological role of ESCRT in AD pathogenesis, suggesting that interfering with ESCRT machinery might be an alternative therapeutic strategy for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luming Zhuang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenglin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Peng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Elleen Xue
- Mathey College, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wenzhe Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Xue
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Diseases Research, School of Life Science and Technology, The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Guangdong, Zhuhai, China
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Shen P, Wan X, Wu F, Shi K, Li J, Gao H, Zhao L, Zhou C. Neural circuit mechanisms linking courtship and reward in Drosophila males. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2034-2050.e8. [PMID: 37160122 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Courtship has evolved to achieve reproductive success in animal species. However, whether courtship itself has a positive value remains unclear. In the present work, we report that courtship is innately rewarding and can induce the expression of appetitive short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) in Drosophila melanogaster males. Activation of male-specific P1 neurons is sufficient to mimic courtship-induced preference and memory performance. Surprisingly, P1 neurons functionally connect to a large proportion of dopaminergic neurons (DANs) in the protocerebral anterior medial (PAM) cluster. The acquisition of STM and LTM depends on two distinct subsets of PAM DANs that convey the courtship-reward signal to the restricted regions of the mushroom body (MB) γ and α/β lobes through two dopamine receptors, D1-like Dop1R1 and D2-like Dop2R. Furthermore, the retrieval of STM stored in the MB α'/β' lobes and LTM stored in the MB α/β lobe relies on two distinct MB output neurons. Finally, LTM consolidation requires two subsets of PAM DANs projecting to the MB α/β lobe and corresponding MB output neurons. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that courtship is a potent rewarding stimulus and reveal the underlying neural circuit mechanisms linking courtship and reward in Drosophila males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xiaolu Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Hongjiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lilin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yang YT, Hu SW, Li X, Sun Y, He P, Kohlmeier KA, Zhu Y. Sex peptide regulates female receptivity through serotoninergic neurons in Drosophila. iScience 2023; 26:106123. [PMID: 36876123 PMCID: PMC9976462 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The courtship ritual is a dynamic interplay between males and females. Courtship successfully leading to copulation is determined by the intention of both parties which is conveyed by complex action sequences. In Drosophila, the neural mechanisms controlling the female's willingness to mate, or sexual receptivity, have only recently become the focus of investigations. Here, we report that pre-mating sexual receptivity in females requires activity within a subset of serotonergic projection neurons (SPNs), which positively regulate courtship success. Of interest, a male-derived sex peptide, SP, which was transferred to females during copulation acted to inhibit the activity of SPN and suppressed receptivity. Downstream of 5-HT, subsets of 5-HT7 receptor neurons played critical roles in SP-induced suppression of sexual receptivity. Together, our study reveals a complex serotonin signaling system in the central brain of Drosophila which manages the female's desire to mate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kristi Anne Kohlmeier
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China.,Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100190, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ebrahim SA, Dweck HK, Weiss BL, Carlson JR. A volatile sex attractant of tsetse flies. Science 2023; 379:eade1877. [PMID: 36795837 PMCID: PMC10204727 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade1877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Tsetse flies transmit trypanosomes-parasites that cause devastating diseases in humans and livestock-across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Chemical communication through volatile pheromones is common among insects; however, it remains unknown if and how such chemical communication occurs in tsetse flies. We identified methyl palmitoleate (MPO), methyl oleate, and methyl palmitate as compounds that are produced by the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans and elicit strong behavioral responses. MPO evoked a behavioral response in male-but not virgin female-G. morsitans. G. morsitans males mounted females of another species, Glossina fuscipes, when they were treated with MPO. We further identified a subpopulation of olfactory neurons in G. morsitans that increase their firing rate in response to MPO and showed that infecting flies with African trypanosomes alters the flies' chemical profile and mating behavior. The identification of volatile attractants in tsetse flies may be useful for reducing disease spread.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shimaa A.M. Ebrahim
- Dept. of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hany K.M. Dweck
- Dept. of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Brian L. Weiss
- Dept. of Epidemiology of Microbial Disease, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - John R. Carlson
- Dept. of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mabuchi Y, Cui X, Xie L, Kim H, Jiang T, Yapici N. GABA-mediated inhibition in visual feedback neurons fine-tunes Drosophila male courtship. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.25.525544. [PMID: 36747836 PMCID: PMC9900824 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.25.525544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Vision is critical for the regulation of mating behaviors in many species. Here, we discovered that the Drosophila ortholog of human GABA A -receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) is required to fine-tune male courtship by modulating the activity of visual feedback neurons, lamina tangential cells (Lat). GABARAP is a ubiquitin-like protein that regulates cell-surface levels of GABA A receptors. Knocking down GABARAP or GABA A receptors in Lat neurons or hyperactivating them induces male courtship toward other males. Inhibiting Lat neurons, on the other hand, delays copulation by impairing the ability of males to follow females. Remarkably, the human ortholog of Drosophila GABARAP restores function in Lat neurons. Using in vivo two-photon imaging and optogenetics, we show that Lat neurons are functionally connected to neural circuits that mediate visually-guided courtship pursuits in males. Our work reveals a novel physiological role for GABARAP in fine-tuning the activity of a visual circuit that tracks a mating partner during courtship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Mabuchi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Xinyue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Lily Xie
