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Afkhami M. Neurobiology of egg-laying behavior in Drosophila: neural control of the female reproductive system. J Neurogenet 2024:1-15. [PMID: 39250036 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2024.2396352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
Egg-laying is one of the key aspects of female reproductive behavior in insects. Egg-laying has been studied since the dawn of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. The female's internal state, hormones, and external factors, such as nutrition, light, and social environment, affect egg-laying output. However, only recently, neurobiological features of egg-laying behavior have been studied in detail. fruitless and doublesex, two key players in the sex determination pathway, have become focal points in identifying neurons of reproductive significance in both central and peripheral nervous systems. The reproductive tract and external terminalia house sensory neurons that carry the sensory information of egg maturation, mating and egg-laying. These sensory signals include the presence of male accessory gland products and mechanical stimuli. The abdominal neuromere houses neurons that receive information from the reproductive tract, including sex peptide abdominal ganglion neurons (SAGs), and send their information to the brain. In the brain, neuronal groups like aDNs and pC1 clusters modulate egg-laying decision-making, and other neurons like oviINs and oviDNs are necessary for egg-laying itself. Lastly, motor neurons involved in egg-laying, which are mostly octopaminergic, reside in the abdominal neuromere and orchestrate the muscle movements required for laying the egg. Egg-laying neuronal control is important in various evolutionary processes like cryptic female choice, and using different Drosophila species can provide intriguing avenues for the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrnaz Afkhami
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
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2
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Li J, Ning C, Liu Y, Deng B, Wang B, Shi K, Wang R, Fang R, Zhou C. The function of juvenile-adult transition axis in female sexual receptivity of Drosophila melanogaster. eLife 2024; 12:RP92545. [PMID: 39240259 PMCID: PMC11379460 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Female sexual receptivity is essential for reproduction of a species. Neuropeptides play the main role in regulating female receptivity. However, whether neuropeptides regulate female sexual receptivity during the neurodevelopment is unknown. Here, we found the peptide hormone prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), which belongs to the insect PG (prothoracic gland) axis, negatively regulated virgin female receptivity through ecdysone during neurodevelopment in Drosophila melanogaster. We identified PTTH neurons as doublesex-positive neurons, they regulated virgin female receptivity before the metamorphosis during the third-instar larval stage. PTTH deletion resulted in the increased EcR-A expression in the whole newly formed prepupae. Furthermore, the ecdysone receptor EcR-A in pC1 neurons positively regulated virgin female receptivity during metamorphosis. The decreased EcR-A in pC1 neurons induced abnormal morphological development of pC1 neurons without changing neural activity. Among all subtypes of pC1 neurons, the function of EcR-A in pC1b neurons was necessary for virgin female copulation rate. These suggested that the changes of synaptic connections between pC1b and other neurons decreased female copulation rate. Moreover, female receptivity significantly decreased when the expression of PTTH receptor Torso was reduced in pC1 neurons. This suggested that PTTH not only regulates female receptivity through ecdysone but also through affecting female receptivity associated neurons directly. The PG axis has similar functional strategy as the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in mammals to trigger the juvenile-adult transition. Our work suggests a general mechanism underlying which the neurodevelopment during maturation regulates female sexual receptivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Ning
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaohua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Zhongguancun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Bingcai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rencong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruixin Fang
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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3
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Feng B, Hu Y, Wang FH. Effects of ttk on development and courtship of male Nilaparvata lugens. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39172052 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transcription product of tramtrack (ttk) is an important transcription factor which plays many roles in the regulation of the development, differentiation and chromosome recombination of organisms. Few studies have been reported on the specific functions of ttk in other insects except Drosophila melanogaster. Our aims are to reveal the ttk effects on development and courtship of male rice pest brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. RESULTS In this study, we first assayed spatiotemporal expression of ttk in BPH, then treated the fourth nymphs of BPH with dsttk. We found most individuals died before emerging to adults, the adult eclosion rate was only 18.89%. No courtship behavior was found in individuals injected with dsttk. Further research showed that the main frequency of courtship vibration signal (CVS) 431.3 Hz in the individuals injected with dsttk was significantly higher than 223 Hz in the individuals injected with dsGFP, and female adults nearly had no response to the 431.3 Hz CVS. CONCLUSION We found that about 81% of the 4-instar nymphs of BPH treated with dsttk died before they emerged as adults, the successfully emerged adults emitted the 431.3 Hz CVS to which female adults did not respond and lost the ability of courtship. This was first finding about the functions of ttk in rice planthopper and illustrated the potential of ttk as target for RNAi to control rice planthopper. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol and Institute of Entomology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol and Institute of Entomology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fang-Hai Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol and Institute of Entomology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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4
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Gautham AK, Miner LE, Franco MN, Thornquist SC, Crickmore MA. Dopamine biases decisions by limiting temporal integration. Nature 2024; 632:850-857. [PMID: 39085606 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07749-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Motivations bias our responses to stimuli, producing behavioural outcomes that match our needs and goals. Here we describe a mechanism behind this phenomenon: adjusting the time over which stimulus-derived information is permitted to accumulate towards a decision. As a Drosophila copulation progresses, the male becomes less likely to continue mating through challenges1-3. We show that a set of copulation decision neurons (CDNs) flexibly integrates information about competing drives to mediate this decision. Early in mating, dopamine signalling restricts CDN integration time by potentiating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activation in response to stimulatory inputs, imposing a high threshold for changing behaviours. Later into mating, the timescale over which the CDNs integrate termination-promoting information expands, increasing the likelihood of switching behaviours. We suggest scalable windows of temporal integration at dedicated circuit nodes as a key but underappreciated variable in state-based decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K Gautham
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lauren E Miner
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco N Franco
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen C Thornquist
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Function, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Michael A Crickmore
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Wang B, Mao Z, Chen Y, Ying J, Wang H, Sun Z, Li J, Zhang C, Zhuo J. Identification and Functional Analysis of the fruitless Gene in a Hemimetabolous Insect, Nilaparvata lugens. INSECTS 2024; 15:262. [PMID: 38667392 PMCID: PMC11050625 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The fruitless (fru) gene functions as a crucial "tuner" in male insect courtship behavior through distinct expression patterns. In Nilaparvata lugens, our previous research showed doublesex (dsx) influencing male courtship songs, causing mating failures with virgin females. However, the impact of fru on N. lugens mating remains unexplored. In this study, the fru homolog (Nlfru) in N. lugens yielded four spliceosomes: Nlfru-374-a/b, Nlfru-377, and Nlfru-433, encoding proteins of 374aa, 377aa, and 433aa, respectively. Notably, only Nlfru-374b exhibited male bias, while the others were non-sex-specific. All NlFRU proteins featured the BTB conserved domain, with NlFRU-374 and NlFRU-377 possessing the ZnF domain with different sequences. RNAi-mediated Nlfru or its isoforms' knockdown in nymph stages blocked wing-flapping behavior in mating males, while embryonic knockdown via maternal RNAi resulted in over 80% of males losing wing-flapping ability, and female receptivity was reduced. Nlfru expression was Nldsx-regulated, and yet courtship signals and mating success were unaffected. Remarkably, RNAi-mediated Nlfru knockdown up-regulated the expression of flightin in macropterous males, which regulated muscle stiffness and delayed force response, suggesting Nlfru's involvement in muscle development regulation. Collectively, our results indicate that Nlfru functions in N. lugens exhibit a combination of conservation and species specificity, contributing insights into fru evolution, particularly in Hemiptera species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jichong Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory for ManagingBiotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MARA and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; (B.W.); (Z.M.); (Y.C.); (J.Y.); (H.W.); (Z.S.); (J.L.); (C.Z.)
