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Noor Z, Zhao Z, Guo S, Wei Z, Cai B, Qin Y, Ma H, Yu Z, Li J, Zhang Y. A Testis-Specific DMRT1 (Double Sex and Mab-3-Related Transcription Factor 1) Plays a Role in Spermatogenesis and Gonadal Development in the Hermaphrodite Boring Giant Clam Tridacna crocea. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5574. [PMID: 38891762 PMCID: PMC11172331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115574] [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] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The testis-specific double sex and mab-3-related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1) has long been recognized as a crucial player in sex determination across vertebrates, and its essential role in gonadal development and the regulation of spermatogenesis is well established. Here, we report the cloning of the key spermatogenesis-related DMRT1 cDNA, named Tc-DMRT1, from the gonads of Tridacna crocea (T. crocea), with a molecular weight of 41.93 kDa and an isoelectric point of 7.83 (pI). Our hypothesis is that DMRT1 machinery governs spermatogenesis and regulates gonadogenesis. RNAi-mediated Tc-DMRT1 knockdown revealed its critical role in hindering spermatogenesis and reducing expression levels in boring giant clams. A histological analysis showed structural changes, with normal sperm cell counts in the control group (ds-EGFP) but significantly lower concentrations of sperm cells in the experimental group (ds-DMRT1). DMRT1 transcripts during embryogenesis exhibited a significantly high expression pattern (p < 0.05) during the early zygote stage, and whole-embryo in-situ hybridization confirmed its expression pattern throughout embryogenesis. A qRT-PCR analysis of various reproductive stages revealed an abundant expression of Tc-DMRT1 in the gonads during the male reproductive stage. In-situ hybridization showed tissue-specific expression of DMRT1, with a positive signal detected in male-stage gonadal tissues comprising sperm cells, while no signal was detected in other stages. Our study findings provide an initial understanding of the DMRT1 molecular machinery controlling spermatogenesis and its specificity in male-stage gonads of the key bivalve species, Tridacna crocea, and suggest that DMRT1 predominantly functions as a key regulator of spermatogenesis in giant clams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohaib Noor
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Zhen Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
- Animal Science and Technology College, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Shuming Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Zonglu Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
- Animal Science and Technology College, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Borui Cai
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Yanping Qin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Haitao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Ziniu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
| | - Yuehuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; (Z.N.); (Z.Z.); (S.G.); (Z.W.); (B.C.); (Y.Q.); (H.M.); (Z.Y.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519015, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biology Technology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572024, China
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2
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Weng JW, Chen CH. Adult-specific collagen COL-19 is dispensable for contact-mediated mate recognition in Caenorhabditis elegans. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.001141. [PMID: 38454951 PMCID: PMC10918475 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.001141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Mate recognition in C. elegans involves the integration of multiple sensory cues to facilitate the identification of suitable mates for reproductive behaviors. The cuticle, serving as the protective outer layer enveloping the entire body, has been implicated in eliciting contact responses essential for contact-mediated mate recognition in males. However, the specific constituents of cuticular cues have yet to be identified. In this study, we investigate the potential modulatory role of adult-specific collagen COL-19 in contact-mediated mate recognition. Our study shows that the expression of COL-19 ::GFP is adult-specific and not sexually dimorphic. Knockdown of col-19 via RNAi does not affect mate attractiveness of hermaphrodites in male retention assay, as corroborated by generating two independent col-19 putative null mutants via CRISPR/Cas9. These findings suggest that col-19 does not contribute to contact-mediated mate recognition, thereby advancing our mechanistic understanding of the intricate social interactions between sexes in C. elegans .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Wei Weng
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hao Chen
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Li M, Chen DS, Junker IP, Szorenyi F, Chen GH, Berger AJ, Comeault AA, Matute DR, Ding Y. Ancestral neural circuits potentiate the origin of a female sexual behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.05.570174. [PMID: 38106147 PMCID: PMC10723342 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.05.570174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Courtship interactions are remarkably diverse in form and complexity among species. How neural circuits evolve to encode new behaviors that are functionally integrated into these dynamic social interactions is unknown. Here we report a recently originated female sexual behavior in the island endemic Drosophila species D. santomea, where females signal receptivity to male courtship songs by spreading their wings, which in turn promotes prolonged songs in courting males. Copulation success depends on this female signal and correlates with males' ability to adjust his singing in such a social feedback loop. Functional comparison of sexual circuitry across species suggests that a pair of descending neurons, which integrates male song stimuli and female internal state to control a conserved female abdominal behavior, drives wing spreading in D. santomea. This co-option occurred through the refinement of a pre-existing, plastic circuit that can be optogenetically activated in an outgroup species. Combined, our results show that the ancestral potential of a socially-tuned key circuit node to engage the wing motor program facilitates the expression of a new female behavior in appropriate sensory and motivational contexts. More broadly, our work provides insights into the evolution of social behaviors, particularly female behaviors, and the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhao Li
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dawn S Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian P Junker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fabianna Szorenyi
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guan Hao Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arnold J Berger
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aaron A Comeault
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Current address: School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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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.
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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.
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5
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Yamanouchi HM, Tanaka R, Kamikouchi A. Piezo-mediated mechanosensation contributes to stabilizing copulation posture and reproductive success in Drosophila males. iScience 2023; 26:106617. [PMID: 37250311 PMCID: PMC10214400 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106617] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In internal fertilization animals, reproductive success depends on maintaining copulation until gametes are transported from male to female. In Drosophila melanogaster, mechanosensation in males likely contributes to copulation maintenance, but its molecular underpinning remains to be identified. Here we show that the mechanosensory gene piezo and its' expressing neurons are responsible for copulation maintenance. An RNA-seq database search and subsequent mutant analysis revealed the importance of piezo for maintaining male copulation posture. piezo-GAL4-positive signals were found in the sensory neurons of male genitalia bristles, and optogenetic inhibition of piezo-expressing neurons in the posterior side of the male body during copulation destabilized posture and terminated copulation. Our findings suggest that the mechanosensory system of male genitalia through Piezo channels plays a key role in copulation maintenance and indicate that Piezo may increase male fitness during copulation in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryoya Tanaka
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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6
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Saccone G. A history of the genetic and molecular identification of genes and their functions controlling insect sex determination. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 151:103873. [PMID: 36400424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The genetics of the sex determination regulatory cascade in Drosophila melanogaster has a fascinating history, interlinked with the foundation of the Genetics discipline itself. The discovery that alternative splicing rather than differential transcription is the molecular mechanism underlying the upstream control of sex differences in the Drosophila model system was surprising. This notion is now fully integrated into the scientific canon, appearing in many genetics textbooks and online education resources. In the last three decades, it was a key reference point for starting evolutionary studies in other insect species by using homology-based approaches. This review will introduce a very brief history of Drosophila genetics. It will describe the genetic and molecular approaches applied for the identifying and cloning key genes involved in sex determination in Drosophila and in many other insect species. These comparative analyses led to supporting the idea that sex-determining pathways have evolved mainly by recruiting different upstream signals/genes while maintaining widely conserved intermediate and downstream regulatory genes. The review also provides examples of the link between technological advances and research achievements, to stimulate reflections on how science is produced. It aims to hopefully strengthen the related historical and conceptual knowledge of general readers of other disciplines and of younger geneticists, often focused on the latest technical-molecular approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126, Naples, Italy.
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Gaspar M, Dias S, Vasconcelos ML. Mating pair drives aggressive behavior in female Drosophila. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4734-4742.e4. [PMID: 36167074 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.009] [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] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is an adaptive set of behaviors that allows animals to compete against one another in an environment of limited resources. Typically, males fight for mates and food, whereas females fight for food and nest sites.1 Although the study of male aggression has been facilitated by the extravagant nature of the ritualized displays involved and the remarkable armaments sported by males of many species,2-4 the subtler and rarer instances of inter-female aggression have historically received much less attention. In Drosophila, females display high levels of complex and highly structured aggression on a food patch with conspecific females.5-9 Other contexts of female aggression have not been explored. Indeed, whether females compete for mating partners, as males do, has remained unknown so far. In the present work, we report that Drosophila melanogaster females reliably display aggression toward mating pairs. This aggressive behavior is regulated by mating status and perception of mating opportunities and relies heavily on olfaction. Furthermore, we found that food odor in combination with OR47b-dependent fly odor sensing is required for proper expression of aggressive behavior. Taken together, we describe a social context linked to reproduction in which Drosophila females aspiring to mate produce consistent and stereotyped displays of aggression. These findings open the door for further inquiries into the neural mechanisms that govern this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Gaspar
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Sophie Dias
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
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8
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Casado-Navarro R, Serrano-Saiz E. DMRT Transcription Factors in the Control of Nervous System Sexual Differentiation. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:937596. [PMID: 35958734 PMCID: PMC9361473 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.937596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual phenotypic differences in the nervous system are one of the most prevalent features across the animal kingdom. The molecular mechanisms responsible for sexual dimorphism throughout metazoan nervous systems are extremely diverse, ranging from intrinsic cell autonomous mechanisms to gonad-dependent endocrine control of sexual traits, or even extrinsic environmental cues. In recent years, the DMRT ancient family of transcription factors has emerged as being central in the development of sex-specific differentiation in all animals in which they have been studied. In this review, we provide an overview of the function of Dmrt genes in nervous system sexual regulation from an evolutionary perspective.