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Tianxing Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Koza Z, Ayajuddin M, Das A, Chaurasia R, Phom L, Yenisetti SC. Sexual dysfunction precedes motor defects, dopaminergic neuronal degeneration, and impaired dopamine metabolism: Insights from Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1143793. [PMID: 37025374 PMCID: PMC10072259 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1143793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction (SD) is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and remains the most neglected, under-reported, and under-recognized aspect of PD. Studies have shown that Dopamine (DA) in the hypothalamus plays a role in regulating sexual behavior. But the detailed mechanism of SD in PD is not known. Drosophila melanogaster shares several genes and signaling pathways with humans which makes it an ideal model for the study of a neurodegenerative disorder such as PD. Courtship behavior of Drosophila is one such behavior that is closely related to human sexual behavior and so plays an important role in understanding sexual behavior in diseased conditions as well. In the present study, a sporadic SD model of PD using Drosophila was developed and SD phenotype was observed based on abnormalities in courtship behavior markers. The Drosophila SD model was developed in such a way that at the window of neurotoxin paraquat (PQ) treatment [PQ is considered a crucial risk factor for PD due to its structural similarity with 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+), the active form of PD-inducing agent, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)], it does not exhibit mobility defects but shows SD. The whole brain tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining showed no observable dopaminergic (DAergic) degeneration (number of DA neurons and fluorescence intensity of fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies that target anti-TH primary antibody) of the SD model. Similarly, there was no significant depletion of brain DA and its metabolite levels (HVA and DOPAC) as determined using HPLC-ECD (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography using Electrochemical Detector). The present study illustrates that the traits associated with courtship and sexual activity provide sensitive markers at the earlier stage of PD onset. This PQ-induced SD fly model throws an opportunity to decipher the molecular basis of SD under PD conditions and to screen nutraceuticals/potential therapeutic molecules to rescue SD phenotype and further to DAergic neuroprotection.
Collapse
|
24
|
Chen Y, Zhang Y, Yang L, Chen W, Jiang Z, Xiao Z, Xie X, Zhong G, Yi X. Group housing enhances mating and increases the sensitization of chemical cues in Bactrocera dorsalis. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:391-401. [PMID: 36177942 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Changes in population density have profound impacts on mating behaviors in group-living animals. The plasticity of mating behavior enables insects to respond to social signals and adjust mating frequency in accordance with rival competition and reproductive opportunity. RESULTS In this study, we found that low levels of cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA), a Drosophila pheromone, increased mating rates of Bactrocera dorsalis, but high concentrations of cVA inhibited mating, indicating a functional role of cVA in regulating mating behaviors in insect species other than Drosophila. Moreover, we demonstrated that group housing conditions had positive effects for B. dorsalis on their mating rates, responses toward cVA and cVA-mediated mating behaviors, which are dependent on the activity of c-AMP reponse element binding protein (CREB) binding protein (CBP). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that CBP-mediated plasticity in mating behavior and chemical recognition enables insects to adapt to different housing conditions and highlight the potential of cVA as an efficient agent in regulating mating behaviors in insect species other than Drosophila. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenlong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziwei Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Shaoxing University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guohua Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Yi
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wechsler SP, Bhandawat V. Behavioral algorithms and neural mechanisms underlying odor-modulated locomotion in insects. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb200261. [PMID: 36637433 PMCID: PMC10086387 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Odors released from mates and resources such as a host and food are often the first sensory signals that an animal can detect. Changes in locomotion in response to odors are an important mechanism by which animals access resources important to their survival. Odor-modulated changes in locomotion in insects constitute a whole suite of flexible behaviors that allow insects to close in on these resources from long distances and perform local searches to locate and subsequently assess them. Here, we review changes in odor-mediated locomotion across many insect species. We emphasize that changes in locomotion induced by odors are diverse. In particular, the olfactory stimulus is sporadic at long distances and becomes more continuous at short distances. This distance-dependent change in temporal profile produces a corresponding change in an insect's locomotory strategy. We also discuss the neural circuits underlying odor modulation of locomotion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel P. Wechsler
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Sciences and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Vikas Bhandawat
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Sciences and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Karigo T, Deutsch D. Flexibility of neural circuits regulating mating behaviors in mice and flies. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:949781. [PMID: 36426135 PMCID: PMC9679785 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.949781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating is essential for the reproduction of animal species. As mating behaviors are high-risk and energy-consuming processes, it is critical for animals to make adaptive mating decisions. This includes not only finding a suitable mate, but also adapting mating behaviors to the animal's needs and environmental conditions. Internal needs include physical states (e.g., hunger) and emotional states (e.g., fear), while external conditions include both social cues (e.g., the existence of predators or rivals) and non-social factors (e.g., food availability). With recent advances in behavioral neuroscience, we are now beginning to understand the neural basis of mating behaviors, particularly in genetic model organisms such as mice and flies. However, how internal and external factors are integrated by the nervous system to enable adaptive mating-related decision-making in a state- and context-dependent manner is less well understood. In this article, we review recent knowledge regarding the neural basis of flexible mating behaviors from studies of flies and mice. By contrasting the knowledge derived from these two evolutionarily distant model organisms, we discuss potential conserved and divergent neural mechanisms involved in the control of flexible mating behaviors in invertebrate and vertebrate brains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Karigo