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Schretter CE, Sten TH, Klapoetke N, Shao M, Nern A, Dreher M, Bushey D, Robie AA, Taylor AL, Branson KM, Otopalik A, Ruta V, Rubin GM. Social state gates vision using three circuit mechanisms in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.15.585289. [PMID: 38559111 PMCID: PMC10979952 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.585289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Animals are often bombarded with visual information and must prioritize specific visual features based on their current needs. The neuronal circuits that detect and relay visual features have been well-studied. Yet, much less is known about how an animal adjusts its visual attention as its goals or environmental conditions change. During social behaviors, flies need to focus on nearby flies. Here, we study how the flow of visual information is altered when female Drosophila enter an aggressive state. From the connectome, we identified three state-dependent circuit motifs poised to selectively amplify the response of an aggressive female to fly-sized visual objects: convergence of excitatory inputs from neurons conveying select visual features and internal state; dendritic disinhibition of select visual feature detectors; and a switch that toggles between two visual feature detectors. Using cell-type-specific genetic tools, together with behavioral and neurophysiological analyses, we show that each of these circuit motifs function during female aggression. We reveal that features of this same switch operate in males during courtship pursuit, suggesting that disparate social behaviors may share circuit mechanisms. Our work provides a compelling example of using the connectome to infer circuit mechanisms that underlie dynamic processing of sensory signals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom Hindmarsh Sten
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nathan Klapoetke
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Mei Shao
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Aljoscha Nern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Marisa Dreher
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Daniel Bushey
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Alice A Robie
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Adam L Taylor
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Kristin M Branson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Adriane Otopalik
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gerald M Rubin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
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7
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Baker CA, Guan XJ, Choi M, Murthy M. The role of fruitless in specifying courtship behaviors across divergent Drosophila species. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk1273. [PMID: 38478605 PMCID: PMC10936877 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Sex-specific behaviors are critical for reproduction and species survival. The sex-specifically spliced transcription factor fruitless (fru) helps establish male courtship behaviors in invertebrates. Forcing male-specific fru (fruM) splicing in Drosophila melanogaster females produces male-typical behaviors while disrupting female-specific behaviors. However, whether fru's joint role in specifying male and inhibiting female behaviors is conserved across species is unknown. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to force FruM expression in female Drosophila virilis, a species in which males and females produce sex-specific songs. In contrast to D. melanogaster, in which one fruM allele is sufficient to generate male behaviors in females, two alleles are needed in D. virilis females. D. virilis females expressing FruM maintain the ability to sing female-typical song as well as lay eggs, whereas D. melanogaster FruM females cannot lay eggs. These results reveal potential differences in fru function between divergent species and underscore the importance of studying diverse behaviors and species for understanding the genetic basis of sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiao-Juan Guan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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8
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Gautham AK, Miner LE, Franco MN, Thornquist SC, Crickmore MA. Molecular control of temporal integration matches decision-making to motivational state. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.01.582988. [PMID: 38496671 PMCID: PMC10942309 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.01.582988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Motivations bias our responses to stimuli, producing behavioral outcomes that match our needs and goals. We describe a mechanism behind this phenomenon: adjusting the time over which stimulus-derived information is permitted to accumulate toward a decision. As a Drosophila copulation progresses, the male becomes less likely to continue mating through challenges. We show that a set of Copulation Decision Neurons (CDNs) flexibly integrates information about competing drives to mediate this decision. Early in mating, dopamine signaling restricts CDN integration time by potentiating CaMKII activation in response to stimulatory inputs, imposing a high threshold for changing behaviors. Later into mating, the timescale over which the CDNs integrate termination-promoting information expands, increasing the likelihood of switching behaviors. We suggest scalable windows of temporal integration at dedicated circuit nodes as a key but underappreciated variable in state-based decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya K. Gautham
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Lauren E. Miner
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Marco N. Franco
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
| | | | - Michael A. Crickmore
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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9
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Roggenbuck EC, Hall EA, Hanson IB, Roby AA, Zhang KK, Alkatib KA, Carter JA, Clewner JE, Gelfius AL, Gong S, Gordon FR, Iseler JN, Kotapati S, Li M, Maysun A, McCormick EO, Rastogi G, Sengupta S, Uzoma CU, Wolkov MA, Clowney EJ. Let's talk about sex: Mechanisms of neural sexual differentiation in Bilateria. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1636. [PMID: 38185860 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, sexed gonads have evolved that facilitate release of sperm versus eggs, and bilaterian animals purposefully combine their gametes via mating behaviors. Distinct neural circuits have evolved that control these physically different mating events for animals producing eggs from ovaries versus sperm from testis. In this review, we will describe the developmental mechanisms that sexually differentiate neural circuits across three major clades of bilaterian animals-Ecdysozoa, Deuterosomia, and Lophotrochozoa. While many of the mechanisms inducing somatic and neuronal sex differentiation across these diverse organisms are clade-specific rather than evolutionarily conserved, we develop a common framework for considering the developmental logic of these events and the types of neuronal differences that produce sex-differentiated behaviors. This article is categorized under: Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Neurological Diseases > Stem Cells and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Roggenbuck
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elijah A Hall
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Isabel B Hanson
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Alyssa A Roby
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Katherine K Zhang
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kyle A Alkatib
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Joseph A Carter
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jarred E Clewner
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anna L Gelfius
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shiyuan Gong
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Finley R Gordon
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jolene N Iseler
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Samhita Kotapati
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Marilyn Li
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Areeba Maysun
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elise O McCormick
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Geetanjali Rastogi
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Srijani Sengupta
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chantal U Uzoma
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Madison A Wolkov
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - E Josephine Clowney
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute Affiliate, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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10
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Zhao H, Jiang X, Ma M, Xing L, Ji X, Pan Y. A neural pathway for social modulation of spontaneous locomotor activity (SoMo-SLA) in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314393121. [PMID: 38394240 PMCID: PMC10907233 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314393121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Social enrichment or social isolation affects a range of innate behaviors, such as sex, aggression, and sleep, but whether there is a shared mechanism is not clear. Here, we report a neural mechanism underlying social modulation of spontaneous locomotor activity (SoMo-SLA), an internal-driven behavior indicative of internal states. We find that social enrichment specifically reduces spontaneous locomotor activity in male flies. We identify neuropeptides Diuretic hormone 44 (DH44) and Tachykinin (TK) to be up- and down-regulated by social enrichment and necessary for SoMo-SLA. We further demonstrate a sexually dimorphic neural circuit, in which the male-specific P1 neurons encoding internal states form positive feedback with interneurons coexpressing doublesex (dsx) and Tk to promote locomotion, while P1 neurons also form negative feedback with interneurons coexpressing dsx and DH44 to inhibit locomotion. These two opposing neuromodulatory recurrent circuits represent a potentially common mechanism that underlies the social regulation of multiple innate behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhao
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Xinyu Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Mingze Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Limin Xing
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Ji
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing210096, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong226019, China
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11
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Yadav RSP, Ansari F, Bera N, Kent C, Agrawal P. Lessons from lonely flies: Molecular and neuronal mechanisms underlying social isolation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 156:105504. [PMID: 38061597 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105504] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Animals respond to changes in the environment which affect their internal state by adapting their behaviors. Social isolation is a form of passive environmental stressor that alters behaviors across animal kingdom, including humans, rodents, and fruit flies. Social isolation is known to increase violence, disrupt sleep and increase depression leading to poor mental and physical health. Recent evidences from several model organisms suggest that social isolation leads to remodeling of the transcriptional and epigenetic landscape which alters behavioral outcomes. In this review, we explore how manipulating social experience of fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster can shed light on molecular and neuronal mechanisms underlying isolation driven behaviors. We discuss the recent advances made using the powerful genetic toolkit and behavioral assays in Drosophila to uncover role of neuromodulators, sensory modalities, pheromones, neuronal circuits and molecular mechanisms in mediating social isolation. The insights gained from these studies could be crucial for developing effective therapeutic interventions in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sai Prathap Yadav
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Faizah Ansari
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Neha Bera
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Clement Kent
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Pavan Agrawal
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka 576104, India.