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9
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Kim D, Kim B. Anatomical and Functional Differences in the Sex-Shared Neurons of the Nematode C. elegans. Front Neuroanat 2022; 16:906090. [PMID: 35601998 PMCID: PMC9121059 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.906090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on sexual dimorphism in the structure and function of the nervous system have been pivotal to understanding sex differences in behavior. Such studies, especially on invertebrates, have shown the importance of neurons specific to one sex (sex-specific neurons) in shaping sexually dimorphic neural circuits. Nevertheless, recent studies using the nematode C. elegans have revealed that the common neurons that exist in both sexes (sex-shared neurons) also play significant roles in generating sex differences in the structure and function of neural circuits. Here, we review the anatomical and functional differences in the sex-shared neurons of C. elegans. These sexually dimorphic characteristics include morphological differences in neurite projection or branching patterns with substantial changes in synaptic connectivity, differences in synaptic connections without obvious structural changes, and functional modulation in neural circuits with no or minimal synaptic connectivity changes. We also cover underlying molecular mechanisms whereby these sex-shared neurons contribute to the establishment of sexually dimorphic circuits during development and function differently between the sexes.
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Duckhorn JC, Cande J, Metkus MC, Song H, Altamirano S, Stern DL, Shirangi TR. Regulation of Drosophila courtship behavior by the Tlx/tailless-like nuclear receptor, dissatisfaction. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1703-1714.e3. [PMID: 35245457 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic courtship behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster develop from the activity of the sexual differentiation genes, doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru), functioning with other regulatory factors that have received little attention. The dissatisfaction (dsf) gene encodes an orphan nuclear receptor homologous to vertebrate Tlx and Drosophila tailless that is critical for the development of several aspects of female- and male-specific sexual behaviors. Here, we report the pattern of dsf expression in the central nervous system and show that the activity of sexually dimorphic abdominal interneurons that co-express dsf and dsx is necessary and sufficient for vaginal plate opening in virgin females, ovipositor extrusion in mated females, and abdominal curling in males during courtship. We find that dsf activity results in different neuroanatomical outcomes in females and males, promoting and suppressing, respectively, female development and function of these neurons depending upon the sexual state of dsx expression. We posit that dsf and dsx interact to specify sex differences in the neural circuitry for dimorphic abdominal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Duckhorn
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Jessica Cande
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Mary C Metkus
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Hyeop Song
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Sofia Altamirano
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Troy R Shirangi
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA.
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11
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Borrero-Echeverry F, Solum M, Trona F, Becher PG, Wallin EA, Bengtsson M, Witzgall P, Lebreton S. The female sex pheromone (Z)-4-undecenal mediates flight attraction and courtship in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 137:104355. [PMID: 35007554 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Specific mate communication and recognition underlies reproduction and hence speciation. Our study provides new insights in Drosophila melanogaster premating olfactory communication. Mate communication evolves during adaptation to ecological niches and makes use of social signals and habitat cues. Female-produced, species-specific volatile pheromone (Z)-4-undecenal (Z4-11Al) and male pheromone (Z)-11-octadecenyl acetate (cVA) interact with food odour in a sex-specific manner. Furthermore, Z4-11Al, which mediates upwind flight attraction in both sexes, also elicits courtship in experienced males. Two isoforms of the olfactory receptor Or69a are co-expressed in the same olfactory sensory neurons. Z4-11Al is perceived via Or69aB, while the food odorant (R)-linalool is a main ligand for the other variant, Or69aA. However, only Z4-11Al mediates courtship in experienced males, not (R)-linalool. Behavioural discrimination is reflected by calcium imaging of the antennal lobe, showing distinct glomerular activation patterns by these two compounds. Male sex pheromone cVA is known to affect male and female courtship at close range, but does not elicit upwind flight attraction as a single compound, in contrast to Z4-11Al. A blend of the food odour vinegar and cVA attracted females, while a blend of vinegar and female pheromone Z4-11Al attracted males, instead. Sex-specific upwind flight attraction to blends of food volatiles and male and female pheromone, respectively, adds a new element to Drosophila olfactory premating communication and is an unambiguous paradigm for identifying the behaviourally active components, towards a more complete concept of food-pheromone odour objects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Borrero-Echeverry
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden; Corporación Colombiana de Investgación Agropecuaria, Agrosavia, Mosquera, Colombia
| | - Marit Solum
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Federica Trona
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Paul G Becher
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Erika A Wallin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Mid Sweden University, Holmgatan 10, 85170 Sundsvall, Sweden
| | - Marie Bengtsson
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Peter Witzgall
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden.
| | - Sebastien Lebreton
- Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden; IRSEA, Research Institute for Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology, Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France
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12
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Wat LW, Chowdhury ZS, Millington JW, Biswas P, Rideout EJ. Sex determination gene transformer regulates the male-female difference in Drosophila fat storage via the adipokinetic hormone pathway. eLife 2021; 10:e72350. [PMID: 34672260 PMCID: PMC8594944 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in whole-body fat storage exist in many species. For example, Drosophila females store more fat than males. Yet, the mechanisms underlying this sex difference in fat storage remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify a key role for sex determination gene transformer (tra) in regulating the male-female difference in fat storage. Normally, a functional Tra protein is present only in females, where it promotes female sexual development. We show that loss of Tra in females reduced whole-body fat storage, whereas gain of Tra in males augmented fat storage. Tra's role in promoting fat storage was largely due to its function in neurons, specifically the Adipokinetic hormone (Akh)-producing cells (APCs). Our analysis of Akh pathway regulation revealed a male bias in APC activity and Akh pathway function, where this sex-biased regulation influenced the sex difference in fat storage by limiting triglyceride accumulation in males. Importantly, Tra loss in females increased Akh pathway activity, and genetically manipulating the Akh pathway rescued Tra-dependent effects on fat storage. This identifies sex-specific regulation of Akh as one mechanism underlying the male-female difference in whole-body triglyceride levels, and provides important insight into the conserved mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism in whole-body fat storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianna W Wat
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Zahid S Chowdhury
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Jason W Millington
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Puja Biswas
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
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13
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Goodwin SF, Hobert O. Molecular Mechanisms of Sexually Dimorphic Nervous System Patterning in Flies and Worms. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2021; 37:519-547. [PMID: 34613817 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-120319-115237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Male and female brains display anatomical and functional differences. Such differences are observed in species across the animal kingdom, including humans, but have been particularly well-studied in two classic animal model systems, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we summarize recent advances in understanding how the worm and fly brain acquire sexually dimorphic features during development. We highlight the advantages of each system, illustrating how the precise anatomical delineation of sexual dimorphisms in worms has enabled recent analysis into how these dimorphisms become specified during development, and how focusing on sexually dimorphic neurons in the fly has enabled an increasingly detailed understanding of sex-specific behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, United Kingdom;
| | - Oliver Hobert
- Department of Biological Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA;
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14
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McKelvey EGZ, Gyles JP, Michie K, Barquín Pancorbo V, Sober L, Kruszewski LE, Chan A, Fabre CCG. Drosophila females receive male substrate-borne signals through specific leg neurons during courtship. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3894-3904.e5. [PMID: 34174209 PMCID: PMC8445324 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Substrate-borne vibratory signals are thought to be one of the most ancient and taxonomically widespread communication signals among animal species, including Drosophila flies.1-9 During courtship, the male Drosophila abdomen tremulates (as defined in Busnel et al.10) to generate vibrations in the courting substrate.8,9 These vibrations coincide with nearby females becoming immobile, a behavior that facilitates mounting and copulation.8,11-13 It was unknown how the Drosophila female detects these substrate-borne vibratory signals. Here, we confirm that the immobility response of the female to the tremulations is not dependent on any air-borne cue. We show that substrate-borne communication is used by wild Drosophila and that the vibrations propagate through those natural substrates (e.g., fruits) where flies feed and court. We examine transmission of the signals through a variety of substrates and describe how each of these substrates modifies the vibratory signal during propagation and affects the female response. Moreover, we identify the main sensory structures and neurons that receive the vibrations in the female legs, as well as the mechanically gated ion channels Nanchung and Piezo (but not Trpγ) that mediate sensitivity to the vibrations. Together, our results show that Drosophila flies, like many other arthropods, use substrate-borne communication as a natural means of communication, strengthening the idea that this mode of signal transfer is heavily used and reliable in the wild.3,4,7 Our findings also reveal the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the vibration-sensing modality necessary for this communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor G Z McKelvey