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Tomomi Karigo,
| | - David Deutsch
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel,David Deutsch,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Koch RE, Dowling DK. Effects of mitochondrial haplotype on pre-copulatory mating success in male fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1396-1402. [PMID: 35988150 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
While mitochondria have long been understood to be critical to cellular function, questions remain as to how genetic variation within mitochondria may underlie variation in general metrics of organismal function. To date, studies investigating links between mitochondrial genotype and phenotype have largely focused on differences in expression of genes and physiological and life-history traits across haplotypes. Mating display behaviours may also be sensitive to mitochondrial functionality and so may also be affected by sequence variation in mitochondrial DNA, with consequences for sexual selection and fitness. Here, we tested whether the pre-copulatory mating success of male fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) varies across six different mitochondrial haplotypes expressed alongside a common nuclear genetic background. We found a significant effect of mitochondrial haplotype on our measure of competitive mating success, driven largely by the relatively poor performance of males with one particular haplotype. This haplotype, termed 'Brownsville', has previously been shown to have complex and sex-specific effects, most notably including depressed fertility in males but not females. Our study extends this disproportionate effect on male reproductive success to pre-copulatory aspects of reproduction. Our results demonstrate that mutations in mitochondrial DNA can plausibly affect pre-copulatory mating success, with implications for future study into the subcellular underpinnings of such behaviours and the information they may communicate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Koch
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Biological Science, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Damian K Dowling
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Boehm AC, Friedrich AB, Hunt S, Bandow P, Siju KP, De Backer JF, Claussen J, Link MH, Hofmann TF, Dawid C, Grunwald Kadow IC. A dopamine-gated learning circuit underpins reproductive state-dependent odor preference in Drosophila females. eLife 2022; 11:e77643. [PMID: 36129174 PMCID: PMC9536836 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Motherhood induces a drastic, sometimes long-lasting, change in internal state and behavior in many female animals. How a change in reproductive state or the discrete event of mating modulates specific female behaviors is still incompletely understood. Using calcium imaging of the whole brain of Drosophila females, we find that mating does not induce a global change in brain activity. Instead, mating modulates the pheromone response of dopaminergic neurons innervating the fly's learning and memory center, the mushroom body (MB). Using the mating-induced increased attraction to the odor of important nutrients, polyamines, we show that disruption of the female fly's ability to smell, for instance the pheromone cVA, during mating leads to a reduction in polyamine preference for days later indicating that the odor environment at mating lastingly influences female perception and choice behavior. Moreover, dopaminergic neurons including innervation of the β'1 compartment are sufficient to induce the lasting behavioral increase in polyamine preference. We further show that MB output neurons (MBON) of the β'1 compartment are activated by pheromone odor and their activity during mating bidirectionally modulates preference behavior in mated and virgin females. Their activity is not required, however, for the expression of polyamine attraction. Instead, inhibition of another type of MBON innervating the β'2 compartment enables expression of high odor attraction. In addition, the response of a lateral horn (LH) neuron, AD1b2, which output is required for the expression of polyamine attraction, shows a modulated polyamine response after mating. Taken together, our data in the fly suggests that mating-related sensory experience regulates female odor perception and expression of choice behavior through a dopamine-gated learning circuit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariane C Boehm
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilian UniversityMartinsriedGermany
| | - Anja B Friedrich
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Sydney Hunt
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Paul Bandow
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilian UniversityMartinsriedGermany
- ZIEL – Institute for Food and Health, Technical University Munich, School of Life SciencesFreisingGermany
| | - KP Siju
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Jean Francois De Backer
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Julia Claussen
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Marie Helen Link
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
| | - Thomas F Hofmann
- ZIEL – Institute for Food and Health, Technical University Munich, School of Life SciencesFreisingGermany
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory ScienceFreisingGermany
| | - Corinna Dawid
- ZIEL – Institute for Food and Health, Technical University Munich, School of Life SciencesFreisingGermany
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory ScienceFreisingGermany
| | - Ilona C Grunwald Kadow
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Neuronal Control of MetabolismFreisingGermany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilian UniversityMartinsriedGermany
- ZIEL – Institute for Food and Health, Technical University Munich, School of Life SciencesFreisingGermany
- University of Bonn, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Physiology IIBonnGermany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
The doublesex gene regulates dimorphic sexual and aggressive behaviors in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201513119. [PMID: 36067320 PMCID: PMC9477402 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201513119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most animal species display dimorphic sexual behaviors and male-biased aggressiveness. Current models have focused on the male-specific product from the fruitless (fruM) gene, which controls male courtship and male-specific aggression patterns in fruit flies, and describe a male-specific mechanism underlying sexually dimorphic behaviors. Here we show that the doublesex (dsx) gene, which expresses male-specific DsxM and female-specific DsxF transcription factors, functions in the nervous system to control both male and female sexual and aggressive behaviors. We find that Dsx is not only required in central brain neurons for male and female sexual behaviors, but also functions in approximately eight pairs of male-specific neurons to promote male aggressiveness and approximately two pairs of female-specific neurons to inhibit female aggressiveness. DsxF knockdown females fight more frequently, even with males. Our findings reveal crucial roles of dsx, which is broadly conserved from worms to humans, in a small number of neurons in both sexes to establish dimorphic sexual and aggressive behaviors.
