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Stürner T, Brooks P, Capdevila LS, Morris BJ, Javier A, Fang S, Gkantia M, Cachero S, Beckett IR, Champion AS, Moitra I, Richards A, Klemm F, Kugel L, Namiki S, Cheong HS, Kovalyak J, Tenshaw E, Parekh R, Schlegel P, Phelps JS, Mark B, Dorkenwald S, Bates AS, Matsliah A, Yu SC, McKellar CE, Sterling A, Seung S, Murthy M, Tuthill J, Lee WCA, Card GM, Costa M, Jefferis GS, Eichler K. Comparative connectomics of the descending and ascending neurons of the Drosophila nervous system: stereotypy and sexual dimorphism. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.596633. [PMID: 38895426 PMCID: PMC11185702 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.596633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
In most complex nervous systems there is a clear anatomical separation between the nerve cord, which contains most of the final motor outputs necessary for behaviour, and the brain. In insects, the neck connective is both a physical and information bottleneck connecting the brain and the ventral nerve cord (VNC, spinal cord analogue) and comprises diverse populations of descending (DN), ascending (AN) and sensory ascending neurons, which are crucial for sensorimotor signalling and control. Integrating three separate EM datasets, we now provide a complete connectomic description of the ascending and descending neurons of the female nervous system of Drosophila and compare them with neurons of the male nerve cord. Proofread neuronal reconstructions have been matched across hemispheres, datasets and sexes. Crucially, we have also matched 51% of DN cell types to light level data defining specific driver lines as well as classifying all ascending populations. We use these results to reveal the general architecture, tracts, neuropil innervation and connectivity of neck connective neurons. We observe connected chains of descending and ascending neurons spanning the neck, which may subserve motor sequences. We provide a complete description of sexually dimorphic DN and AN populations, with detailed analysis of circuits implicated in sex-related behaviours, including female ovipositor extrusion (DNp13), male courtship (DNa12/aSP22) and song production (AN hemilineage 08B). Our work represents the first EM-level circuit analyses spanning the entire central nervous system of an adult animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomke Stürner
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul Brooks
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Billy J. Morris
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexandre Javier
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Siqi Fang
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marina Gkantia
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sebastian Cachero
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Andrew S. Champion
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ilina Moitra
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alana Richards
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Finja Klemm
- Genetics Department, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Leonie Kugel
- Genetics Department, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shigehiro Namiki
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Han S.J. Cheong
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
- Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Julie Kovalyak
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Emily Tenshaw
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Ruchi Parekh
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Philipp Schlegel
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jasper S. Phelps
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Brandon Mark
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sven Dorkenwald
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, USA
| | - Alexander S. Bates
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, The University of Oxford, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Arie Matsliah
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Szi-chieh Yu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | - Amy Sterling
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Sebastian Seung
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, USA
| | - John Tuthill
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Wei-Chung A. Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gwyneth M. Card
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
- Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Marta Costa
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gregory S.X.E. Jefferis
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katharina Eichler
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Genetics Department, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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2
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Amaro IA, Wohl MP, Pitcher S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Paige AS, Helinski MEH, Duvall LB, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, McMeniman CJ. Sex peptide receptor is not required for refractoriness to remating or induction of egg laying in Aedes aegypti. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae034. [PMID: 38551457 PMCID: PMC11075561 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae034] [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: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Across diverse insect taxa, the behavior and physiology of females dramatically changes after mating-processes largely triggered by the transfer of seminal proteins from their mates. In the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the seminal protein sex peptide (SP) decreases the likelihood of female flies remating and causes additional behavioral and physiological changes that promote fertility including increasing egg production. Although SP is only found in the Drosophila genus, its receptor, sex peptide receptor (SPR), is the widely conserved myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) receptor. To test the functional role of SPR in mediating postmating responses in a non-Drosophila dipteran, we generated 2 independent Spr-knockout alleles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Although SPR is needed for postmating responses in Drosophila and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, Spr mutant Ae. aegypti show completely normal postmating decreases in remating propensity and increases in egg laying. In addition, injection of synthetic SP or accessory gland homogenate from D. melanogaster into virgin female mosquitoes did not elicit these postmating responses. Our results demonstrate that Spr is not required for these canonical postmating responses in Ae. aegypti, indicating that other, as yet unknown, signaling pathways are likely responsible for these behavioral switches in this disease vector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margot P Wohl
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Frank W Avila
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew S Paige
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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3
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Diamandi JA, Duckhorn JC, Miller KE, Weinstock M, Leone S, Murphy MR, Shirangi TR. Developmental remodeling repurposes larval neurons for sexual behaviors in adult Drosophila. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1183-1193.e3. [PMID: 38377996 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.065] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Most larval neurons in Drosophila are repurposed during metamorphosis for functions in adult life, but their contribution to the neural circuits for sexually dimorphic behaviors is unknown. Here, we identify two interneurons in the nerve cord of adult Drosophila females that control ovipositor extrusion, a courtship rejection behavior performed by mated females. We show that these two neurons are present in the nerve cord of larvae as mature, sexually monomorphic interneurons. During pupal development, they acquire the expression of the sexual differentiation gene, doublesex; undergo doublesex-dependent programmed cell death in males; and are remodeled in females for functions in female mating behavior. Our results demonstrate that the neural circuits for courtship in Drosophila are built in part using neurons that are sexually reprogrammed from former sex-shared activities in larval life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Diamandi
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Julia C Duckhorn
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Kara E Miller
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Mason Weinstock
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Sofia Leone
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Micaela R Murphy
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Troy R Shirangi
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA.
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Clements J, Goina C, Hubbard PM, Kawase T, Olbris DJ, Otsuna H, Svirskas R, Rokicki K. NeuronBridge: an intuitive web application for neuronal morphology search across large data sets. BMC Bioinformatics 2024; 25:114. [PMID: 38491365 PMCID: PMC10943809 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05732-7] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroscience research in Drosophila is benefiting from large-scale connectomics efforts using electron microscopy (EM) to reveal all the neurons in a brain and their connections. To exploit this knowledge base, researchers relate a connectome's structure to neuronal function, often by studying individual neuron cell types. Vast libraries of fly driver lines expressing fluorescent reporter genes in sets of neurons have been created and imaged using confocal light microscopy (LM), enabling the targeting of neurons for experimentation. However, creating a fly line for driving gene expression within a single neuron found in an EM connectome remains a challenge, as it typically requires identifying a pair of driver lines where only the neuron of interest is expressed in both. This task and other emerging scientific workflows require finding similar neurons across large data sets imaged using different modalities. RESULTS Here, we present NeuronBridge, a web application for easily and rapidly finding putative morphological matches between large data sets of neurons imaged using different modalities. We describe the functionality and construction of the NeuronBridge service, including its user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI), extensible data model, serverless cloud architecture, and massively parallel image search engine. CONCLUSIONS NeuronBridge fills a critical gap in the Drosophila research workflow and is used by hundreds of neuroscience researchers around the world. We offer our software code, open APIs, and processed data sets for integration and reuse, and provide the application as a service at http://neuronbridge.janelia.org .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody Clements
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Cristian Goina
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Philip M Hubbard
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Takashi Kawase
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Donald J Olbris
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Hideo Otsuna
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Robert Svirskas
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Konrad Rokicki
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA.