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - James P Gyles
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Kyle Michie
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | | | - Louisa Sober
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Laura E Kruszewski
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Alice Chan
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Caroline C G Fabre
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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15
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Neville MC, Eastwood A, Allen AM, de Haan A, Nojima T, Goodwin SF. Generation and characterization of fruitless P1 promoter mutant in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:285-294. [PMID: 34338589 PMCID: PMC8477730 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1931179] [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] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The identification of mutations in the gene fruitless (fru) paved the way for understanding the genetic basis of male sexual behavior in the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. D. melanogaster males perform an elaborate courtship display to the female, ultimately leading to copulation. Mutations in fru have been shown to disrupt most aspects of the male's behavioral display, rendering males behaviorally sterile. The fru genomic locus encodes for multiple transcription factor isoforms from several promoters; only those under the regulation of the most distal P1 promoter are under the control of the sex determination hierarchy and play a role in male-specific behaviors. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9-based targeted genome editing of the fru gene, to remove the P1 promoter region. We have shown that removal of the P1 promoter leads to a dramatic decrease in male courtship displays towards females and male-specific sterility. We have expanded the analysis of fru P1-dependent behaviors, examining male's response to courtship song and general activity levels during12-hour light: dark cycles. Our novel allele expands the mutant repertoire available for future studies of fru P1-derived function in D. melanogaster. Our fruΔP1 mutant will be useful for future studies of fru P1-derived function, as it can be homozygosed without disrupting additional downstream promoter function and can be utilized in heterozygous combinations with other extant fru alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C. Neville
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK,CONTACT Megan C. Neville University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
| | - Alexander Eastwood
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
| | - Aaron M. Allen
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
| | - Ammerins de Haan
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
| | - Tetsuya Nojima
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
| | - Stephen F. Goodwin
- University of Oxford, Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, Oxford, UK
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16
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Fritzsche K, Henshaw JM, Johnson BD, Jones AG. The 150th anniversary of The Descent of Man: Darwin and the impact of sex-role reversal on sexual selection research. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The year 2021 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s extraordinary book The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. Here, we review the history and impact of a single profound insight from The Descent of Man: that, in some few species, females rather than males compete for access to mates. In other words, these species are ‘sex-role reversed’ with respect to mating competition and sexual selection compared to the majority of species in which sexual selection acts most strongly on males. Over the subsequent 150 years, sex-role-reversed species have motivated multiple key conceptual breakthroughs in sexual selection. The surprising mating dynamics of such species challenged scientists’ preconceptions, forcing them to examine implicit assumptions and stereotypes. This wider worldview has led to a richer and more nuanced understanding of animal mating systems and, in particular, to a proper appreciation for the fundamental role that females play in shaping these systems. Sex-role-reversed species have considerable untapped potential and will continue to contribute to sexual selection research in the decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Fritzsche
- Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Henshaw
- Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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17
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Mating increases Drosophila melanogaster females' choosiness by reducing olfactory sensitivity to a male pheromone. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1165-1173. [PMID: 34155384 PMCID: PMC9477091 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01482-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Females that are highly selective when choosing a mate run the risk of remaining unmated or delaying commencing reproduction. Therefore, low female choosiness would be beneficial when males are rare but it would be maladaptive if males become more frequent. How can females resolve this issue? Polyandry would allow mating-status-dependent choosiness, with virgin females selecting their first mate with little selectivity and becoming choosier thereafter. This plasticity in choosiness would ensure timely acquisition of sperm and enable females to increase offspring quality during later mating. Here, we show that Drosophila melanogaster females display such mating-status-dependent choosiness by becoming more selective once mated and identify the underlying neurohormonal mechanism. Mating releases juvenile hormone, which desensitizes Or47b olfactory neurons to a pheromone produced by males, resulting in increased preference for pheromone-rich males. Besides providing a mechanism to a long-standing evolutionary prediction, these data suggest that intersexual selection in D. melanogaster, and possibly in all polyandrous, sperm-storing species, is mainly the domain of mated females since virgin females are less selective. Juvenile hormone influences behaviour by changing cue responsiveness across insects; the neurohormonal modulation of olfactory neurons uncovered in D. melanogaster provides an explicit mechanism for how this hormone modulates behavioural plasticity.
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18
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Moscato EH, Dubowy C, Walker JA, Kayser MS. Social Behavioral Deficits with Loss of Neurofibromin Emerge from Peripheral Chemosensory Neuron Dysfunction. Cell Rep 2021; 32:107856. [PMID: 32640222 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with social and communicative disabilities. The cellular and circuit mechanisms by which loss of neurofibromin 1 (Nf1) results in social deficits are unknown. Here, we identify social behavioral dysregulation with Nf1 loss in Drosophila. These deficits map to primary dysfunction of a group of peripheral sensory neurons. Nf1 regulation of Ras signaling in adult ppk23+ chemosensory cells is required for normal social behaviors in flies. Loss of Nf1 attenuates ppk23+ neuronal activity in response to pheromones, and circuit-specific manipulation of Nf1 expression or neuronal activity in ppk23+ neurons rescues social deficits. This disrupted sensory processing gives rise to persistent changes in behavior beyond the social interaction, indicating a sustained effect of an acute sensory misperception. Together our data identify a specific circuit mechanism through which Nf1 regulates social behaviors and suggest social deficits in NF1 arise from propagation of sensory misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia H Moscato
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christine Dubowy
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - James A Walker
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Matthew S Kayser
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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19
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Yang X, Chen K, Wang Y, Yang D, Huang Y. The Sex Determination Cascade in the Silkworm. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020315. [PMID: 33672402 PMCID: PMC7926724 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In insects, sex determination pathways involve three levels of master regulators: primary signals, which determine the sex; executors, which control sex-specific differentiation of tissues and organs; and transducers, which link the primary signals to the executors. The primary signals differ widely among insect species. In Diptera alone, several unrelated primary sex determiners have been identified. However, the doublesex (dsx) gene is highly conserved as the executor component across multiple insect orders. The transducer level shows an intermediate level of conservation. In many, but not all examined insects, a key transducer role is performed by transformer (tra), which controls sex-specific splicing of dsx. In Lepidoptera, studies of sex determination have focused on the lepidopteran model species Bombyx mori (the silkworm). In B. mori, the primary signal of sex determination cascade starts from Fem, a female-specific PIWI-interacting RNA, and its targeting gene Masc, which is apparently specific to and conserved among Lepidoptera. Tra has not been found in Lepidoptera. Instead, the B. mori PSI protein binds directly to dsx pre-mRNA and regulates its alternative splicing to produce male- and female-specific transcripts. Despite this basic understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination, the links among the primary signals, transducers and executors remain largely unknown in Lepidoptera. In this review, we focus on the latest findings regarding the functions and working mechanisms of genes involved in feminization and masculinization in Lepidoptera and discuss directions for future research of sex determination in the silkworm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Y.); (K.C.); (Y.W.); (D.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Y.); (K.C.); (Y.W.); (D.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaohui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Y.); (K.C.); (Y.W.); (D.Y.)