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12
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Ahmed OM, Crocker A, Murthy M. Transcriptional profiling of Drosophila male-specific P1 (pC1) neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.07.566045. [PMID: 37986870 PMCID: PMC10659367 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.566045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, the P1 (pC1) cluster of male-specific neurons both integrates sensory cues and drives or modulates behavioral programs such as courtship, in addition to contributing to a social arousal state. The behavioral function of these neurons is linked to the genes they express, which underpin their capacity for synaptic signaling, neuromodulation, and physiology. Yet, P1 (pC1) neurons have not been fully characterized at the transcriptome level. Moreover, it is unknown how the molecular landscape of P1 (pC1) neurons acutely changes after flies engage in social behaviors, where baseline P1 (pC1) neural activity is expected to increase. To address these two gaps, we use single cell-type RNA sequencing to profile and compare the transcriptomes of P1 (pC1) neurons harvested from socially paired versus solitary male flies. Compared to control transcriptome datasets, we find that P1 (pC1) neurons are enriched in 2,665 genes, including those encoding receptors, neuropeptides, and cell-adhesion molecules (dprs/DIPs). Furthermore, courtship is characterized by changes in ~300 genes, including those previously implicated in regulating behavior (e.g. DopEcR, Octβ3R, Fife, kairos, rad). Finally, we identify a suite of genes that link conspecific courtship with the innate immune system. Together, these data serve as a molecular map for future studies of an important set of higher-order and sexually-dimorphic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama M Ahmed
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Amanda Crocker
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
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13
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Sten TH, Li R, Hollunder F, Eleazer S, Ruta V. Male-male interactions shape mate selection in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.03.565582. [PMID: 37961193 PMCID: PMC10635267 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Males of many species have evolved behavioral traits to both attract females and repel rivals. Here, we explore mate selection in Drosophila from both the male and female perspective to shed light on how these key components of sexual selection - female choice and male-male competition - work in concert to guide reproductive strategies. We find that male flies fend off competing suitors by interleaving their courtship of a female with aggressive wing flicks, which both repel competitors and generate a 'song' that obscures the female's auditory perception of other potential mates. Two higher-order circuit nodes - P1a and pC1x neurons - are coordinately recruited to allow males to flexibly interleave these agonistic actions with courtship displays, assuring they persistently pursue females until their rival falters. Together, our results suggest that female mating decisions are shaped by male-male interactions, underscoring how a male's ability to subvert his rivals is central to his reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Hindmarsh Sten
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Rufei Li
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Florian Hollunder
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shadé Eleazer
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA
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14
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Sato K, Yamamoto D. Molecular and cellular origins of behavioral sex differences: a tiny little fly tells a lot. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1284367. [PMID: 37928065 PMCID: PMC10622783 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1284367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral sex differences primarily derive from the sexually dimorphic organization of neural circuits that direct the behavior. In Drosophila melanogaster, the sex-determination genes fruitless (fru) and doublesex (dsx) play pivotal roles in producing the sexual dimorphism of neural circuits for behavior. Here we examine three neural groups expressing fru and/or dsx, i.e., the P1 cluster, aSP-f and aSP-g cluster pairs and aDN cluster, in which causal relationships between the dimorphic behavior and dimorphic neural characteristics are best illustrated. aSP-f, aSP-g and aDN clusters represent examples where fru or dsx switches cell-autonomously their neurite structures between the female-type and male-type. Processed sensory inputs impinging on these neurons may result in outputs that encode different valences, which culminate in the execution of distinct behavior according to the sex. In contrast, the P1 cluster is male-specific as its female counterpart undergoes dsx-driven cell death, which lowers the threshold for the induction of male-specific behaviors. We propose that the products of fru and dsx genes, as terminal selectors in sexually dimorphic neuronal wiring, induce and maintain the sex-typical chromatin state at postembryonic stages, orchestrating the transcription of effector genes that shape single neuron structures and govern cell survival and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosei Sato
- Neuro-ICT Laboratory, Advanced ICT Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Kobe, Japan
| | - Daisuke Yamamoto
- Neuro-ICT Laboratory, Advanced ICT Research Institute, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Kobe, Japan
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15
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Ji X, Li X, Wang L, Liu S, Jiang X, Pan Y. Asexuality in Drosophila juvenile males is organizational and independent of juvenile hormone. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56898. [PMID: 37530648 PMCID: PMC10561357 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexuality is generally prevented in newborns and arises with organizational rewiring of neural circuitry and optimization of fitness for reproduction competition. Recent studies reported that sex circuitry in Drosophila melanogaster is developed in juvenile males but functionally inhibited by juvenile hormone (JH). Here, we find that the fly sex circuitry, mainly expressing the male-specific fruitless (fruM ) and/or doublesex (dsx), is organizationally undeveloped and functionally inoperative in juvenile males. Artificially activating all fruM neurons induces substantial courtship in solitary adult males but not in juvenile males. Synaptic transmissions between major courtship regulators and all dsx neurons are strong in adult males but either weak or undetectable in juvenile males. We further find that JH does not inhibit male courtship in juvenile males but instead promotes courtship robustness in adult males. Our results indicate that the transition to sexuality from juvenile to adult flies requires organizational rewiring of neural circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Ji
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and TechnologySoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xiaolong Li
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and TechnologySoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Lin Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and TechnologySoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Suning Liu
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied TechnologySouth China Normal UniversityMeizhouChina
| | - Xinyu Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and TechnologySoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and TechnologySoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
- Co‐innovation Center of NeuroregenerationNantong UniversityNantongChina
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16
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Roemschied FA, Pacheco DA, Aragon MJ, Ireland EC, Li X, Thieringer K, Pang R, Murthy M. Flexible circuit mechanisms for context-dependent song sequencing. Nature 2023; 622:794-801. [PMID: 37821705 PMCID: PMC10600009 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Sequenced behaviours, including locomotion, reaching and vocalization, are patterned differently in different contexts, enabling animals to adjust to their environments. How contextual information shapes neural activity to flexibly alter the patterning of actions is not fully understood. Previous work has indicated that this could be achieved via parallel motor circuits, with differing sensitivities to context1,2. Here we demonstrate that a single pathway operates in two regimes dependent on recent sensory history. We leverage the Drosophila song production system3 to investigate the role of several neuron types4-7 in song patterning near versus far from the female fly. Male flies sing 'simple' trains of only one mode far from the female fly but complex song sequences comprising alternations between modes when near her. We find that ventral nerve cord (VNC) circuits are shaped by mutual inhibition and rebound excitability8 between nodes driving the two song modes. Brief sensory input to a direct brain-to-VNC excitatory pathway drives simple song far from the female, whereas prolonged input enables complex song production via simultaneous recruitment of functional disinhibition of VNC circuitry. Thus, female proximity unlocks motor circuit dynamics in the correct context. We construct a compact circuit model to demonstrate that the identified mechanisms suffice to replicate natural song dynamics. These results highlight how canonical circuit motifs8,9 can be combined to enable circuit flexibility required for dynamic communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic A Roemschied
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- European Neuroscience Institute, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Diego A Pacheco