Collapse
|
30
|
Tantiwisawaruji S, Rocha MJ, Silva A, Pardal MA, Kovitvadhi U, Rocha E. A Stereological Study of the Three Types of Ganglia of Male, Female, and Undifferentiated Scrobicularia plana (Bivalvia). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12172248. [PMID: 36077968 PMCID: PMC9454602 DOI: 10.3390/ani12172248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitters modulate gonadal maturation in bivalves. However, it remains unclear whether there are differences in the nervous system structure between sexes, maturation, and ganglia. Therefore, a stereological study was conducted on the ganglia of adult peppery furrow shell (Scrobicularia plana). Equal-sized males, females, and undifferentiated (gamete absence) animals were fixed with 10% formalin and processed for light microscopy. They were serially cut into 35 µm paraffin thick sections and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Sections with cerebral (cerebropleural), pedal, and visceral ganglia were studied. The parameters estimated were the volumes of the ganglia, the total and relative volumes of their cortex (outer layer) and medulla (neuropil), and the total number of cells (neurons, glia, and pigmented) per ganglia and compartment. The volumes and numbers were estimated, respectively, by the Cavalieri principle and by the optical fractionator. Females show a larger glia to neuron numerical ratio. Further, females have a greater ganglionic volume than undifferentiated adults, with males showing intermediate values. These facts indicate that the ganglia size is related somehow to maturation. The cell size forms the basis of the differences because total cellularity is equal among the groups. The three ganglion types differ in total volumes and the volume ratio of the cortex versus the medulla. The greater volumes of the pedal ganglia (vis-a-vis the cerebral ones) and of the visceral ganglia (in relation to all others) imply more voluminous cortexes and medullae, but more neuronal and non-neuronal cells only in the visceral. The new fundamental data can help interpret bivalve neurophysiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sukanlaya Tantiwisawaruji
- Learning Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Maria J. Rocha
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Ana Silva
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel A. Pardal
- Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Uthaiwan Kovitvadhi
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University (KU), Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Eduardo Rocha
- Learning Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto (U.Porto), 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Ma B, Wang R, Liu Y, Deng B, Wang T, Wu F, Zhou C. Serotonin Signaling Modulates Sexual Receptivity of Virgin Female Drosophila. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:1277-1291. [PMID: 35788510 PMCID: PMC9672162 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00908-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The choice of females to accept or reject male courtship is a critical decision for animal reproduction. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been found to regulate sexual behavior in many species, but it is unclear how 5-HT and its receptors function to regulate different aspects of sexual behavior. Here we used Drosophila melanogaster as the model animal to investigate how 5-HT and its receptors modulate female sexual receptivity. We found that knockout of tryptophan hydroxylase (Trh), which is involved in the biosynthesis of 5-HT, severely reduced virgin female receptivity without affecting post-mating behaviors. We identified a subset of sexually dimorphic Trh neurons that co-expressed fruitless (fru), in which the activity was correlated with sexual receptivity in females. We also found that 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors regulate virgin female receptivity. Our findings demonstrate how 5-HT functions in sexually dimorphic neurons to promote virgin female receptivity through two of its receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Rencong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yaohua Liu
- Department of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, 30801, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Zhongguancun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Tao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Neural Control of Action Selection Among Innate Behaviors. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:1541-1558. [PMID: 35633465 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00886-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous systems must not only generate specific adaptive behaviors, such as reproduction, aggression, feeding, and sleep, but also select a single behavior for execution at any given time, depending on both internal states and external environmental conditions. Despite their tremendous biological importance, the neural mechanisms of action selection remain poorly understood. In the past decade, studies in the model animal Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated valuable neural mechanisms underlying action selection of innate behaviors. In this review, we summarize circuit mechanisms with a particular focus on a small number of sexually dimorphic neurons in controlling action selection among sex, fight, feeding, and sleep behaviors in both sexes of flies. We also discuss potentially conserved circuit configurations and neuromodulation of action selection in both the fly and mouse models, aiming to provide insights into action selection and the sexually dimorphic prioritization of innate behaviors.
Collapse
|
33
|
Wang T, Jing B, Deng B, Shi K, Li J, Ma B, Wu F, Zhou C. Drosulfakinin signaling modulates female sexual receptivity in Drosophila. eLife 2022; 11:76025. [PMID: 35475782 PMCID: PMC9045819 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Female sexual behavior as an innate behavior is of prominent biological importance for survival and reproduction. However, molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying female sexual behavior is not well understood. Here, we identify the Cholecystokinin-like peptide Drosulfakinin (DSK) to promote female sexual behavior in Drosophila. Loss of DSK function reduces female receptivity while overexpressing DSK enhances female receptivity. We identify two pairs of Dsk-expressing neurons in the central brain to promote female receptivity. We find that the DSK peptide acts through one of its receptors, CCKLR-17D3, to modulate female receptivity. Manipulation of CCKLR-17D3 and its expressing neurons alters female receptivity. We further reveal that the two pairs of Dsk-expressing neurons receive input signal from pC1 neurons that integrate sex-related cues and mating status. These results demonstrate how a neuropeptide pathway interacts with a central neural node in the female sex circuitry to modulate sexual receptivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Biyang Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Zhongguangcun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
This selective review explores biologically inspired learning as a model for intelligent robot control and sensing technology on the basis of specific examples. Hebbian synaptic learning is discussed as a functionally relevant model for machine learning and intelligence, as explained on the basis of examples from the highly plastic biological neural networks of invertebrates and vertebrates. Its potential for adaptive learning and control without supervision, the generation of functional complexity, and control architectures based on self-organization is brought forward. Learning without prior knowledge based on excitatory and inhibitory neural mechanisms accounts for the process through which survival-relevant or task-relevant representations are either reinforced or suppressed. The basic mechanisms of unsupervised biological learning drive synaptic plasticity and adaptation for behavioral success in living brains with different levels of complexity. The insights collected here point toward the Hebbian model as a choice solution for “intelligent” robotics and sensor systems.