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5
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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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6
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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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7
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Kim DH, Jang YH, Yun M, Lee KM, Kim YJ. Long-term neuropeptide modulation of female sexual drive via the TRP channel in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2310841121. [PMID: 38412134 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310841121] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Connectomics research has made it more feasible to explore how neural circuits can generate multiple outputs. Female sexual drive provides a good model for understanding reversible, long-term functional changes in motivational circuits. After emerging, female flies avoid male courtship, but they become sexually receptive over 2 d. Mating causes females to reject further mating for several days. Here, we report that pC1 neurons, which process male courtship and regulate copulation behavior, exhibit increased CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) activity during sexual maturation and decreased CREB activity after mating. This increased CREB activity requires the neuropeptide Dh44 (Diuretic hormone 44) and its receptors. A subset of the pC1 neurons secretes Dh44, which stimulates CREB activity and increases expression of the TRP channel Pyrexia (Pyx) in more pC1 neurons. This, in turn, increases pC1 excitability and sexual drive. Mating suppresses pyx expression and pC1 excitability. Dh44 is orthologous to the conserved corticotrophin-releasing hormone family, suggesting similar roles in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Do-Hyoung Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Hoon Jang
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsik Yun
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kang-Min Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Joon Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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8
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Tao L, Ayembem D, Barranca VJ, Bhandawat V. Neurons underlying aggressive actions that are shared by both males and females in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582148. [PMID: 38464020 PMCID: PMC10925114 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Aggression involves both sexually monomorphic and dimorphic actions. How the brain implements these two types of actions is poorly understood. We found that a set of neurons, which we call CL062, previously shown to mediate male aggression also mediate female aggression. These neurons elicit aggression acutely and without the presence of a target. Although the same set of actions is elicited in males and females, the overall behavior is sexually dimorphic. The CL062 neurons do not express fruitless , a gene required for sexual dimorphism in flies, and expressed by most other neurons important for controlling fly aggression. Connectomic analysis suggests that these neurons have limited connections with fruitless expressing neurons that have been shown to be important for aggression, and signal to different descending neurons. Thus, CL062 is part of a monomorphic circuit for aggression that functions parallel to the known dimorphic circuits.
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9
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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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10
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Lillvis JL, Wang K, Shiozaki HM, Xu M, Stern DL, Dickson BJ. Nested neural circuits generate distinct acoustic signals during Drosophila courtship. Curr Biol 2024; 34:808-824.e6. [PMID: 38295797 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Many motor control systems generate multiple movements using a common set of muscles. How are premotor circuits able to flexibly generate diverse movement patterns? Here, we characterize the neuronal circuits that drive the distinct courtship songs of Drosophila melanogaster. Male flies vibrate their wings toward females to produce two different song modes-pulse and sine song-which signal species identity and male quality. Using cell-type-specific genetic reagents and the connectome, we provide a cellular and synaptic map of the circuits in the male ventral nerve cord that generate these songs and examine how activating or inhibiting each cell type within these circuits affects the song. Our data reveal that the song circuit is organized into two nested feedforward pathways with extensive reciprocal and feedback connections. The larger network produces pulse song, the more complex and ancestral song form. A subset of this network produces sine song, the simpler and more recent form. Such nested organization may be a common feature of motor control circuits in which evolution has layered increasing flexibility onto a basic movement pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Lillvis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Kaiyu Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Hiroshi M Shiozaki
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Min Xu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Barry J Dickson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Dr., Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia.
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11
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Simpson JH. Descending control of motor sequences in Drosophila. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102822. [PMID: 38096757 PMCID: PMC11215313 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The descending neurons connecting the fly's brain to its ventral nerve cord respond to sensory stimuli and evoke motor programs of varying complexity. Anatomical characterization of the descending neurons and their synaptic connections suggests how these circuits organize movements, while optogenetic manipulation of their activity reveals what behaviors they can induce. Monitoring their responses to sensory stimuli or during behavior performance indicates what information they may encode. Recent advances in all three approaches make the descending neurons an excellent place to better understand the sensorimotor integration and transformation required for nervous systems to govern the motor sequences that constitute animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie H Simpson
- Dept. Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, USA.