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Max J Aragon
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Elise C Ireland
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Xinping Li
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Kyle Thieringer
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Rich Pang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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17
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Mabuchi Y, Cui X, Xie L, Kim H, Jiang T, Yapici N. Visual feedback neurons fine-tune Drosophila male courtship via GABA-mediated inhibition. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3896-3910.e7. [PMID: 37673068 PMCID: PMC10529139 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Many species of animals use vision to regulate their social behaviors. However, the molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying visually guided social interactions remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the Drosophila ortholog of the human GABAA-receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) is required in a class of visual feedback neurons, lamina tangential (Lat) cells, to fine-tune male courtship. GABARAP is a ubiquitin-like protein that maintains cell-surface levels of GABAA receptors. We demonstrate that knocking down GABARAP or GABAAreceptors in Lat neurons or hyperactivating them induces male courtship toward other males. Inhibiting Lat neurons, on the other hand, delays copulation by impairing the ability of males to follow females. Remarkably, the fly GABARAP protein and its human ortholog share a strong sequence identity, and the fly GABARAP function in Lat neurons can be rescued by its human ortholog. Using in vivo two-photon imaging and optogenetics, we reveal that Lat neurons are functionally connected to neural circuits that mediate visually guided courtship pursuits in males. Our work identifies a novel physiological function for GABARAP in regulating visually guided courtship pursuits in Drosophila males. Reduced GABAA signaling has been linked to social deficits observed in the autism spectrum and bipolar disorders. The functional similarity between the human and the fly GABARAP raises the possibility of a conserved role for this gene in regulating social behaviors across insects and mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Mabuchi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xinyue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lily Xie
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tianxing Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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18
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Coleman RT, Morantte I, Koreman GT, Cheng ML, Ding Y, Ruta V. A modular circuit architecture coordinates the diversification of courtship strategies in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.16.558080. [PMID: 37745588 PMCID: PMC10516016 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.16.558080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Identifying a mate is a central imperative for males of most species but poses the challenge of distinguishing a suitable partner from an array of potential male competitors or females of related species. Mate recognition systems are thus subject to strong selective pressures, driving the rapid coevolution of female sensory cues and male sensory preferences. Here we leverage the rapid evolution of female pheromones across the Drosophila genus to gain insight into how males coordinately adapt their detection and interpretation of these chemical cues to hone their mating strategies. While in some Drosophila species females produce unique pheromones that act to attract and arouse their conspecific males, the pheromones of most species are sexually monomorphic such that females possess no distinguishing chemosensory signatures that males can use for mate recognition. By comparing several close and distantly-related Drosophila species, we reveal that D. yakuba males have evolved the distinct ability to use a sexually-monomorphic pheromone, 7-tricosene (7-T), as an excitatory cue to promote courtship, a sensory innovation that enables D. yakuba males to court in the dark thereby expanding their reproductive opportunities. To gain insight into the neural adaptations that enable 7-T to act as an excitatory cue, we compared the functional properties of two key nodes within the pheromone circuits of D. yakuba and a subset of its closest relatives. We show that the instructive role of 7-T in D. yakuba arises from concurrent peripheral and central circuit changes: a distinct subpopulation of sensory neurons has acquired sensitivity to 7-T which in turn selectively signals to a distinct subset of P1 neurons in the central brain that trigger courtship behaviors. Such a modular circuit organization, in which different sensory inputs can independently couple to multiple parallel courtship control nodes, may facilitate the evolution of mate recognition systems by allowing males to take advantage of novel sensory modalities to become aroused. Together, our findings suggest how peripheral and central circuit adaptations can be flexibly linked to underlie the rapid evolution of mate recognition and courtship strategies across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory T. Coleman
- Laboatory of Neurophysiology and Behavior and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Ianessa Morantte
- Laboatory of Neurophysiology and Behavior and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Gabriel T. Koreman
- Laboatory of Neurophysiology and Behavior and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Megan L. Cheng
- Laboatory of Neurophysiology and Behavior and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Vanessa Ruta
- Laboatory of Neurophysiology and Behavior and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
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19
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Seong KH, Uemura T, Kang S. Road to sexual maturity: Behavioral event schedule from eclosion to first mating in each sex of Drosophila melanogaster. iScience 2023; 26:107502. [PMID: 37636050 PMCID: PMC10448111 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals achieve their first mating through the process of sexual maturation. This study examined the precise and detailed timing of a series of behavioral events, including wing expansion, first feeding, first excretion, and courtship, during sexual maturation from eclosion to first mating in D. melanogaster. We found that the time of first mating is genetically invariant and is not affected by light/dark cycle or food intake after eclosion. We also found sexual dimorphism in locomotor activity after eclosion, with females increasing locomotor activity earlier than males. In addition, we found a time rapidly changing from extremely low to high sexual activity in males post eclosion (named "drastic male courtship arousal" or DMCA). These behavioral traits leading up to the first mating could serve as clear indicators of sexual maturation and establish precisely timed developmental landmarks to explore further the mechanisms underlying the integration of behavioral and physiological sexual maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Hyeon Seong
- Department of Liberal Arts and Human Development, Kanagawa University of Human Services, 1-10-1 Heiseicho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-8522, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Tadashi Uemura
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Center for Living Systems Information Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Siu Kang
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)-CREST, AMED, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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20
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Ueno M, Nakata M, Kaneko Y, Iwami M, Takayanagi-Kiya S, Kiya T. fruitless is sex-differentially spliced and is important for the courtship behavior and development of silkmoth Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 159:103989. [PMID: 37453662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms of the brain play essential roles in successful reproduction. Silkmoth Bombyx mori exhibits extensive sexual differences in sexual behavior, as well as their morphology. Although the neural circuits that transmit information about sex pheromone in the male brain are extensively analyzed, the molecular mechanisms that regulate their development are still elusive. In the present study, we focused on the silkmoth ortholog of fruitless (fru) as a candidate gene that regulates sexual dimorphisms of the brain. fru transcripts were expressed from multiple promoters in various tissues, and brain-specific transcripts were sex-specifically spliced, in a manner similar to Drosophila. Interestingly, fru was highly expressed in the adult female brain and the male larval testis. Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated fru knockout strains revealed that fru plays important roles in survival during late larval and pupal stages, testis development, and adult sexual behavior. fru mutant males exhibited highly reduced levels of courtship and low copulation rate, indicating that fru plays significant roles in the sexual behavior of silkmoths, although it is not absolutely necessary for copulation. In the fru mutant males, sexually dimorphic pattern of the odorant receptor expression was impaired, possibly causing the defects in courtship behavior. These results provide important clues to elucidate the development of sexual dimorphisms of silkmoth brains, as well as the evolution of fruitless gene in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Ueno
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Masami Nakata
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Kaneko
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Masafumi Iwami
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Seika Takayanagi-Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan.