Collapse
|
35
|
Lin HH, Kuang MC, Hossain I, Xuan Y, Beebe L, Shepherd AK, Rolandi M, Wang JW. A nutrient-specific gut hormone arbitrates between courtship and feeding. Nature 2022; 602:632-638. [PMID: 35140404 PMCID: PMC9271372 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04408-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Animals must set behavioural priority in a context-dependent manner and switch from one behaviour to another at the appropriate moment1-3. Here we probe the molecular and neuronal mechanisms that orchestrate the transition from feeding to courtship in Drosophila melanogaster. We find that feeding is prioritized over courtship in starved males, and the consumption of protein-rich food rapidly reverses this order within a few minutes. At the molecular level, a gut-derived, nutrient-specific neuropeptide hormone-Diuretic hormone 31 (Dh31)-propels a switch from feeding to courtship. We further address the underlying kinetics with calcium imaging experiments. Amino acids from food acutely activate Dh31+ enteroendocrine cells in the gut, increasing Dh31 levels in the circulation. In addition, three-photon functional imaging of intact flies shows that optogenetic stimulation of Dh31+ enteroendocrine cells rapidly excites a subset of brain neurons that express Dh31 receptor (Dh31R). Gut-derived Dh31 excites the brain neurons through the circulatory system within a few minutes, in line with the speed of the feeding-courtship behavioural switch. At the circuit level, there are two distinct populations of Dh31R+ neurons in the brain, with one population inhibiting feeding through allatostatin-C and the other promoting courtship through corazonin. Together, our findings illustrate a mechanism by which the consumption of protein-rich food triggers the release of a gut hormone, which in turn prioritizes courtship over feeding through two parallel pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Hao Lin
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Meihua Christina Kuang
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Imran Hossain
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Yinan Xuan
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Laura Beebe
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew K Shepherd
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marco Rolandi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jing W Wang
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Aragon MJ, Mok AT, Shea J, Wang M, Kim H, Barkdull N, Xu C, Yapici N. Multiphoton imaging of neural structure and activity in Drosophila through the intact cuticle. eLife 2022; 11:e69094. [PMID: 35073257 PMCID: PMC8846588 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a multiphoton imaging method to capture neural structure and activity in behaving flies through the intact cuticle. Our measurements showed that the fly head cuticle has surprisingly high transmission at wavelengths >900nm, and the difficulty of through-cuticle imaging is due to the air sacs and/or fat tissue underneath the head cuticle. By compressing or removing the air sacs, we performed multiphoton imaging of the fly brain through the intact cuticle. Our anatomical and functional imaging results show that 2- and 3-photon imaging are comparable in superficial regions such as the mushroom body, but 3-photon imaging is superior in deeper regions such as the central complex and beyond. We further demonstrated 2-photon through-cuticle functional imaging of odor-evoked calcium responses from the mushroom body γ-lobes in behaving flies short term and long term. The through-cuticle imaging method developed here extends the time limits of in vivo imaging in flies and opens new ways to capture neural structure and activity from the fly brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Max Jameson Aragon
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Aaron T Mok
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Jamien Shea
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Mengran Wang
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Nathan Barkdull
- Department of Physics, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Chris Xu
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
NÓBREGA RAFAELLAL, MAIA ARTURC, LIMA CARLAHELENAMDE, FELIX KAROLINAELLENS, SOUZA THAMYRYSBDE, PONTES WENDELJOSÉT. Behavioral traits and sexual recognition: multiple signaling in the reproductive behavior of Cyclocephala distincta (Melolonthidae, Cyclocephalini). AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20200694. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220200694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
|
38
|
Belkina EG, Lazebny OE, Gornostaev NG, Mikhailov V, Danilenkova LV, Besedina NG, Bragina JV, Kamyshev NG, Sokolov VV, Kravchuk OI. Influence of the quick-to-court gene deletion on courtship behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. J Genet 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-021-01284-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
39
|
Large-scale characterization of sex pheromone communication systems in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4165. [PMID: 34230464 PMCID: PMC8260797 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24395-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects use sex pheromones as a reproductive isolating mechanism to attract conspecifics and repel heterospecifics. Despite the profound knowledge of sex pheromones, little is known about the coevolutionary mechanisms and constraints on their production and detection. Using whole-genome sequences to infer the kinship among 99 drosophilids, we investigate how phylogenetic and chemical traits have interacted at a wide evolutionary timescale. Through a series of chemical syntheses and electrophysiological recordings, we identify 52 sex-specific compounds, many of which are detected via olfaction. Behavioral analyses reveal that many of the 43 male-specific compounds are transferred to the female during copulation and mediate female receptivity and/or male courtship inhibition. Measurement of phylogenetic signals demonstrates that sex pheromones and their cognate olfactory channels evolve rapidly and independently over evolutionary time to guarantee efficient intra- and inter-specific communication systems. Our results show how sexual isolation barriers between species can be reinforced by species-specific olfactory signals. Despite the profound knowledge of sex pheromones, little is known about the coevolutionary mechanisms and constraints on their production and detection. Whole-genome sequences from 99 drosophilids, with chemical and behavioural data, show that sex pheromones and their cognate olfactory channels evolve rapidly and independently.