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12
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Pang R, Baker C, Murthy M, Pillow J. Inferring neural dynamics of memory during naturalistic social communication. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.26.577404. [PMID: 38328156 PMCID: PMC10849655 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.26.577404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Memory processes in complex behaviors like social communication require forming representations of the past that grow with time. The neural mechanisms that support such continually growing memory remain unknown. We address this gap in the context of fly courtship, a natural social behavior involving the production and perception of long, complex song sequences. To study female memory for male song history in unrestrained courtship, we present 'Natural Continuation' (NC)-a general, simulation-based model comparison procedure to evaluate candidate neural codes for complex stimuli using naturalistic behavioral data. Applying NC to fly courtship revealed strong evidence for an adaptive population mechanism for how female auditory neural dynamics could convert long song histories into a rich mnemonic format. Song temporal patterning is continually transformed by heterogeneous nonlinear adaptation dynamics, then integrated into persistent activity, enabling common neural mechanisms to retain continuously unfolding information over long periods and yielding state-of-the-art predictions of female courtship behavior. At a population level this coding model produces multi-dimensional advection-diffusion-like responses that separate songs over a continuum of timescales and can be linearly transformed into flexible output signals, illustrating its potential to create a generic, scalable mnemonic format for extended input signals poised to drive complex behavioral responses. This work thus shows how naturalistic behavior can directly inform neural population coding models, revealing here a novel process for memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rich Pang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Center for the Physics of Biological Function, Princeton, NJ and New York, NY, USA
| | - Christa Baker
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, NJ, USA
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13
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Cordero-Molina S, Fetter-Pruneda I, Contreras-Garduño J. Neural mechanisms involved in female mate choice in invertebrates. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1291635. [PMID: 38269245 PMCID: PMC10807292 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1291635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mate choice is a critical decision with direct implications for fitness. Although it has been recognized for over 150 years, our understanding of its underlying mechanisms is still limited. Most studies on mate choice focus on the evolutionary causes of behavior, with less attention given to the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved. This is especially true for invertebrates, where research on mate choice has largely focused on male behavior. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the neural, molecular and neurohormonal mechanisms of female choice in invertebrates, including behaviors before, during, and after copulation. We identify areas of research that have not been extensively explored in invertebrates, suggesting potential directions for future investigation. We hope that this review will stimulate further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagrario Cordero-Molina
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva. Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ingrid Fetter-Pruneda
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jorge Contreras-Garduño
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva. Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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14
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Yang YT, Hu SW, Zhu Y. A protocol for measuring the sexual receptivity of female Drosophila. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102563. [PMID: 37703181 PMCID: PMC10507193 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Female receptivity in mating is crucial for successful copulation, but protocols for quantifying female behaviors reflecting receptivity are scarce compared to the analysis of male behaviors. Here, we present a protocol for assessing the sexual receptivity of female Drosophila that considers behaviors from both sexes. We describe steps for preparing and loading flies into a courtship chamber, video recording the behaviors of the pairs, and analyzing their behavioral displays. This protocol includes behavior recognition criteria suitable for typical laboratory settings. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Yang et al. (2023).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China.
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100190, China.