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21
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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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22
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Sun J, Liu WK, Ellsworth C, Sun Q, Pan Y, Huang YC, Deng WM. Integrating lipid metabolism, pheromone production and perception by Fruitless and Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf6254. [PMID: 37390217 PMCID: PMC10313179 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf6254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Sexual attraction and perception are crucial for mating and reproductive success. In Drosophila melanogaster, the male-specific isoform of Fruitless (Fru), FruM, is a known master neuro-regulator of innate courtship behavior to control the perception of sex pheromones in sensory neurons. Here, we show that the non-sex-specific Fru isoform (FruCOM) is necessary for pheromone biosynthesis in hepatocyte-like oenocytes for sexual attraction. Loss of FruCOM in oenocytes resulted in adults with reduced levels of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), including sex pheromones, and show altered sexual attraction and reduced cuticular hydrophobicity. We further identify Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (Hnf4) as a key target of FruCOM in directing fatty acid conversion to hydrocarbons. Fru or Hnf4 depletion in oenocytes disrupts lipid homeostasis, resulting in a sex-dimorphic CHC profile that differs from doublesex- and transformer-dependent CHC dimorphism. Thus, Fru couples pheromone perception and production in separate organs to regulate chemosensory communications and ensure efficient mating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Wen-Kan Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Calder Ellsworth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Qian Sun
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yi-Chun Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Wu-Min Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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23
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Shen P, Wan X, Wu F, Shi K, Li J, Gao H, Zhao L, Zhou C. Neural circuit mechanisms linking courtship and reward in Drosophila males. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2034-2050.e8. [PMID: 37160122 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Courtship has evolved to achieve reproductive success in animal species. However, whether courtship itself has a positive value remains unclear. In the present work, we report that courtship is innately rewarding and can induce the expression of appetitive short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) in Drosophila melanogaster males. Activation of male-specific P1 neurons is sufficient to mimic courtship-induced preference and memory performance. Surprisingly, P1 neurons functionally connect to a large proportion of dopaminergic neurons (DANs) in the protocerebral anterior medial (PAM) cluster. The acquisition of STM and LTM depends on two distinct subsets of PAM DANs that convey the courtship-reward signal to the restricted regions of the mushroom body (MB) γ and α/β lobes through two dopamine receptors, D1-like Dop1R1 and D2-like Dop2R. Furthermore, the retrieval of STM stored in the MB α'/β' lobes and LTM stored in the MB α/β lobe relies on two distinct MB output neurons. Finally, LTM consolidation requires two subsets of PAM DANs projecting to the MB α/β lobe and corresponding MB output neurons. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that courtship is a potent rewarding stimulus and reveal the underlying neural circuit mechanisms linking courtship and reward in Drosophila males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xiaolu Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Hongjiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Lilin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
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24
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Nanni AV, Martinez N, Graze R, Morse A, Newman JRB, Jain V, Vlaho S, Signor S, Nuzhdin SV, Renne R, McIntyre LM. Sex-Biased Expression Is Associated With Chromatin State in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad078. [PMID: 37116218 PMCID: PMC10162771 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans head tissue, 60% of orthologous genes show evidence of sex-biased expression in at least one species. Of these, ∼39% (2,192) are conserved in direction. We hypothesize enrichment of open chromatin in the sex where we see expression bias and closed chromatin in the opposite sex. Male-biased orthologs are significantly enriched for H3K4me3 marks in males of both species (∼89% of male-biased orthologs vs. ∼76% of unbiased orthologs). Similarly, female-biased orthologs are significantly enriched for H3K4me3 marks in females of both species (∼90% of female-biased orthologs vs. ∼73% of unbiased orthologs). The sex-bias ratio in female-biased orthologs was similar in magnitude between the two species, regardless of the closed chromatin (H3K27me2me3) marks in males. However, in male-biased orthologs, the presence of H3K27me2me3 in both species significantly reduced the correlation between D. melanogaster sex-bias ratio and the D. simulans sex-bias ratio. Male-biased orthologs are enriched for evidence of positive selection in the D. melanogaster group. There are more male-biased genes than female-biased genes in both species. For orthologs with gains/losses of sex-bias between the two species, there is an excess of male-bias compared to female-bias, but there is no consistent pattern in the relationship between H3K4me3 or H3K27me2me3 chromatin marks and expression. These data suggest chromatin state is a component of the maintenance of sex-biased expression and divergence of sex-bias between species is reflected in the complexity of the chromatin status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adalena V Nanni
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Natalie Martinez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Rita Graze
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | - Alison Morse
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Jeremy R B Newman
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Vaibhav Jain
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Srna Vlaho
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Sarah Signor
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
| | - Sergey V Nuzhdin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Rolf Renne
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Lauren M McIntyre
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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25
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Wang R, Ma B, Shi K, Wu F, Zhou C. Effects of lithium on aggression in Drosophila. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:754-763. [PMID: 36253547 PMCID: PMC10066353 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01475-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Lithium is a common medication used to treat mania and bipolar disorder, but the mechanisms by which lithium stabilizes mood and modifies aggression are still not fully understood. Here we found that acute but not chronic lithium significantly suppresses aggression without affecting locomotion in Drosophila melanogaster. Male flies treated with acute lithium are also less competitive than control males in establishing dominance. We also provided evidence that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a well-known target of lithium, plays an important role in the anti-aggressive effect of lithium in Drosophila. Our genetic data showed that acute knockdown of GSK-3 in neurons can mimic the inhibitory effect of acute lithium on aggression, while specific overexpression of GSK-3 in a subset of P1 neurons profoundly promotes aggression which can be partially rescued by acute lithium application. Thus, these findings revealed the inhibitory effect of lithium on aggression in Drosophila and laid a groundwork for using Drosophila as a powerful model to investigate the mechanisms by which lithium reduces aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rencong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
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26
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Sun J, Liu WK, Ellsworth C, Sun Q, Pan YF, Huang YC, Deng WM. Integrating lipid metabolism, pheromone production and perception by Fruitless and Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.23.529767. [PMID: 36865119 PMCID: PMC9980076 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.23.529767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Sexual attraction and perception, governed by separate genetic circuits in different organs, are crucial for mating and reproductive success, yet the mechanisms of how these two aspects are integrated remain unclear. In Drosophila , the male-specific isoform of Fruitless (Fru), Fru M , is known as a master neuro-regulator of innate courtship behavior to control perception of sex pheromones in sensory neurons. Here we show that the non-sex specific Fru isoform (Fru COM ) is necessary for pheromone biosynthesis in hepatocyte-like oenocytes for sexual attraction. Loss of Fru COM in oenocytes resulted in adults with reduced levels of the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), including sex pheromones, and show altered sexual attraction and reduced cuticular hydrophobicity. We further identify Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 ( Hnf4 ) as a key target of Fru COM in directing fatty acid conversion to hydrocarbons in adult oenocytes. fru - and Hnf4 -depletion disrupts lipid homeostasis, resulting in a novel sex-dimorphic CHC profile, which differs from doublesex - and transformer -dependent sexual dimorphism of the CHC profile. Thus, Fru couples pheromone perception and production in separate organs for precise coordination of chemosensory communication that ensures efficient mating behavior. Teaser Fruitless and lipid metabolism regulator HNF4 integrate pheromone biosynthesis and perception to ensure robust courtship behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Wen-Kan Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Calder Ellsworth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Qian Sun
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Yu-Feng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yi-Chun Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Wu-Min Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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27
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Mabuchi Y, Cui X, Xie L, Kim H, Jiang T, Yapici N. GABA-mediated inhibition in visual feedback neurons fine-tunes Drosophila male courtship. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.25.525544. [PMID: 36747836 PMCID: PMC9900824 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.25.525544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Vision is critical for the regulation of mating behaviors in many species. Here, we discovered that the Drosophila ortholog of human GABA A -receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) is required to fine-tune male courtship by modulating the activity of visual feedback neurons, lamina tangential cells (Lat). GABARAP is a ubiquitin-like protein that regulates cell-surface levels of GABA A receptors. Knocking down GABARAP or GABA A receptors in Lat neurons or hyperactivating them induces male courtship toward other males. Inhibiting Lat neurons, on the other hand, delays copulation by impairing the ability of males to follow females. Remarkably, the human ortholog of Drosophila GABARAP restores function in Lat neurons. Using in vivo two-photon imaging and optogenetics, we show that Lat neurons are functionally connected to neural circuits that mediate visually-guided courtship pursuits in males. Our work reveals a novel physiological role for GABARAP in fine-tuning the activity of a visual circuit that tracks a mating partner during courtship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Mabuchi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Xinyue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Lily Xie