| | - Dehong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Y.); (K.C.); (Y.W.); (D.Y.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Y.); (K.C.); (Y.W.); (D.Y.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Begum M, Paul P, Das D, Chakraborty K, Bhattacharjee A, Ghosh S. Genes regulating development and behavior exhibited altered expression in Drosophila melanogaster exposed to bisphenol A: use of real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in genotoxicity study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:7090-7104. [PMID: 33025430 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10805-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Toxicity of bisphenol A on morphological and life-history traits of model insect Drosophila melanogaster was reported in our previous work. In the present study, we have analyzed the adversity of bisphenol A on the reproductive behavior of adult and on the expression of selected genes in the larva and adult stage of fruit fly exposed to bisphenol A (0.007 g/2 ml. or 3.5 mg/ml), in addition to determination of LC50 value of bisphenol A in larva and pupal stage. We employed both the quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and droplet digital PCR for analyzing the expression profile of seven genes namely, decapentaplegic, vestigial, wingless, foraging, insulin-like receptor, doublesex, and fruitless. We found bisphenol A has more adverse effects on male sexual behavior than females. Moreover, we observed significant downregulation of all the selected genes in treated larvae except, fruitless in male where it showed significant upregulation. On contrary among the treated adult flies, significant downregulation of all target genes in both sexes is evident, except, doublesex and fruitless in males which showed significant upregulation. We did not observe any deviation of male: female sex ratio from 1:1 under bisphenol A exposure. All these results suggest bisphenol A adversely affects the optimum functioning of genes which are involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways, behavioral pattern, stress response, endocrine homeostasis, neural functioning, and the development of the specific organ in Drosophila melanogaster. Our result not only provides a foundation to study further the bisphenol A toxicity on different pivotal genes in Drosophila but also suggests the use of the droplet digital PCR technology in toxicity measurement at the molecular level in eukaryotic model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morium Begum
- Department of Zoology, Cytogenetics & Genomics Research Unit, University of Calcutta, Taraknath-Palit-Siksha-Prangan (Ballygunge Science College Campus), 35, Ballygunge Circular Road.Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Pallab Paul
- Department of Zoology, Cytogenetics & Genomics Research Unit, University of Calcutta, Taraknath-Palit-Siksha-Prangan (Ballygunge Science College Campus), 35, Ballygunge Circular Road.Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Debasmita Das
- Department of Zoology, Cytogenetics & Genomics Research Unit, University of Calcutta, Taraknath-Palit-Siksha-Prangan (Ballygunge Science College Campus), 35, Ballygunge Circular Road.Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Kaustav Chakraborty
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity-University Kolkata, Plot no 36, 37, and 38, Major Arterial Road (South-East), Action Area II, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700135, India
| | - Ashima Bhattacharjee
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity-University Kolkata, Plot no 36, 37, and 38, Major Arterial Road (South-East), Action Area II, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700135, India
| | - Sujay Ghosh
- Department of Zoology, Cytogenetics & Genomics Research Unit, University of Calcutta, Taraknath-Palit-Siksha-Prangan (Ballygunge Science College Campus), 35, Ballygunge Circular Road.Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India.
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21
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Meeh KL, Rickel CT, Sansano AJ, Shirangi TR. The development of sex differences in the nervous system and behavior of flies, worms, and rodents. Dev Biol 2021; 472:75-84. [PMID: 33484707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how sex differences in innate animal behaviors arise has long fascinated biologists. As a general rule, the potential for sex differences in behavior is built by the developmental actions of sex-specific hormones or regulatory proteins that direct the sexual differentiation of the nervous system. In the last decade, studies in several animal systems have uncovered neural circuit mechanisms underlying discrete sexually dimorphic behaviors. Moreover, how certain hormones and regulatory proteins implement the sexual differentiation of these neural circuits has been illuminated in tremendous detail. Here, we discuss some of these mechanisms with three case-studies-mate recognition in flies, maturation of mating behavior in worms, and play-fighting behavior in young rodents. These studies illustrate general and unique developmental mechanisms to establish sex differences in neuroanatomy and behavior and highlight future challenges for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen L Meeh
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Clare T Rickel
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Alexander J Sansano
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Troy R Shirangi
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA.
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22
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Millington JW, Brownrigg GP, Chao C, Sun Z, Basner-Collins PJ, Wat LW, Hudry B, Miguel-Aliaga I, Rideout EJ. Female-biased upregulation of insulin pathway activity mediates the sex difference in Drosophila body size plasticity. eLife 2021; 10:e58341. [PMID: 33448263 PMCID: PMC7864645 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient-dependent body size plasticity differs between the sexes in most species, including mammals. Previous work in Drosophila showed that body size plasticity was higher in females, yet the mechanisms underlying increased female body size plasticity remain unclear. Here, we discover that a protein-rich diet augments body size in females and not males because of a female-biased increase in activity of the conserved insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS). This sex-biased upregulation of IIS activity was triggered by a diet-induced increase in stunted mRNA in females, and required Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2, illuminating new sex-specific roles for these genes. Importantly, we show that sex determination gene transformer promotes the diet-induced increase in stunted mRNA via transcriptional coactivator Spargel to regulate the male-female difference in body size plasticity. Together, these findings provide vital insight into conserved mechanisms underlying the sex difference in nutrient-dependent body size plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Millington
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - George P Brownrigg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Charlotte Chao
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Ziwei Sun
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Paige J Basner-Collins
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Lianna W Wat
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | - Bruno Hudry
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, and Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Irene Miguel-Aliaga
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, and Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
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23
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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: 0.5] [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.
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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.
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24
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Sun Y, Qiu R, Li X, Cheng Y, Gao S, Kong F, Liu L, Zhu Y. Social attraction in Drosophila is regulated by the mushroom body and serotonergic system. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5350. [PMID: 33093442 PMCID: PMC7582864 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19102-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociality is among the most important motivators of human behaviour. However, the neural mechanisms determining levels of sociality are largely unknown, primarily due to a lack of suitable animal models. Here, we report the presence of a surprising degree of general sociality in Drosophila. A newly-developed paradigm to study social approach behaviour in flies reveal that social cues perceive through both vision and olfaction converged in a central brain region, the γ lobe of the mushroom body, which exhibite activation in response to social experience. The activity of these γ neurons control the motivational drive for social interaction. At the molecular level, the serotonergic system is critical for social affinity. These results demonstrate that Drosophila are highly sociable, providing a suitable model system for elucidating the mechanisms underlying the motivation for sociality. Robust social attraction in fruit flies relies on two prominent senses, vision and olfaction, which converge to central brain neurons. The neurons of the γ lobe of the mushroom bodies integrate sensory information and modulate social affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Rong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,New England Biolabs (Beijing) LTD., No.1 Wang Zhuang Road, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yaxin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,Shenzhen Science Museum, Shangbu Road, 1003, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fanchen Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. .,Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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25
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Bakshi A, Sipani R, Ghosh N, Joshi R. Sequential activation of Notch and Grainyhead gives apoptotic competence to Abdominal-B expressing larval neuroblasts in Drosophila Central nervous system. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008976. [PMID: 32866141 PMCID: PMC7485976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuitry for mating and reproduction resides within the terminal segments of central nervous system (CNS) which express Hox paralogous group 9–13 (in vertebrates) or Abdominal-B (Abd-B) in Drosophila. Terminal neuroblasts (NBs) in A8-A10 segments of Drosophila larval CNS are subdivided into two groups based on expression of transcription factor Doublesex (Dsx). While the sex specific fate of Dsx-positive NBs is well investigated, the fate of Dsx-negative NBs is not known so far. Our studies with Dsx-negative NBs suggests that these cells, like their abdominal counterparts (in A3-A7 segments) use Hox, Grainyhead (Grh) and Notch to undergo cell death during larval development. This cell death also happens by transcriptionally activating RHG family of apoptotic genes through a common apoptotic enhancer in early to mid L3 stages. However, unlike abdominal NBs (in A3-A7 segments) which use increasing levels of resident Hox factor Abdominal-A (Abd-A) as an apoptosis trigger, Dsx-negative NBs (in A8-A10 segments) keep the levels of resident Hox factor Abd-B constant. These cells instead utilize increasing levels of the temporal transcription factor Grh and a rise in Notch activity to gain apoptotic competence. Biochemical and in vivo analysis suggest that Abdominal-A and Grh binding motifs in the common apoptotic enhancer also function as Abdominal-B and Grh binding motifs and maintains the enhancer activity in A8-A10 NBs. Finally, the deletion of this enhancer by the CRISPR-Cas9 method blocks the apoptosis of Dsx-negative NBs. These results highlight the fact that Hox dependent NB apoptosis in abdominal and terminal regions utilizes common molecular players (Hox, Grh and Notch), but seems to have evolved different molecular strategies to pattern CNS. Two major characteristic features of bilaterian organisms are the head to tail axis and a complex central nervous system. The Hox family of transcription factors, which are expressed segmentally along the head to tail axis, plays a critical role in determining both of these features. One of the ways by which Hox factors do this is by mediating differential programmed cell death of the neural stem cells along the head to tail axis of the developing central nervous system, thereby regulating the numerical diversity of the neurons generated along this axis. Our study with a subpopulation of neural stem cells in the most terminal region of the Drosophila larval central nervous system highlights that region-specific Hox-dependent cell death of neural stem cells in abdominal and terminal regions utilizes common molecular players (Hox, Grh and Notch), but seems to have evolved different molecular strategies to pattern the developing central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif Bakshi