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15
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Li M, Chen DS, Junker IP, Szorenyi F, Chen GH, Berger AJ, Comeault AA, Matute DR, Ding Y. Ancestral neural circuits potentiate the origin of a female sexual behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.05.570174. [PMID: 38106147 PMCID: PMC10723342 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.05.570174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Courtship interactions are remarkably diverse in form and complexity among species. How neural circuits evolve to encode new behaviors that are functionally integrated into these dynamic social interactions is unknown. Here we report a recently originated female sexual behavior in the island endemic Drosophila species D. santomea, where females signal receptivity to male courtship songs by spreading their wings, which in turn promotes prolonged songs in courting males. Copulation success depends on this female signal and correlates with males' ability to adjust his singing in such a social feedback loop. Functional comparison of sexual circuitry across species suggests that a pair of descending neurons, which integrates male song stimuli and female internal state to control a conserved female abdominal behavior, drives wing spreading in D. santomea. This co-option occurred through the refinement of a pre-existing, plastic circuit that can be optogenetically activated in an outgroup species. Combined, our results show that the ancestral potential of a socially-tuned key circuit node to engage the wing motor program facilitates the expression of a new female behavior in appropriate sensory and motivational contexts. More broadly, our work provides insights into the evolution of social behaviors, particularly female behaviors, and the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhao Li
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dawn S Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ian P Junker
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fabianna Szorenyi
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guan Hao Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arnold J Berger
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aaron A Comeault
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Current address: School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yun Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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16
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Amin H, Nolte SS, Swain B, von Philipsborn AC. GABAergic signaling shapes multiple aspects of Drosophila courtship motor behavior. iScience 2023; 26:108069. [PMID: 37860694 PMCID: PMC10583093 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108069] [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: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory neurons are essential for orchestrating and structuring behavior. We use one of the best studied behaviors in Drosophila, male courtship, to analyze how inhibitory, GABAergic neurons shape the different steps of this multifaceted motor sequence. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the GABA-producing enzyme GAD1 and the ionotropic receptor Rdl in sex specific, fruitless expressing neurons in the ventral nerve cord causes uncoordinated and futile copulation attempts, defects in wing extension choice and severe alterations of courtship song. Altered song of GABA depleted males fails to stimulate female receptivity, but rescue of song patterning alone is not sufficient to rescue male mating success. Knockdown of GAD1 and Rdl in male brain circuits abolishes courtship conditioning. We characterize the around 220 neurons coexpressing GAD1 and Fruitless in the Drosophila male nervous system and propose inhibitory circuit motifs underlying key features of courtship behavior based on the observed phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoger Amin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Stella S. Nolte
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bijayalaxmi Swain
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne C. von Philipsborn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and Department of Biomedicine, Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Medicine Section, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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17
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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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18
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Sun M, Ma M, Deng B, Li N, Peng Q, Pan Y. A neural pathway underlying hunger modulation of sexual receptivity in Drosophila females. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113243. [PMID: 37819758 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113243] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Accepting or rejecting a mate is one of the most crucial decisions a female will make, especially when faced with food shortage. Previous studies have identified the core neural circuity from sensing male courtship or mating status to decision-making for sexual receptivity in Drosophila females, but how hunger and satiety states modulate female receptivity is poorly understood. Here, we identify the neural circuit and its neuromodulation underlying the hunger modulation of female receptivity. We find that adipokinetic hormone receptor (AkhR)-expressing neurons inhibit sexual receptivity in a starvation-dependent manner. AkhR neurons are octopaminergic and act on a subset of Octβ1R-expressing LH421 neurons. Knocking down Octβ1R expression in LH421 neurons eliminates starvation-induced suppression of female receptivity. We further find that LH421 neurons inhibit the sex-promoting pC1 neurons via GABA-resistant to dieldrin (Rdl) signaling. pC1 neurons also integrate courtship stimulation and mating status and thus serve as a common integrator of multiple internal and external cues for decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengshi Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Mingze Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Na Li
- Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou 514779, China
| | - Qionglin Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
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19
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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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20
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Auth CS, Crickmore MA. Behavioral neuroscience: Computation in individual neurons. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1006-R1008. [PMID: 37816318 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Information coding is generally thought to emerge from fast activity across thousands of neurons. A recent study shows that many features of a sophisticated decision-action sequence are encoded by the slow activity of individual command neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte S Auth