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Haein Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Tianxing Jiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nilay Yapici
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA
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28
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Nanni AV, Martinez N, Graze R, Morse A, Newman JRB, Jain V, Vlaho S, Signor S, Nuzhdin SV, Renne R, McIntyre LM. Sex-biased expression is associated with chromatin state in D. melanogaster and D. simulans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.13.523946. [PMID: 36711631 PMCID: PMC9882225 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.13.523946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
We propose a new model for the association of chromatin state and sex-bias in expression. We hypothesize enrichment of open chromatin in the sex where we see expression bias (OS) and closed chromatin in the opposite sex (CO). In this study of D. melanogaster and D. simulans head tissue, sex-bias in expression is associated with H3K4me3 (open mark) in males for male-biased genes and in females for female-biased genes in both species. Sex-bias in expression is also largely conserved in direction and magnitude between the two species on the X and autosomes. In male-biased orthologs, the sex-bias ratio is more divergent between species if both species have H3K27me2me3 marks in females compared to when either or neither species has H3K27me2me3 in females. H3K27me2me3 marks in females are associated with male-bias in expression on the autosomes in both species, but on the X only in D. melanogaster . In female-biased orthologs the relationship between the species for the sex-bias ratio is similar regardless of the H3K27me2me3 marks in males. Female-biased orthologs are more similar in the ratio of sex-bias than male-biased orthologs and there is an excess of male-bias in expression in orthologs that gain/lose sex-bias. There is an excess of male-bias in sex-limited expression in both species suggesting excess male-bias is due to rapid evolution between the species. The X chromosome has an enrichment in male-limited H3K4me3 in both species and an enrichment of sex-bias in expression compared to the autosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adalena V Nanni
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Natalie Martinez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Rita Graze
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Alison Morse
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jeremy R B Newman
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Vaibhav Jain
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Srna Vlaho
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Signor
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Sergey V Nuzhdin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rolf Renne
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lauren M McIntyre
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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29
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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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30
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The doublesex gene regulates dimorphic sexual and aggressive behaviors in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201513119. [PMID: 36067320 PMCID: PMC9477402 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201513119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most animal species display dimorphic sexual behaviors and male-biased aggressiveness. Current models have focused on the male-specific product from the fruitless (fruM) gene, which controls male courtship and male-specific aggression patterns in fruit flies, and describe a male-specific mechanism underlying sexually dimorphic behaviors. Here we show that the doublesex (dsx) gene, which expresses male-specific DsxM and female-specific DsxF transcription factors, functions in the nervous system to control both male and female sexual and aggressive behaviors. We find that Dsx is not only required in central brain neurons for male and female sexual behaviors, but also functions in approximately eight pairs of male-specific neurons to promote male aggressiveness and approximately two pairs of female-specific neurons to inhibit female aggressiveness. DsxF knockdown females fight more frequently, even with males. Our findings reveal crucial roles of dsx, which is broadly conserved from worms to humans, in a small number of neurons in both sexes to establish dimorphic sexual and aggressive behaviors.
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31
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Pechuk V, Goldman G, Salzberg Y, Chaubey AH, Bola RA, Hoffman JR, Endreson ML, Miller RM, Reger NJ, Portman DS, Ferkey DM, Schneidman E, Oren-Suissa M. Reprogramming the topology of the nociceptive circuit in C. elegans reshapes sexual behavior. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4372-4385.e7. [PMID: 36075218 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The effect of the detailed connectivity of a neural circuit on its function and the resulting behavior of the organism is a key question in many neural systems. Here, we study the circuit for nociception in C. elegans, which is composed of the same neurons in the two sexes that are wired differently. We show that the nociceptive sensory neurons respond similarly in the two sexes, yet the animals display sexually dimorphic behaviors to the same aversive stimuli. To uncover the role of the downstream network topology in shaping behavior, we learn and simulate network models that replicate the observed dimorphic behaviors and use them to predict simple network rewirings that would switch behavior between the sexes. We then show experimentally that these subtle synaptic rewirings indeed flip behavior. Interestingly, when presented with aversive cues, rewired males were compromised in finding mating partners, suggesting that network topologies that enable efficient avoidance of noxious cues have a reproductive "cost." Our results present a deconstruction of the design of a neural circuit that controls sexual behavior and how to reprogram it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladyslava Pechuk
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Gal Goldman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yehuda Salzberg
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Aditi H Chaubey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - R Aaron Bola
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Jonathon R Hoffman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Morgan L Endreson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Renee M Miller
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Noah J Reger
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Douglas S Portman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Elad Schneidman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
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32
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Keesey IW. Sensory neuroecology and multimodal evolution across the genus Drosophila. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.932344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural basis and genetic mechanisms for sensory evolution are increasingly being explored in depth across many closely related members of the Drosophila genus. This has, in part, been achieved due to the immense efforts toward adapting gene-editing technologies for additional, non-model species. Studies targeting both peripheral sensory variations, as well as interspecies divergence in coding or neural connectivity, have generated numerous, tangible examples of how and where the evolution of sensory-driven animal behavior has occurred. Here, we review and discuss studies that each aim to identify the neurobiological and genetic components of sensory system evolution to provide a comparative overview of the types of functional variations observed across both perceptual input and behavioral output. In addition, we examined the roles neuroecology and neuroevolution play in speciation events, such as courtship and intraspecies communication, as well as those aspects related to behavioral divergence in host navigation or egg-laying preferences. Through the investigation of comparative, large-scale trends and correlations across diverse, yet closely related species within this highly ecologically variable genus of flies, we can begin to describe the underlying pressures, mechanisms, and constraints that have guided sensory and nervous system evolution within the natural environments of these organisms.
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33
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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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34
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Ma B, Wang R, Liu Y, Deng B, Wang T, Wu F, Zhou C. Serotonin Signaling Modulates Sexual Receptivity of Virgin Female Drosophila. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:1277-1291. [PMID: 35788510 PMCID: PMC9672162 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00908-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The choice of females to accept or reject male courtship is a critical decision for animal reproduction. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) has been found to regulate sexual behavior in many species, but it is unclear how 5-HT and its receptors function to regulate different aspects of sexual behavior. Here we used Drosophila melanogaster as the model animal to investigate how 5-HT and its receptors modulate female sexual receptivity. We found that knockout of tryptophan hydroxylase (Trh), which is involved in the biosynthesis of 5-HT, severely reduced virgin female receptivity without affecting post-mating behaviors. We identified a subset of sexually dimorphic Trh neurons that co-expressed fruitless (fru), in which the activity was correlated with sexual receptivity in females. We also found that 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 receptors regulate virgin female receptivity. Our findings demonstrate how 5-HT functions in sexually dimorphic neurons to promote virgin female receptivity through two of its receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Rencong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yaohua Liu
- Department of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, 30801, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Zhongguancun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Tao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
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35
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Neural Control of Action Selection Among Innate Behaviors. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:1541-1558. [PMID: 35633465 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00886-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous systems must not only generate specific adaptive behaviors, such as reproduction, aggression, feeding, and sleep, but also select a single behavior for execution at any given time, depending on both internal states and external environmental conditions. Despite their tremendous biological importance, the neural mechanisms of action selection remain poorly understood. In the past decade, studies in the model animal Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated valuable neural mechanisms underlying action selection of innate behaviors. In this review, we summarize circuit mechanisms with a particular focus on a small number of sexually dimorphic neurons in controlling action selection among sex, fight, feeding, and sleep behaviors in both sexes of flies. We also discuss potentially conserved circuit configurations and neuromodulation of action selection in both the fly and mouse models, aiming to provide insights into action selection and the sexually dimorphic prioritization of innate behaviors.