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Rashmi Sipani
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Neha Ghosh
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Rohit Joshi
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
- * E-mail: ,
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26
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Chowdhury T, Calhoun RM, Bruch K, Moehring AJ. The fruitless gene affects female receptivity and species isolation. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192765. [PMID: 32208837 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Female mate rejection acts as a major selective force within species, and can serve as a reproductive barrier between species. In spite of its critical role in fitness and reproduction, surprisingly little is known about the genetic or neural basis of variation in female mate choice. Here, we identify fruitless as a gene affecting female receptivity within Drosophila melanogaster, as well as female Drosophila simulans rejection of male D. melanogaster. Of the multiple transcripts this gene produces, by far the most widely studied is the sex-specifically spliced transcript involved in the sex determination pathway. However, we find that female rejection behaviour is affected by a non-sex-specifically spliced fruitless transcript. This is the first implication of fruitless in female behaviour, and the first behavioural role identified for a fruitless non-sex-specifically spliced transcript. We found that this locus does not influence preferences via a single sensory modality, examining courtship song, antennal pheromone perception, or perception of substrate vibrations, and we conclude that fruitless influences mate choice via the integration of multiple signals or through another sensory modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabashir Chowdhury
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
| | - Ryan M Calhoun
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
| | - Katrina Bruch
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
| | - Amanda J Moehring
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
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27
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Kelley DB, Ballagh IH, Barkan CL, Bendesky A, Elliott TM, Evans BJ, Hall IC, Kwon YM, Kwong-Brown U, Leininger EC, Perez EC, Rhodes HJ, Villain A, Yamaguchi A, Zornik E. Generation, Coordination, and Evolution of Neural Circuits for Vocal Communication. J Neurosci 2020; 40:22-36. [PMID: 31896561 PMCID: PMC6939475 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0736-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In many species, vocal communication is essential for coordinating social behaviors including courtship, mating, parenting, rivalry, and alarm signaling. Effective communication requires accurate production, detection, and classification of signals, as well as selection of socially appropriate responses. Understanding how signals are generated and how acoustic signals are perceived is key to understanding the neurobiology of social behaviors. Here we review our long-standing research program focused on Xenopus, a frog genus which has provided valuable insights into the mechanisms and evolution of vertebrate social behaviors. In Xenopus laevis, vocal signals differ between the sexes, through development, and across the genus, reflecting evolutionary divergence in sensory and motor circuits that can be interrogated mechanistically. Using two ex vivo preparations, the isolated brain and vocal organ, we have identified essential components of the vocal production system: the sexually differentiated larynx at the periphery, and the hindbrain vocal central pattern generator (CPG) centrally, that produce sex- and species-characteristic sound pulse frequencies and temporal patterns, respectively. Within the hindbrain, we have described how intrinsic membrane properties of neurons in the vocal CPG generate species-specific vocal patterns, how vocal nuclei are connected to generate vocal patterns, as well as the roles of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in activating the circuit. For sensorimotor integration, we identified a key forebrain node that links auditory and vocal production circuits to match socially appropriate vocal responses to acoustic features of male and female calls. The availability of a well supported phylogeny as well as reference genomes from several species now support analysis of the genetic architecture and the evolutionary divergence of neural circuits for vocal communication. Xenopus thus provides a vertebrate model in which to study vocal communication at many levels, from physiology, to behavior, and from development to evolution. As one of the most comprehensively studied phylogenetic groups within vertebrate vocal communication systems, Xenopus provides insights that can inform social communication across phyla.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcy B Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027,
| | - Irene H Ballagh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T132, Canada
| | - Charlotte L Barkan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, Oregon 97202
| | - Andres Bendesky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology and Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Taffeta M Elliott
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Psychology and Education, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico 87801
| | - Ben J Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Ian C Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Biology, Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois 60532
| | - Young Mi Kwon
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology and Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Ursula Kwong-Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Elizabeth C Leininger
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida 34243
| | - Emilie C Perez
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Heather J Rhodes
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, Ohio 43023, and
| | - Avelyne Villain
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Ayako Yamaguchi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - Erik Zornik
- Department of Biological Sciences and Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, Oregon 97202
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
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28
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Leitner N, Ben-Shahar Y. The neurogenetics of sexually dimorphic behaviors from a postdevelopmental perspective. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 19:e12623. [PMID: 31674725 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Most sexually reproducing animal species are characterized by two morphologically and behaviorally distinct sexes. The genetic, molecular and cellular processes that produce sexual dimorphisms are phylogenetically diverse, though in most cases they are thought to occur early in development. In some species, however, sexual dimorphisms are manifested after development is complete, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis that sex, more generally, might be considered a continuous trait that is influenced by both developmental and postdevelopmental processes. Here, we explore how biological sex is defined at the genetic, neuronal and behavioral levels, its effects on neuronal development and function, and how it might lead to sexually dimorphic behavioral traits in health and disease. We also propose a unifying framework for understanding neuronal and behavioral sexual dimorphisms in the context of both developmental and postdevelopmental, physiological timescales. Together, these two temporally separate processes might drive sex-specific neuronal functions in sexually mature adults, particularly as it pertains to behavior in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Leitner
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Yehuda Ben-Shahar
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
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29
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Ghosh N, Bakshi A, Khandelwal R, Rajan SG, Joshi R. The Hox gene Abdominal-B uses Doublesex F as a cofactor to promote neuroblast apoptosis in the Drosophila central nervous system. Development 2019; 146:dev.175158. [PMID: 31371379 PMCID: PMC6737903 DOI: 10.1242/dev.175158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Highly conserved DM domain-containing transcription factors (Doublesex/MAB-3/DMRT1) are responsible for generating sexually dimorphic features. In the Drosophila central nervous system, a set of Doublesex (Dsx)-expressing neuroblasts undergo apoptosis in females whereas their male counterparts proliferate and give rise to serotonergic neurons crucial for adult mating behaviour. Our study demonstrates that the female-specific isoform of Dsx collaborates with Hox gene Abdominal-B (Abd-B) to bring about this apoptosis. Biochemical results suggest that proteins AbdB and Dsx interact through their highly conserved homeodomain and DM domain, respectively. This interaction is translated into a cooperative binding of the two proteins on the apoptotic enhancer in the case of females but not in the case of males, resulting in female-specific activation of apoptotic genes. The capacity of AbdB to use the sex-specific isoform of Dsx as a cofactor underlines the possibility that these two classes of protein are capable of cooperating in selection and regulation of target genes in a tissue- and sex-specific manner. We propose that this interaction could be a common theme in generating sexual dimorphism in different tissues across different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Ghosh
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad 500039, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Asif Bakshi
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad 500039, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | - Risha Khandelwal
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad 500039, India.,Graduate Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India
| | | | - Rohit Joshi
- Laboratory of Drosophila Neural Development, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Inner Ring Road, Uppal, Hyderabad 500039, India
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30
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Recent advances in neuropeptide signaling in Drosophila, from genes to physiology and behavior. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 179:101607. [PMID: 30905728 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on neuropeptides and peptide hormones, the largest and most diverse class of neuroactive substances, known in Drosophila and other animals to play roles in almost all aspects of daily life, as w;1;ell as in developmental processes. We provide an update on novel neuropeptides and receptors identified in the last decade, and highlight progress in analysis of neuropeptide signaling in Drosophila. Especially exciting is the huge amount of work published on novel functions of neuropeptides and peptide hormones in Drosophila, largely due to the rapid developments of powerful genetic methods, imaging techniques and innovative assays. We critically discuss the roles of peptides in olfaction, taste, foraging, feeding, clock function/sleep, aggression, mating/reproduction, learning and other behaviors, as well as in regulation of development, growth, metabolic and water homeostasis, stress responses, fecundity, and lifespan. We furthermore provide novel information on neuropeptide distribution and organization of peptidergic systems, as well as the phylogenetic relations between Drosophila neuropeptides and those of other phyla, including mammals. As will be shown, neuropeptide signaling is phylogenetically ancient, and not only are the structures of the peptides, precursors and receptors conserved over evolution, but also many functions of neuropeptide signaling in physiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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31