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Michael A Crickmore
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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21
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Dorkenwald S, Matsliah A, Sterling AR, Schlegel P, Yu SC, McKellar CE, Lin A, Costa M, Eichler K, Yin Y, Silversmith W, Schneider-Mizell C, Jordan CS, Brittain D, Halageri A, Kuehner K, Ogedengbe O, Morey R, Gager J, Kruk K, Perlman E, Yang R, Deutsch D, Bland D, Sorek M, Lu R, Macrina T, Lee K, Bae JA, Mu S, Nehoran B, Mitchell E, Popovych S, Wu J, Jia Z, Castro M, Kemnitz N, Ih D, Bates AS, Eckstein N, Funke J, Collman F, Bock DD, Jefferis GS, Seung HS, Murthy M. Neuronal wiring diagram of an adult brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.27.546656. [PMID: 37425937 PMCID: PMC10327113 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.27.546656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Connections between neurons can be mapped by acquiring and analyzing electron microscopic (EM) brain images. In recent years, this approach has been applied to chunks of brains to reconstruct local connectivity maps that are highly informative, yet inadequate for understanding brain function more globally. Here, we present the first neuronal wiring diagram of a whole adult brain, containing 5×107 chemical synapses between ~130,000 neurons reconstructed from a female Drosophila melanogaster. The resource also incorporates annotations of cell classes and types, nerves, hemilineages, and predictions of neurotransmitter identities. Data products are available by download, programmatic access, and interactive browsing and made interoperable with other fly data resources. We show how to derive a projectome, a map of projections between regions, from the connectome. We demonstrate the tracing of synaptic pathways and the analysis of information flow from inputs (sensory and ascending neurons) to outputs (motor, endocrine, and descending neurons), across both hemispheres, and between the central brain and the optic lobes. Tracing from a subset of photoreceptors all the way to descending motor pathways illustrates how structure can uncover putative circuit mechanisms underlying sensorimotor behaviors. The technologies and open ecosystem of the FlyWire Consortium set the stage for future large-scale connectome projects in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Dorkenwald
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Arie Matsliah
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Amy R Sterling
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Eyewire, Boston, USA
| | - Philipp Schlegel
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Szi-chieh Yu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | - Albert Lin
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Center for the Physics of Biological Function, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Marta Costa
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katharina Eichler
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yijie Yin
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Will Silversmith
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | - Chris S. Jordan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | - Akhilesh Halageri
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Kai Kuehner
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | - Ryan Morey
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Jay Gager
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | | | | | - Runzhe Yang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - David Deutsch
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Doug Bland
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Marissa Sorek
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Eyewire, Boston, USA
| | - Ran Lu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Thomas Macrina
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Kisuk Lee
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - J. Alexander Bae
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Shang Mu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Barak Nehoran
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Eric Mitchell
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Sergiy Popovych
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Jingpeng Wu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Zhen Jia
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Manuel Castro
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Nico Kemnitz
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Dodam Ih
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Alexander Shakeel Bates
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, The University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nils Eckstein
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | - Jan Funke
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, USA
| | | | - Davi D. Bock
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA
| | - Gregory S.X.E Jefferis
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - H. Sebastian Seung
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
- Computer Science Department, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
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22
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Duhart JM, Buchler JR, Inami S, Kennedy KJ, Jenny BP, Afonso DJS, Koh K. Modulation and neural correlates of postmating sleep plasticity in Drosophila females. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2702-2716.e3. [PMID: 37352854 PMCID: PMC10527417 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.054] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Sleep is essential, but animals may forgo sleep to engage in other critical behaviors, such as feeding and reproduction. Previous studies have shown that female flies exhibit decreased sleep after mating, but our understanding of the process is limited. Here, we report that postmating nighttime sleep loss is modulated by diet and sleep deprivation, demonstrating a complex interaction among sleep, reproduction, and diet. We also find that female-specific pC1 neurons and sleep-promoting dorsal fan-shaped body (dFB) neurons are required for postmating sleep plasticity. Activating pC1 neurons leads to sleep suppression on standard fly culture media but has little sleep effect on sucrose-only food. Published connectome data suggest indirect, inhibitory connections among pC1 subtypes. Using calcium imaging, we show that activating the pC1e subtype inhibits dFB neurons. We propose that pC1 and dFB neurons integrate the mating status, food context, and sleep drive to modulate postmating sleep plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir-IIBBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1405BWE, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Quilmes B1876BXD, Argentina.