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36
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Wang T, Jing B, Deng B, Shi K, Li J, Ma B, Wu F, Zhou C. Drosulfakinin signaling modulates female sexual receptivity in Drosophila. eLife 2022; 11:76025. [PMID: 35475782 PMCID: PMC9045819 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Female sexual behavior as an innate behavior is of prominent biological importance for survival and reproduction. However, molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying female sexual behavior is not well understood. Here, we identify the Cholecystokinin-like peptide Drosulfakinin (DSK) to promote female sexual behavior in Drosophila. Loss of DSK function reduces female receptivity while overexpressing DSK enhances female receptivity. We identify two pairs of Dsk-expressing neurons in the central brain to promote female receptivity. We find that the DSK peptide acts through one of its receptors, CCKLR-17D3, to modulate female receptivity. Manipulation of CCKLR-17D3 and its expressing neurons alters female receptivity. We further reveal that the two pairs of Dsk-expressing neurons receive input signal from pC1 neurons that integrate sex-related cues and mating status. These results demonstrate how a neuropeptide pathway interacts with a central neural node in the female sex circuitry to modulate sexual receptivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Biyang Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Zhongguangcun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Baoxu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fengming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
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37
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Connahs H, Tan EJ, Ter YT, Dion E, Matsuoka Y, Bear A, Monteiro A. The yellow gene regulates behavioural plasticity by repressing male courtship in Bicyclus anynana butterflies. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212665. [PMID: 35382598 PMCID: PMC8984812 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal plasticity in male courtship in Bicyclus anynana butterflies is due to variation in levels of the steroid hormone 20E (20-hydroxyecdysone) during pupation. Wet season (WS) males have high levels of 20E and become active courters. Dry season (DS) males have lower levels of 20E and reduced courtship rates. However, WS courtship rates can be achieved if DS male pupae are injected with 20E at 30% of pupation. Here, we investigated the genes involved in male courtship plasticity and examined whether 20E plays an organizational role in the pupal brain that later influences the sexual behaviour of adults. We show that DS pupal brains have a sevenfold upregulation of the yellow gene relative to the WS brains, and that knocking out yellow leads to increased male courtship. We find that injecting 20E into DS pupa reduced yellow expression although not significantly. Our results show that yellow is a repressor of the neural circuity for male courtship behaviour in B. anynana. 20E levels experienced during pupation could play an organizational role during pupal brain development by regulating yellow expression, however, other factors might also be involved. Our findings are in striking contrast to Drosophila where yellow is required for male courtship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Connahs
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543
| | - Eunice Jingmei Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.,Yale-NUS College, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527
| | - Yi Ting Ter
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543
| | - Emilie Dion
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543
| | - Yuji Matsuoka
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543
| | - Ashley Bear
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, CT 06511, USA
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.,Yale-NUS College, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527
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38
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Context-dependent control of behavior in Drosophila. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102523. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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39
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Gordus A. Social behavior: Using visual cues to guide dancing on the fly. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R284-R287. [PMID: 35349817 PMCID: PMC10484333 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.053] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative behavioral analysis of Drosophila courtship reveals that visual cues of a female's body influence which actions a male performs during courtship. These actions in turn influence female actions, producing a mutual synchronization of courtship between male and female flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gordus
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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40
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Sato K, Yamamoto D. Mutually exclusive expression of sex-specific and non-sex-specific fruitless gene products in the Drosophila central nervous system. Gene Expr Patterns 2022; 43:119232. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2022.119232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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41
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Chou YH, Yang CJ, Huang HW, Liou NF, Panganiban MR, Luginbuhl D, Yin Y, Taisz I, Liang L, Jefferis GSXE, Luo L. Mating-driven variability in olfactory local interneuron wiring. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm7723. [PMID: 35179957 PMCID: PMC8856614 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Variations in neuronal connectivity occur widely in nervous systems from invertebrates to mammals. Yet, it is unclear how neuronal variability originates, to what extent and at what time scales it exists, and what functional consequences it might carry. To assess inter- and intraindividual neuronal variability, it would be ideal to analyze the same identified neuron across different brain hemispheres and individuals. Here, using genetic labeling and electron microscopy connectomics, we show that an identified inhibitory olfactory local interneuron, TC-LN, exhibits extraordinary variability in its glomerular innervation patterns. Moreover, TC-LN's innervation of the VL2a glomerulus, which processes food signals and modulates mating behavior, is sexually dimorphic, is influenced by female's courtship experience, and correlates with food intake in mated females. Mating also affects output connectivity of TC-LN to specific local interneurons. We propose that mating-associated variability of TC-LNs regulates how food odor is interpreted by an inhibitory network to modulate feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Hui Chou
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Program of Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Jen Yang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Wei Huang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Fu Liou
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | | | - David Luginbuhl
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yijie Yin
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Istvan Taisz
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Liang Liang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gregory S. X. E. Jefferis
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Liqun Luo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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42
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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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43
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A Sexually Dimorphic Olfactory Neuron Mediates Fixed Action Transition during Courtship Ritual in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9732-9741. [PMID: 34649953 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1168-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals perform a series of actions in a fixed order during ritualistic innate behaviors. Although command neurons and sensory pathways responding to external stimuli that trigger these behaviors have been identified, how each action is induced in a fixed order in response to multimodal sensory stimuli remains unclear. Here, the sexually dimorphic lateral antennal lobe tract projection neuron 4 (lPN4) in male Drosophila melanogaster mediates the expression of a fixed behavioral action pattern at the beginning of the courtship ritual, in which a male taps a female body and then extends a wing unilaterally to produce a courtship song. We found that blocking the synaptic output of lPN4 caused an increase in the ratio of male flies that extended a wing unilaterally without tapping the female body, whereas excitation of lPN4 suppressed the transition from the tapping phase to the unilateral wing extension phase. Real-time calcium imaging showed that lPN4 is activated by a volatile pheromone, palmitoleic acid, whose responses were inhibited by simultaneous gustatory stimulation with female cuticular hydrocarbons, showing the existence of an "AND-gate" for multimodal sensory inputs during male courtship behaviors. These results suggest that the function of lPN4 is to suppress unilateral wing extension while responding to a female smell, which is released by appropriate contact chemosensory inputs received when tapping a female. As the female smell also promotes male courtship behaviors, the olfactory system is ready to simultaneously promote and suppress the progress of courtship actions while responding to a female smell.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Although it has been 80 years since Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen introduced how multiple acts comprising separate innate behaviors are released in a fixed order according to external stimuli, the neural circuits responsible for such fixed action patterns remain largely unknown. The male courtship behavior of Drosophila melanogaster is a good model to investigate how such a fixed behavioral sequence is determined in the brain. Here, we show that lateral antennal lobe tract projection neuron 4 (lPN4) in D. melanogaster functions as an "AND-gate" for volatile and contact chemosensory inputs, mediating the expression of tapping behaviors before unilateral wing extension during male courtship rituals.