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Flintham EO, Yoshida T, Smith S, Pavlou HJ, Goodwin SF, Carazo P, Wigby S. Interactions between the sexual identity of the nervous system and the social environment mediate lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1450. [PMID: 30487307 PMCID: PMC6283938 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in lifespan are ubiquitous, but the underlying causal factors remain poorly understood. Inter- and intrasexual social interactions are well known to influence lifespan in many taxa, but it has proved challenging to separate the role of sex-specific behaviours from wider physiological differences between the sexes. To address this problem, we genetically manipulated the sexual identity of the nervous system-and hence sexual behaviour-in Drosophila melanogaster, and measured lifespan under varying social conditions. Consistent with previous studies, masculinization of the nervous system in females induced male-specific courtship behaviour and aggression, while nervous system feminization in males induced male-male courtship and reduced aggression. Control females outlived males, but masculinized female groups displayed male-like lifespans and male-like costs of group living. By varying the mixture of control and masculinized females within social groups, we show that male-specific behaviours are costly to recipients, even when received from females. However, consistent with recent findings, our data suggest courtship expression to be surprisingly low cost. Overall, our study indicates that nervous system-mediated expression of sex-specific behaviour per se-independent of wider physiological differences between the sexes, or the receipt of aggression or courtship-plays a limited role in mediating sex differences in lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewan O. Flintham
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 5PS, UK,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, SL5 7PY, UK,e-mail:
| | - Tomoyo Yoshida
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 5PS, UK
| | - Sophie Smith
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 5PS, UK
| | - Hania J. Pavlou
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Stephen F. Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Pau Carazo
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Stuart Wigby
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 5PS, UK
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32
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Abstract
Sexually reproducing animals display sex differences in behavior. Although many of these sex differences in behavior are acquired with experience, sexually dimorphic behaviors such as mating and aggression are innate in the sense that they can be displayed without prior training or experience. In this review, we present recent advances in our understanding of the neural control of such innate sexually dimorphic social behaviors, with a focus on sexual behavior and aggression in flies and mice. We provide a brief overview of fundamental processes that regulate sexual differentiation in these animals to provide a framework within which more recent advances can be understood. We discuss advances in sensory, neuromodulatory, neural circuit, and experiential regulation of sexually dimorphic social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nirao M. Shah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
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33
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Asahina K. Sex differences in Drosophila behavior: Qualitative and Quantitative Dimorphism. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:35-45. [PMID: 30386833 PMCID: PMC6205217 DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The importance of sex as a biological variable is being recognized by more and more researchers, including those using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Differences between the two sexes are not confined to well-known reproductive behaviors, but include other behaviors and physiological characteristics that are considered "common" to both sexes. It is possible to categorize sexual dimorphisms into "qualitative" and "quantitative" differences, and this review focuses on recent advances in elucidating genetic and neurophysiological basis of both qualitative and quantitative sex differences in Drosophila behavior. While sex-specific behaviors are often mediated by sexually dimorphic neural circuits, quantitative sexual dimorphism is caused by sex-specific modulation of a common neuronal substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Asahina
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, MNL-KA, La Jolla, California 92037, United States of America
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34
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Millington JW, Rideout EJ. Sex differences in Drosophila development and physiology. CURRENT OPINION IN PHYSIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cophys.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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35
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Zhuo JC, Hu QL, Zhang HH, Zhang MQ, Jo SB, Zhang CX. Identification and functional analysis of the doublesex gene in the sexual development of a hemimetabolous insect, the brown planthopper. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 102:31-42. [PMID: 30237076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the sex determination cascade, the genes dsx (doublesex) in insects, mab-3 (male abnormal 3) in nematodes, and Dmrt1 (dsx/mab-3 related transcription factor-1) in vertebrates act as the base molecular switches and play important roles. Moreover, these genes share the same conserved feature domain-DNA-binding oligomerization domain (OD1), and female-specific dsx also has a conserved oligomerization domain 2 (OD2). Although sex determination and the functions of dsx in several holometabolous insects have been well documented, sex determination and the function of dsx in hemimetabolous insects remain a mystery. In this study, four dsx homologs were unexpectedly found in the Nilaparvata lugens (brown planthopper, BPH, order Hemiptera), which also showed a different evolutionary status. We found that only one of the four homologs, Nldsx, which has three alternative splicing variants (female-specific NldsxF, male-specific NldsxM, non-sex-specific NldsxC), was required in the sexual development of N. lugens. Compared with that of holometabolous species, the dsx of N. lugens contains a less conserved OD1, while the OD2 domain of BPH was not identifiable because the common region is poorly conserved, and the female-specific region is short. RNAi-mediated knockdown of Nldsx in female BPH resulted in a larger body size with a normal abdomen and reproductive system, while no changes in fertility were noted. However, adult males with RNA interference knockdown of NldsxM in nymphs became pseudofemales, were infertile, had abnormal copulatory organs, and had impassable deferent ducts with hyperplastic walls; additionally, the pseudofemales could not produce the normal courtship signals. Our results suggest that dsx plays a critical role in male BPH somatic development and mating behavior. This is the first study to show that dsx is essential for sexual development in a hemipteran species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Chong Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qing-Ling Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hou-Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Meng-Qiu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Song Bok Jo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Kim Jong Suk University of Education, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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36
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Saurabh S, Vanaphan N, Wen W, Dauwalder B. High functional conservation of takeout family members in a courtship model system. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204615. [PMID: 30261021 PMCID: PMC6160090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
takeout (to) is one of the male-specific genes expressed in the fat body that regulate male courtship behavior, and has been shown to act as a secreted protein in conjunction with courtship circuits. There are 23 takeout family members in Drosophila melanogaster, and homologues of this family are distributed across insect species. Sequence conservation among family members is low. Here we test the functional conservation of takeout family members by examining whether they can rescue the takeout courtship defect. We find that despite their sequence divergence takeout members from Aedes aegypti and Epiphas postvittana, as well as family members from D. melanogaster can substitute for takeout in courtship, demonstrating their functional conservation. Making use of the known E. postvittana Takeout structure, we used homology modeling and amphipathic helix analysis and found high overall structural conservation, including high conservation of the structure and amphipathic lining of an internal cavity that has been shown to accommodate hydrophobic ligands. Together these data suggest a high degree of structural conservation that likely underlies functional conservation in courtship. In addition, we have identified a role for a conserved exposed protein motif important for the protein’s role in courtship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Saurabh
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nancy Vanaphan
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Walter Wen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Brigitte Dauwalder
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Ribeiro IMA, Drews M, Bahl A, Machacek C, Borst A, Dickson BJ. Visual Projection Neurons Mediating Directed Courtship in Drosophila. Cell 2018; 174:607-621.e18. [PMID: 30033367 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many animals rely on vision to detect, locate, and track moving objects. In Drosophila courtship, males primarily use visual cues to orient toward and follow females and to select the ipsilateral wing for courtship song. Here, we show that the LC10 visual projection neurons convey essential visual information during courtship. Males with LC10 neurons silenced are unable to orient toward or maintain proximity to the female and do not predominantly use the ipsilateral wing when singing. LC10 neurons preferentially respond to small moving objects using an antagonistic motion-based center-surround mechanism. Unilateral activation of LC10 neurons recapitulates the orienting and ipsilateral wing extension normally elicited by females, and the potency with which LC10 induces wing extension is enhanced in a state of courtship arousal controlled by male-specific P1 neurons. These data suggest that LC10 is a major pathway relaying visual input to the courtship circuits in the male brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês M A Ribeiro
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Max Plank Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany; Institute of Molecular Pathology, Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Drews
- Max Plank Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Armin Bahl
- Max Plank Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Christian Machacek
- Institute of Molecular Pathology, Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Borst
- Max Plank Institute of Neurobiology, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Barry J Dickson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Institute of Molecular Pathology, Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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38
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Chowdhury ZS, Sato K, Yamamoto D. The core-promoter factor TRF2 mediates a Fruitless action to masculinize neurobehavioral traits in Drosophila. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1480. [PMID: 29133872 PMCID: PMC5684138 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01623-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In fruit flies, the male-specific fruitless (fru) gene product FruBM plays a central role in establishing the neural circuitry for male courtship behavior by orchestrating the transcription of genes required for the male-type specification of individual neurons. We herein identify the core promoter recognition factor gene Trf2 as a dominant modifier of fru actions. Trf2 knockdown in the sexually dimorphic mAL neurons leads to the loss of a male-specific neurite and a reduction in male courtship vigor. TRF2 forms a repressor complex with FruBM, strongly enhancing the repressor activity of FruBM at the promoter region of the robo1 gene, whose function is required for inhibiting the male-specific neurite formation. In females that lack FruBM, TRF2 stimulates robo1 transcription. Our results suggest that TRF2 switches its own role from an activator to a repressor of transcription upon binding to FruBM, thereby enabling the ipsilateral neurite formation only in males.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kosei Sato
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, 9808577, Japan
| | - Daisuke Yamamoto
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, 9808577, Japan.