Collapse
|
40
|
Westerman EL, Bowman SEJ, Davidson B, Davis MC, Larson ER, Sanford CPJ. Deploying Big Data to Crack the Genotype to Phenotype Code. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 60:385-396. [PMID: 32492136 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanistically connecting genotypes to phenotypes is a longstanding and central mission of biology. Deciphering these connections will unite questions and datasets across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Although high-throughput sequencing has provided a rich platform on which to launch this effort, tools for deciphering mechanisms further along the genome to phenome pipeline remain limited. Machine learning approaches and other emerging computational tools hold the promise of augmenting human efforts to overcome these obstacles. This vision paper is the result of a Reintegrating Biology Workshop, bringing together the perspectives of integrative and comparative biologists to survey challenges and opportunities in cracking the genotype to phenotype code and thereby generating predictive frameworks across biological scales. Key recommendations include promoting the development of minimum "best practices" for the experimental design and collection of data; fostering sustained and long-term data repositories; promoting programs that recruit, train, and retain a diversity of talent; and providing funding to effectively support these highly cross-disciplinary efforts. We follow this discussion by highlighting a few specific transformative research opportunities that will be advanced by these efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Sarah E J Bowman
- High-Throughput Crystallization Screening Center, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Bradley Davidson
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Marcus C Davis
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Eric R Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christopher P J Sanford
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A. Molecular and neural mechanisms regulating sexual motivation of virgin female Drosophila. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4805-4819. [PMID: 33837450 PMCID: PMC11071752 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03820-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
During courtship, multiple information sources are integrated in the brain to reach a final decision, i.e., whether or not to mate. The brain functions for this complex behavior can be investigated by genetically manipulating genes and neurons, and performing anatomical, physiological, and behavioral analyses. Drosophila is a powerful model experimental system for such studies, which need to be integrated from molecular and cellular levels to the behavioral level, and has enabled pioneering research to be conducted. In male flies, which exhibit a variety of characteristic sexual behaviors, we have accumulated knowledge of many genes and neural circuits that control sexual behaviors. On the other hand, despite the importance of the mechanisms of mating decision-making in females from an evolutionary perspective (such as sexual selection), research on the mechanisms that control sexual behavior in females has progressed somewhat slower. In this review, we focus on the pre-mating behavior of female Drosophila melanogaster, and introduce previous key findings on the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that integrate sensory information and selective expression of behaviors toward the courting male.
Collapse
Grants
- JP20H03355 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- JP20H04997 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 19H04933 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 17K19450 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 15K07147 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 18K06332 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Naito Foundation
- Inamori Foundation
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ishimoto
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Clemens J, Ronacher B, Reichert MS. Sex-specific speed-accuracy trade-offs shape neural processing of acoustic signals in a grasshopper. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210005. [PMID: 33593184 PMCID: PMC7935134 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Speed-accuracy trade-offs-being fast at the risk of being wrong-are fundamental to many decisions and natural selection is expected to resolve these trade-offs according to the costs and benefits of behaviour. We here test the prediction that females and males should integrate information from courtship signals differently because they experience different pay-offs along the speed-accuracy continuum. We fitted a neural model of decision making (a drift-diffusion model of integration to threshold) to behavioural data from the grasshopper Chorthippus biguttulus to determine the parameters of temporal integration of acoustic directional information used by male grasshoppers to locate receptive females. The model revealed that males had a low threshold for initiating a turning response, yet a large integration time constant enabled them to continue to gather information when cues were weak. This contrasts with parameters estimated for females of the same species when evaluating potential mates, in which response thresholds were much higher and behaviour was strongly influenced by unattractive stimuli. Our results reveal differences in neural integration consistent with the sex-specific costs of mate search: males often face competition and need to be fast, while females often pay high error costs and need to be deliberate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Clemens
- European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen – A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max-Planck Society, Grisebachstrasse 5, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Bernhard Ronacher
- Behavioral Physiology Group, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael S. Reichert
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Chen J, Jin S, Chen D, Cao J, Ji X, Peng Q, Pan Y. fruitless tunes functional flexibility of courtship circuitry during development. eLife 2021; 10:59224. [PMID: 33463521 PMCID: PMC7861613 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila male courtship is controlled by the male-specific products of the fruitless (fruM) gene and its expressing neuronal circuitry. fruM is considered a master gene that controls all aspects of male courtship. By temporally and spatially manipulating fruM expression, we found that fruM is required during a critical developmental period for innate courtship toward females, while its function during adulthood is involved in inhibiting male–male courtship. By altering or eliminating fruM expression, we generated males that are innately heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or without innate courtship but could acquire such behavior in an experience-dependent manner. These findings show that fruM is not absolutely necessary for courtship but is critical during development to build a sex circuitry with reduced flexibility and enhanced efficiency, and provide a new view about how fruM tunes functional flexibility of a sex circuitry instead of switching on its function as conventionally viewed. Innate behaviors are behaviors that do not need to be learned. They include activities such as nest building in birds and web spinning in spiders. Another behavior that has been extensively studied, and which is generally considered to be innate, is courtship in fruit flies. Male fruit flies serenade potential mates by vibrating their wings to create a complex melody. This behavior is under the control of a gene called ‘fruitless’, which gives rise to several distinct proteins, including one that is unique to males. For many years, this protein – called FruM – was thought to be the master switch that activates courtship behavior. But recent findings have challenged this idea. They show that although male flies that lack FruM fail to show courtship behaviors if raised in isolation, they can still learn them if raised in groups. This suggests that the role of FruM is more complex than previously thought. To determine how FruM controls courtship behavior, Chen et al. have used genetic tools to manipulate FruM activity in male flies at different stages of the life cycle and distinct cells of the nervous system. The results revealed that FruM must be present during a critical period of development – but not adulthood – for male flies to court females. However, FruM strongly influences the type of courtship behavior the male flies display. The amount and location of FruM determines whether males show heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual courtship behaviors. Adult flies with lower levels of FruM show an increase in homosexual courtship and a decrease in heterosexual courtship. These findings provide a fresh view on how a master gene can generate complex and flexible behaviors. They show that fruitless, and the FruM protein it encodes, work distinctly at different life cycles to modify the type of courtship behavior shown by male flies, rather than simply switching courtship behavior on and off. Exactly how FruM acts within the fruit fly brain to achieve these complex effects requires further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sihui Jin