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44
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Peng Q, Chen J, Pan Y. From fruitless to sex: On the generation and diversification of an innate behavior. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 20:e12772. [PMID: 34672079 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Male sexual behavior in Drosophila melanogaster, largely controlled by the fruitless (fru) gene encoding the male specific FruM protein, is among the best studied animal behaviors. Although substantial studies suggest that FruM specifies a neuronal circuitry governing all aspects of male sexual behaviors, recent findings show that FruM is not absolutely necessary for such behaviors. We propose that another regulatory gene doublesex encoding the male-specific DsxM protein builds a core neuronal circuitry that possesses the potential for courtship, which could be either induced through adult social experience or innately manifested during development by FruM expression in a broader neuronal circuitry. FruM expression levels and patterns determine the modes of courtship behavior from innate heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, to learned courtship. We discuss how FruM expression is regulated by hormones and social experiences and tunes functional flexibility of the sex circuitry. We propose that regulatory genes hierarchically build the potential for innate and learned aspects of courtship behaviors, and expression changes of these regulatory genes among different individuals and species with different social experiences ultimately lead to behavioral diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qionglin Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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45
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Cheriyamkunnel SJ, Rose S, Jacob PF, Blackburn LA, Glasgow S, Moorse J, Winstanley M, Moynihan PJ, Waddell S, Rezaval C. A neuronal mechanism controlling the choice between feeding and sexual behaviors in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2021; 31:4231-4245.e4. [PMID: 34358444 PMCID: PMC8538064 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Animals must express the appropriate behavior that meets their most pressing physiological needs and their environmental context. However, it is currently unclear how alternative behavioral options are evaluated and appropriate actions are prioritized. Here, we describe how fruit flies choose between feeding and courtship; two behaviors necessary for survival and reproduction. We show that sex- and food-deprived male flies prioritize feeding over courtship initiation, and manipulation of food quality or the animal's internal state fine-tunes this decision. We identify the tyramine signaling pathway as an essential mediator of this decision. Tyramine biosynthesis is regulated by the fly's nutritional state and acts as a satiety signal, favoring courtship over feeding. Tyramine inhibits a subset of feeding-promoting tyramine receptor (TyrR)-expressing neurons and activates P1 neurons, a known command center for courtship. Conversely, the perception of a nutritious food source activates TyrR neurons and inhibits P1 neurons. Therefore, TyrR and P1 neurons are oppositely modulated by starvation, via tyramine levels, and food availability. We propose that antagonistic co-regulation of neurons controlling alternative actions is key to prioritizing competing drives in a context- dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saloni Rose
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Pedro F Jacob
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | | | - Shaleen Glasgow
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Jacob Moorse
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Mike Winstanley
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | | | - Scott Waddell
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Carolina Rezaval
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
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46
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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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47
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Mank JE, Rideout EJ. Developmental mechanisms of sex differences: from cells to organisms. Development 2021; 148:272484. [PMID: 34647574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Male-female differences in many developmental mechanisms lead to the formation of two morphologically and physiologically distinct sexes. Although this is expected for traits with prominent differences between the sexes, such as the gonads, sex-specific processes also contribute to traits without obvious male-female differences, such as the intestine. Here, we review sex differences in developmental mechanisms that operate at several levels of biological complexity - molecular, cellular, organ and organismal - and discuss how these differences influence organ formation, function and whole-body physiology. Together, the examples we highlight show that one simple way to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of animal development is to include both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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48
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Rodriguez-Caro F, Fenner J, Bhardwaj S, Cole J, Benson C, Colombara AM, Papa R, Brown MW, Martin A, Range RC, Counterman BA. Novel doublesex duplication associated with sexually dimorphic development of dogface butterfly wings. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5021-5033. [PMID: 34323995 PMCID: PMC8557438 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic development is responsible for some of the most remarkable phenotypic variation found in nature. Alternative splicing of the transcription factor gene doublesex (dsx) is a highly conserved developmental switch controlling the expression of sex-specific pathways. Here, we leverage sex-specific differences in butterfly wing color pattern to characterize the genetic basis of sexually dimorphic development. We use RNA-seq, immunolocalization, and motif binding site analysis to test specific predictions about the role of dsx in the development of structurally based ultraviolet (UV) wing patterns in Zerene cesonia (Southern Dogface). Unexpectedly, we discover a novel duplication of dsx that shows a sex-specific burst of expression associated with the sexually dimorphic UV coloration. The derived copy consists of a single exon that encodes a DNA binding but no protein-binding domain and has experienced rapid amino-acid divergence. We propose the novel dsx paralog may suppress UV scale differentiation in females, which is supported by an excess of Dsx-binding sites at cytoskeletal and chitin-related genes with sex-biased expression. These findings illustrate the molecular flexibility of the dsx gene in mediating the differentiation of secondary sexual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jared Cole
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, USA
| | - Caleb Benson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
| | | | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, USA
| | - Matthew W Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, USA
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, USA
| | - Ryan C Range
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, USA
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49
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Sexual arousal gates visual processing during Drosophila courtship. Nature 2021; 595:549-553. [PMID: 34234348 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03714-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Long-lasting internal arousal states motivate and pattern ongoing behaviour, enabling the temporary emergence of innate behavioural programs that serve the needs of an animal, such as fighting, feeding, and mating. However, how internal states shape sensory processing or behaviour remains unclear. In Drosophila, male flies perform a lengthy and elaborate courtship ritual that is triggered by the activation of sexually dimorphic P1 neurons1-5, during which they faithfully follow and sing to a female6,7. Here, by recording from males as they court a virtual 'female', we gain insight into how the salience of visual cues is transformed by a male's internal arousal state to give rise to persistent courtship pursuit. The gain of LC10a visual projection neurons is selectively increased during courtship, enhancing their sensitivity to moving targets. A concise network model indicates that visual signalling through the LC10a circuit, once amplified by P1-mediated arousal, almost fully specifies a male's tracking of a female. Furthermore, P1 neuron activity correlates with ongoing fluctuations in the intensity of a male's pursuit to continuously tune the gain of the LC10a pathway. Together, these results reveal how a male's internal state can dynamically modulate the propagation of visual signals through a high-fidelity visuomotor circuit to guide his moment-to-moment performance of courtship.
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Zhang SX, Glantz EH, Miner LE, Rogulja D, Crickmore MA. Hormonal control of motivational circuitry orchestrates the transition to sexuality in Drosophila. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg6926. [PMID: 34134981 PMCID: PMC8208730 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Newborns and hatchlings can perform incredibly sophisticated behaviors, but many animals abstain from sexual activity at the beginning of life. Hormonal changes have long been known to drive both physical and behavioral changes during adolescence, leading to the largely untested assumption that sexuality emerges from organizational changes to neuronal circuitry. We show that the transition to sexuality in male Drosophila is controlled by hormonal changes, but this regulation is functional rather than structural. In very young males, a broadly acting hormone directly inhibits the activity of three courtship-motivating circuit elements, ensuring the complete suppression of sexual motivation and behavior. Blocking or overriding these inhibitory mechanisms evokes immediate and robust sexual behavior from very young and otherwise asexual males. Similarities to mammalian adolescence suggest a general principle in which hormonal changes gate the transition to sexuality not by constructing new circuitry but by permitting activity in otherwise latent motivational circuit elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen X Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ethan H Glantz
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lauren E Miner
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dragana Rogulja
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Michael A Crickmore
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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