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39
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doublesex alters aggressiveness as a function of social context and sex in the polyphenic beetle Onthophagus taurus. Anim Behav 2017; 132:261-269. [PMID: 28966347 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite sharing nearly the same genome, individuals within the same species can vary drastically in both morphology and behaviour as a function of developmental stage, sex or developmental plasticity. Thus, regulatory processes must exist that enable the stage-, sex- or environment-specific expression of traits and their integration during ontogeny, yet exactly how trait complexes are co-regulated and integrated is poorly understood. In this study, we explore the developmental genetic basis of the regulation and integration of environment-dependent sexual dimorphism in behaviour and morphology in the horn-polyphenic dung beetle Onthophagus taurus through the experimental manipulation of the transcription factor doublesex (dsx). The gene dsx plays a profound role in the developmental regulation of morphological differences between sexes as well as alternative male morphs by inhibiting horn formation in females but enabling nutrition-responsive horn growth in males. Specifically, we investigated whether experimental downregulation of dsx expression affects male and female aggressive and courtship behaviours in two social contexts: interactions between individuals of the same sex and interactions between males and females. We find that dsx downregulation significantly alters aggressiveness in both males and females, yet does so differently for both sexes as a function of social context: dsxRNAi males exhibited elevated aggression towards males but showed reduced aggression towards females, whereas dsxRNAi females became more aggressive towards males, while their aggressiveness towards other females was unaffected. Moreover, we document unexpectedly high levels of female aggression independent of dsx treatment in both wild-type and control-injected individuals. Lastly, we found no effects of dsxRNAi on courtship and mating behaviours. We discuss the role of dsx in the regulation of sex-specific and plastic behaviours, the unexpectedly high levels of aggression of hornless dsxRNAi males in relation to the well-established description of the hornless sneaker phenotype and the potential ecological function of high female aggression.
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40
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Shirangi TR, Wong AM, Truman JW, Stern DL. Doublesex Regulates the Connectivity of a Neural Circuit Controlling Drosophila Male Courtship Song. Dev Cell 2017; 37:533-44. [PMID: 27326931 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It is unclear how regulatory genes establish neural circuits that compose sex-specific behaviors. The Drosophila melanogaster male courtship song provides a powerful model to study this problem. Courting males vibrate a wing to sing bouts of pulses and hums, called pulse and sine song, respectively. We report the discovery of male-specific thoracic interneurons-the TN1A neurons-that are required specifically for sine song. The TN1A neurons can drive the activity of a sex-non-specific wing motoneuron, hg1, which is also required for sine song. The male-specific connection between the TN1A neurons and the hg1 motoneuron is regulated by the sexual differentiation gene doublesex. We find that doublesex is required in the TN1A neurons during development to increase the density of the TN1A arbors that interact with dendrites of the hg1 motoneuron. Our findings demonstrate how a sexual differentiation gene can build a sex-specific circuit motif by modulating neuronal arborization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy R Shirangi
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Allan M Wong
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - James W Truman
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
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Chen SL, Chen YH, Wang CC, Yu YW, Tsai YC, Hsu HW, Wu CL, Wang PY, Chen LC, Lan TH, Fu TF. Active and passive sexual roles that arise in Drosophila male-male courtship are modulated by dopamine levels in PPL2ab neurons. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44595. [PMID: 28294190 PMCID: PMC5353583 DOI: 10.1038/srep44595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurology of male sexuality has been poorly studied owing to difficulties in studying brain circuitry in humans. Dopamine (DA) is essential for both physiological and behavioural responses, including the regulation of sexuality. Previous studies have revealed that alterations in DA synthesis in dopaminergic neurons can induce male-male courtship behaviour, while increasing DA levels in the protocerebral posteriolateral dopaminergic cluster neuron 2ab (PPL2ab) may enhance the intensity of male courtship sustainment in Drosophila. Here we report that changes in the ability of the PPL2ab in the central nervous system (CNS) to produce DA strongly impact male-male courtship in D. melanogaster. Intriguingly, the DA-synthesizing abilities of these neurons appear to affect both the courting activities displayed by male flies and the sex appeal of male flies for other male flies. Moreover, the observed male-male courtship is triggered primarily by target motion, yet chemical cues can replace visual input under dark conditions. This is interesting evidence that courtship responses in male individuals are controlled by PPL2ab neurons in the CNS. Our study provides insight for subsequent studies focusing on sexual circuit modulation by PPL2ab neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiu-Ling Chen
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, 54561 Nantou, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hui Chen
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, 54561 Nantou, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Chan Wang
- Department of Life Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, 24205 New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yhu-Wei Yu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, 54561 Nantou, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Tsai
- Department of Life Science and Life Science Center, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Wen Hsu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, 54561 Nantou, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Lin Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 33302 Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 33305 Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Yu Wang
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, 10051 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Lien-Cheng Chen
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, 71703 Tainan, Taiwan.,School of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, 11031 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsuo-Hung Lan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, 11221 Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 40705 Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Feng Fu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chi Nan University, 54561 Nantou, Taiwan
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Sexual Dimorphism of Body Size Is Controlled by Dosage of the X-Chromosomal Gene Myc and by the Sex-Determining Gene tra in Drosophila. Genetics 2017; 205:1215-1228. [PMID: 28064166 PMCID: PMC5340334 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.192260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila females are larger than males. In this article, we describe how X-chromosome dosage drives sexual dimorphism of body size through two means: first, through unbalanced expression of a key X-linked growth-regulating gene, and second, through female-specific activation of the sex-determination pathway. X-chromosome dosage determines phenotypic sex by regulating the genes of the sex-determining pathway. In the presence of two sets of X-chromosome signal elements (XSEs), Sex-lethal (Sxl) is activated in female (XX) but not male (XY) animals. Sxl activates transformer (tra), a gene that encodes a splicing factor essential for female-specific development. It has previously been shown that null mutations in the tra gene result in only a partial reduction of body size of XX animals, which shows that other factors must contribute to size determination. We tested whether X dosage directly affects animal size by analyzing males with duplications of X-chromosomal segments. Upon tiling across the X chromosome, we found four duplications that increase male size by >9%. Within these, we identified several genes that promote growth as a result of duplication. Only one of these, Myc, was found not to be dosage compensated. Together, our results indicate that both Myc dosage and tra expression play crucial roles in determining sex-specific size in Drosophila larvae and adult tissue. Since Myc also acts as an XSE that contributes to tra activation in early development, a double dose of Myc in females serves at least twice in development to promote sexual size dimorphism.