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dandan Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Cao
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Ji
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qionglin Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Zhang Y, Ng R, Neville MC, Goodwin SF, Su CY. Distinct Roles and Synergistic Function of Fru M Isoforms in Drosophila Olfactory Receptor Neurons. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108516. [PMID: 33326795 PMCID: PMC7845487 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in Drosophila courtship circuits requires the male-specific transcription factor fruM, which is alternatively spliced to encode the FruMA, FruMB, and FruMC isoforms. Most fruM-positive neurons express multiple variants; however, the functional significance of their co-expression remains undetermined. Do co-expressed isoforms each play unique roles to jointly regulate dimorphism? By focusing on fruM-positive olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), here, we show that FruMB and FruMC are both required for males' age-dependent sensitization to aphrodisiac olfactory cues in a cell-autonomous manner. Interestingly, FruMB expression is upregulated with age in Or47b and Ir84a ORNs, and its overexpression mimics the effect of age in elevating olfactory responses. Mechanistically, FruMB and FruMC synergistically mediate response sensitization through cooperation of their respective downstream effectors, namely, PPK25 and PPK23, which are both required for forming a functional amplification channel in ORNs. Together, these results provide critical mechanistic insight into how co-expressed FruM isoforms jointly coordinate dimorphic neurophysiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhang
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Renny Ng
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Megan C Neville
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Stephen F Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Chih-Ying Su
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Bidaye SS, Laturney M, Chang AK, Liu Y, Bockemühl T, Büschges A, Scott K. Two Brain Pathways Initiate Distinct Forward Walking Programs in Drosophila. Neuron 2020; 108:469-485.e8. [PMID: 32822613 PMCID: PMC9435592 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
An animal at rest or engaged in stationary behaviors can instantaneously initiate goal-directed walking. How descending brain inputs trigger rapid transitions from a non-walking state to an appropriate walking state is unclear. Here, we identify two neuronal types, P9 and BPN, in the Drosophila brain that, upon activation, initiate and maintain two distinct coordinated walking patterns. P9 drives forward walking with ipsilateral turning, receives inputs from central courtship-promoting neurons and visual projection neurons, and is necessary for a male to pursue a female during courtship. In contrast, BPN drives straight, forward walking and is not required during courtship. BPN is instead recruited during and required for fast, straight, forward walking bouts. Thus, this study reveals separate brain pathways for object-directed walking and fast, straight, forward walking, providing insight into how the brain initiates context-appropriate walking programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salil S Bidaye
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Meghan Laturney
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Amy K Chang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yuejiang Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Till Bockemühl
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Ansgar Büschges
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Kristin Scott
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Schretter CE, Aso Y, Robie AA, Dreher M, Dolan MJ, Chen N, Ito M, Yang T, Parekh R, Branson KM, Rubin GM. Cell types and neuronal circuitry underlying female aggression in Drosophila. eLife 2020; 9:58942. [PMID: 33141021 PMCID: PMC7787668 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive social interactions are used to compete for limited resources and are regulated by complex sensory cues and the organism’s internal state. While both sexes exhibit aggression, its neuronal underpinnings are understudied in females. Here, we identify a population of sexually dimorphic aIPg neurons in the adult Drosophila melanogaster central brain whose optogenetic activation increased, and genetic inactivation reduced, female aggression. Analysis of GAL4 lines identified in an unbiased screen for increased female chasing behavior revealed the involvement of another sexually dimorphic neuron, pC1d, and implicated aIPg and pC1d neurons as core nodes regulating female aggression. Connectomic analysis demonstrated that aIPg neurons and pC1d are interconnected and suggest that aIPg neurons may exert part of their effect by gating the flow of visual information to descending neurons. Our work reveals important regulatory components of the neuronal circuitry that underlies female aggressive social interactions and provides tools for their manipulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoshinori Aso
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Alice A Robie
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Marisa Dreher
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Michael-John Dolan
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States.,Current address: Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Nan Chen
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Masayoshi Ito
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Tansy Yang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Ruchi Parekh
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Kristin M Branson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Gerald M Rubin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Ahmed OM, Avila-Herrera A, Tun KM, Serpa PH, Peng J, Parthasarathy S, Knapp JM, Stern DL, Davis GW, Pollard KS, Shah NM. Evolution of Mechanisms that Control Mating in Drosophila Males. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2527-2536.e4. [PMID: 31141679 PMCID: PMC6646047 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically wired neural mechanisms inhibit mating between species
because even naive animals rarely mate with other species. These mechanisms can
evolve through changes in expression or function of key genes in sensory
pathways or central circuits. Gr32a is a gustatory chemoreceptor that, in
D. melanogaster, is essential to inhibit interspecies
courtship and sense quinine. Similar to D. melanogaster, we
find that D. simulans Gr32a is expressed in foreleg tarsi,
sensorimotor appendages that inhibit interspecies courtship, and it is required
to sense quinine. Nevertheless, Gr32a is not required to inhibit interspecies
mating by D. simulans males. However, and similar to its
function in D. melanogaster, Ppk25, a member of the Pickpocket
family, promotes conspecific courtship in D. simulans.