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Ruhmann H, Wensing KU, Neuhalfen N, Specker JH, Fricke C. Early reproductive success inDrosophilamales is dependent on maturity of the accessory gland. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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44
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Rideout EJ, Narsaiya MS, Grewal SS. The Sex Determination Gene transformer Regulates Male-Female Differences in Drosophila Body Size. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005683. [PMID: 26710087 PMCID: PMC4692505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost all animals show sex differences in body size. For example, in Drosophila, females are larger than males. Although Drosophila is widely used as a model to study growth, the mechanisms underlying this male-female difference in size remain unclear. Here, we describe a novel role for the sex determination gene transformer (tra) in promoting female body growth. Normally, Tra is expressed only in females. We find that loss of Tra in female larvae decreases body size, while ectopic Tra expression in males increases body size. Although we find that Tra exerts autonomous effects on cell size, we also discovered that Tra expression in the fat body augments female body size in a non cell-autonomous manner. These effects of Tra do not require its only known targets doublesex and fruitless. Instead, Tra expression in the female fat body promotes growth by stimulating the secretion of insulin-like peptides from insulin producing cells in the brain. Our data suggest a model of sex-specific growth in which body size is regulated by a previously unrecognized branch of the sex determination pathway, and identify Tra as a novel link between sex and the conserved insulin signaling pathway. Female-biased sexual size dimorphism is common in invertebrates, yet the mechanisms underlying increased female body size remain unclear. We uncovered a key role for sex determination gene transformer (tra) in promoting increased growth in females. Interestingly, we found that sex differences in body size are regulated by Tra in a pathway that is separate of the canonical sex determination pathway, and of other aspects of sexual dimorphism. Instead, Tra function in the fat body regulates growth in a non cell-autonomous manner by regulating the secretion of insulin-like peptides from the brain. This novel Tra-insulin link we describe may have implications for other sexually dimorphic phenotypes in Drosophila (eg. lifespan, stress resistance), many of which are also regulated by insulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Rideout
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail: (EJR); (SSG)
| | - Marcus S. Narsaiya
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Savraj S. Grewal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail: (EJR); (SSG)
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Abstract
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an invaluable model for auditory research. Advantages of using the fruit fly include its stereotyped behavior in response to a particular sound, and the availability of molecular-genetic tools to manipulate gene expression and cellular activity. Although the receiver type in fruit flies differs from that in mammals, the auditory systems of mammals and fruit flies are strikingly similar with regard to the level of development, transduction mechanism, mechanical amplification, and central projections. These similarities strongly support the use of the fruit fly to study the general principles of acoustic information processing. In this review, we introduce acoustic communication and discuss recent advances in our understanding on hearing in fruit flies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled <Annual Reviews 2016>.
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Dekker T, Revadi S, Mansourian S, Ramasamy S, Lebreton S, Becher PG, Angeli S, Rota-Stabelli O, Anfora G. Loss of Drosophila pheromone reverses its role in sexual communication in Drosophila suzukii. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20143018. [PMID: 25716789 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.3018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila pheromone cis-11-octadecenyl acetate (cVA) is used as pheromone throughout the melanogaster group and fulfils a primary role in sexual and social behaviours. Here, we found that Drosophila suzukii, an invasive pest that oviposits in undamaged ripe fruit, does not produce cVA. In fact, its production site, the ejaculatory bulb, is atrophied. Despite loss of cVA production, its receptor, Or67d, and cognate sensillum, T1, which are essential in cVA-mediated behaviours, were fully functional. However, T1 expression was dramatically reduced in D. suzukii, and the corresponding antennal lobe glomerulus, DA1, minute. Behavioural responses to cVA depend on the input balance of Or67d neurons (driving cVA-mediated behaviours) and Or65a neurons (inhibiting cVA-mediated behaviours). Accordingly, the shifted input balance in D. suzukii has reversed cVA's role in sexual behaviour: perfuming D. suzukii males with Drosophila melanogaster equivalents of cVA strongly reduced mating rates. cVA has thus evolved from a generic sex pheromone to a heterospecific signal that disrupts mating in D. suzukii, a saltational shift, mediated through offsetting the input balance that is highly conserved in congeneric species. This study underlines that dramatic changes in a species' sensory preference can result from rather 'simple' numerical shifts in underlying neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teun Dekker
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Santosh Revadi
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden FEM, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Chemical Ecology Group, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN) 38010, Italy
| | - Suzan Mansourian
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Sukanya Ramasamy
- FEM, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Chemical Ecology Group, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN) 38010, Italy
| | - Sebastien Lebreton
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Paul G Becher
- Unit of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Sergio Angeli
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, Bolzano 39100, Italy
| | - Omar Rota-Stabelli
- FEM, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Chemical Ecology Group, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN) 38010, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Anfora
- FEM, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, Chemical Ecology Group, Via E. Mach 1, San Michele all'Adige (TN) 38010, Italy
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Nojima T, Neville MC, Goodwin SF. Fruitless isoforms and target genes specify the sexually dimorphic nervous system underlying Drosophila reproductive behavior. Fly (Austin) 2015; 8:95-100. [PMID: 25483248 PMCID: PMC4197022 DOI: 10.4161/fly.29132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Courtship is pivotal to successful reproduction throughout the animal kingdom. Sexual differences in the nervous system are thought to underlie courtship behavior. Male courtship behavior in Drosophila is in large part regulated by the gene fruitless (fru). fru has been reported to encode at least three putative BTB-zinc-finger transcription factors predicted to have different DNA-binding specificities. Although a large number of previous studies have demonstrated that fru plays essential roles in male courtship behavior, we know little about the function of Fru isoforms at the molecular level. Our recent study revealed that male-specific Fru isoforms are expressed in highly overlapping subsets of neurons in the male brain and ventral nerve cord. Fru isoforms play both distinct and redundant roles in male courtship behavior. Importantly, we have identified for the first time, by means of the DamID technique, direct Fru transcriptional target genes. Fru target genes overwhelmingly represent genes previously reported to be involved in the nervous system development, such as CadN, lola and pdm2. Our study provides important insight into how the sexually dimorphic neural circuits underlying reproductive behavior are established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Nojima
- a Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics; University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
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48
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Feeding regulates sex pheromone attraction and courtship in Drosophila females. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13132. [PMID: 26255707 PMCID: PMC4530334 DOI: 10.1038/srep13132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, gender-specific behavioural responses to the male-produced sex pheromone cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA) rely on sexually dimorphic, third-order neural circuits. We show that nutritional state in female flies modulates cVA perception in first-order olfactory neurons. Starvation increases, and feeding reduces attraction to food odour, in both sexes. Adding cVA to food odour, however, maintains attraction in fed females, while it has no effect in males. Upregulation of sensitivity and behavioural responsiveness to cVA in fed females is paralleled by a strong increase in receptivity to male courtship. Functional imaging of the antennal lobe (AL), the olfactory centre in the insect brain, shows that olfactory input to DA1 and VM2 glomeruli is also modulated by starvation. Knocking down insulin receptors in neurons converging onto the DA1 glomerulus suggests that insulin-signalling partly controls pheromone perception in the AL, and adjusts cVA attraction according to nutritional state and sexual receptivity in Drosophila females.
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49
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Insect motor control: methodological advances, descending control and inter-leg coordination on the move. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2015; 33:8-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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50
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Constraints on the evolution of a doublesex target gene arising from doublesex's pleiotropic deployment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E852-61. [PMID: 25675536 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1501192112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
"Regulatory evolution," that is, changes in a gene's expression pattern through changes at its regulatory sequence, rather than changes at the coding sequence of the gene or changes of the upstream transcription factors, has been increasingly recognized as a pervasive evolution mechanism. Many somatic sexually dimorphic features of Drosophila melanogaster are the results of gene expression regulated by the doublesex (dsx) gene, which encodes sex-specific transcription factors (DSX(F) in females and DSX(M) in males). Rapid changes in such sexually dimorphic features are likely a result of changes at the regulatory sequence of the target genes. We focused on the Flavin-containing monooxygenase-2 (Fmo-2) gene, a likely direct dsx target, to elucidate how sexually dimorphic expression and its evolution are brought about. We found that dsx is deployed to regulate the Fmo-2 transcription both in the midgut and in fat body cells of the spermatheca (a female-specific tissue), through a canonical DSX-binding site in the Fmo-2 regulatory sequence. In the melanogaster group, Fmo-2 transcription in the midgut has evolved rapidly, in contrast to the conserved spermathecal transcription. We identified two cis-regulatory modules (CRM-p and CRM-d) that direct sexually monomorphic or dimorphic Fmo-2 transcription, respectively, in the midguts of these species. Changes of Fmo-2 transcription in the midgut from sexually dimorphic to sexually monomorphic in some species are caused by the loss of CRM-d function, but not the loss of the canonical DSX-binding site. Thus, conferring transcriptional regulation on a CRM level allows the regulation to evolve rapidly in one tissue while evading evolutionary constraints posed by other tissues.
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