Together, we have identified distinct evolutionary mechanisms underlying
chemosensory control of taste and courtship in closely related
Drosophila species. Mechanisms that inhibit interspecies mating are critical to reproductive
isolation of species. Ahmed et al. show that Gr32a, a chemoreceptor that
inhibits interspecies courtship by D. melanogaster males, does
not inhibit this behavior in the closely related D. simulans,
indicating rapid evolution of peripheral sensory mechanisms that preclude
interspecies breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Osama M Ahmed
- Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Aram Avila-Herrera
- Integrative Program in Quantitative Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Computation Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Khin May Tun
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Paula H Serpa
- Integrative Program in Quantitative Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Justin Peng
- Integrative Program in Quantitative Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Srinivas Parthasarathy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; L.E.K. Consulting, 75 State Street, Boston, MA 02109, USA
| | - Jon-Michael Knapp
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Janelia Research Campus, HHMI Ashburn, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, HHMI Ashburn, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Graeme W Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Katherine S Pollard
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nirao M Shah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Miroschnikow A, Schlegel P, Pankratz MJ. Making Feeding Decisions in the Drosophila Nervous System. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R831-R840. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
49
|
Hudry B, de Goeij E, Mineo A, Gaspar P, Hadjieconomou D, Studd C, Mokochinski JB, Kramer HB, Plaçais PY, Preat T, Miguel-Aliaga I. Sex Differences in Intestinal Carbohydrate Metabolism Promote Food Intake and Sperm Maturation. Cell 2020; 178:901-918.e16. [PMID: 31398343 PMCID: PMC6700282 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Physiology and metabolism are often sexually dimorphic, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we use the intestine of Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how gut-derived signals contribute to sex differences in whole-body physiology. We find that carbohydrate handling is male-biased in a specific portion of the intestine. In contrast to known sexual dimorphisms in invertebrates, the sex differences in intestinal carbohydrate metabolism are extrinsically controlled by the adjacent male gonad, which activates JAK-STAT signaling in enterocytes within this intestinal portion. Sex reversal experiments establish roles for this male-biased intestinal metabolic state in controlling food intake and sperm production through gut-derived citrate. Our work uncovers a male gonad-gut axis coupling diet and sperm production, revealing that metabolic communication across organs is physiologically important. The instructive role of citrate in inter-organ communication might be significant in more biological contexts than previously recognized. Intestinal carbohydrate metabolism is male-biased and region-specific Testes masculinize gut sugar handling by promoting enterocyte JAK-STAT signaling The male intestine secretes citrate to the adjacent testes Gut-derived citrate promotes food intake and sperm maturation
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Hudry
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK; Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, France.
| | - Eva de Goeij
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alessandro Mineo
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Pedro Gaspar
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Dafni Hadjieconomou
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Chris Studd
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Joao B Mokochinski
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Holger B Kramer
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Pierre-Yves Plaçais
- Genes and Dynamics of Memory Systems, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Preat
- Genes and Dynamics of Memory Systems, Brain Plasticity Unit, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Irene Miguel-Aliaga
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Zhao S, Deanhardt B, Barlow GT, Schleske PG, Rossi AM, Volkan PC. Chromatin-based reprogramming of a courtship regulator by concurrent pheromone perception and hormone signaling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba6913. [PMID: 32494751 PMCID: PMC7244261 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba6913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To increase fitness, animals use both internal and external states to coordinate reproductive behaviors. The molecular mechanisms underlying this coordination remain unknown. Here, we focused on pheromone-sensing Drosophila Or47b neurons, which exhibit age- and social experience-dependent increase in pheromone responses and courtship advantage in males. FruitlessM (FruM), a master regulator of male courtship behaviors, drives the effects of social experience and age on Or47b neuron responses and function. We show that simultaneous exposure to social experience and age-specific juvenile hormone (JH) induces chromatin-based reprogramming of fruM expression in Or47b neurons. Group housing and JH signaling increase fruM expression in Or47b neurons and active chromatin marks at fruM promoter. Conversely, social isolation or loss of JH signaling decreases fruM expression and increases repressive marks around fruM promoter. Our results suggest that fruM promoter integrates coincident hormone and pheromone signals driving chromatin-based changes in expression and ultimately neuronal and behavioral plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Songhui Zhao
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Bryson Deanhardt
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | | | - Anthony M. Rossi
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Pelin C. Volkan
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| |
Collapse
|