| | - Joseph R Buchler
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Sho Inami
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Kyle J Kennedy
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - B Peter Jenny
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Dinis J S Afonso
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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23
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Cury KM, Axel R. Flexible neural control of transition points within the egg-laying behavioral sequence in Drosophila. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1054-1067. [PMID: 37217726 PMCID: PMC10244180 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01332-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Innate behaviors are frequently comprised of ordered sequences of component actions that progress to satisfy essential drives. Progression is governed by specialized sensory cues that induce transitions between components within the appropriate context. Here we have characterized the structure of the egg-laying behavioral sequence in Drosophila and found significant variability in the transitions between component actions that affords the organism an adaptive flexibility. We identified distinct classes of interoceptive and exteroceptive sensory neurons that control the timing and direction of transitions between the terminal components of the sequence. We also identified a pair of motor neurons that enact the final transition to egg expulsion. These results provide a logic for the organization of innate behavior in which sensory information processed at critical junctures allows for flexible adjustments in component actions to satisfy drives across varied internal and external environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Cury
- The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Richard Axel
- The Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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24
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Laturney M, Sterne GR, Scott K. Mating activates neuroendocrine pathways signaling hunger in Drosophila females. eLife 2023; 12:e85117. [PMID: 37184218 PMCID: PMC10229122 DOI: 10.7554/elife.85117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mated females reallocate resources to offspring production, causing changes to nutritional requirements and challenges to energy homeostasis. Although observed across species, the neural and endocrine mechanisms that regulate the nutritional needs of mated females are not well understood. Here, we find that mated Drosophila melanogaster females increase sugar intake, which is regulated by the activity of sexually dimorphic insulin receptor (Lgr3) neurons. In virgins, Lgr3+ cells have reduced activity as they receive inhibitory input from active, female-specific pCd-2 cells, restricting sugar intake. During copulation, males deposit sex peptide into the female reproductive tract, which silences a three-tier mating status circuit and initiates the female postmating response. We show that pCd-2 neurons also become silenced after mating due to the direct synaptic input from the mating status circuit. Thus, in mated females pCd-2 inhibition is attenuated, activating downstream Lgr3+ neurons and promoting sugar intake. Together, this circuit transforms the mated signal into a long-term hunger signal. Our results demonstrate that the mating circuit alters nutrient sensing centers to increase feeding in mated females, providing a mechanism to increase intake in anticipation of the energetic costs associated with reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristin Scott
- University of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyUnited States
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25
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Yang YT, Hu SW, Li X, Sun Y, He P, Kohlmeier KA, Zhu Y. Sex peptide regulates female receptivity through serotoninergic neurons in Drosophila. iScience 2023; 26:106123. [PMID: 36876123 PMCID: PMC9976462 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The courtship ritual is a dynamic interplay between males and females. Courtship successfully leading to copulation is determined by the intention of both parties which is conveyed by complex action sequences. In Drosophila, the neural mechanisms controlling the female's willingness to mate, or sexual receptivity, have only recently become the focus of investigations. Here, we report that pre-mating sexual receptivity in females requires activity within a subset of serotonergic projection neurons (SPNs), which positively regulate courtship success. Of interest, a male-derived sex peptide, SP, which was transferred to females during copulation acted to inhibit the activity of SPN and suppressed receptivity. Downstream of 5-HT, subsets of 5-HT7 receptor neurons played critical roles in SP-induced suppression of sexual receptivity. Together, our study reveals a complex serotonin signaling system in the central brain of Drosophila which manages the female's desire to mate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuanjie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping He
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kristi Anne Kohlmeier
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China.,Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100190, China
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26
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Ohashi TS, Ishikawa Y, Awasaki T, Su MP, Yoneyama Y, Morimoto N, Kamikouchi A. Evolutionary conservation and diversification of auditory neural circuits that process courtship songs in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2023; 13:383. [PMID: 36611081 PMCID: PMC9825394 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27349-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication signals diversify even on short evolutionary time scales. To understand how the auditory system underlying acoustic communication could evolve, we conducted a systematic comparison of the early stages of the auditory neural circuit involved in song information processing between closely-related fruit-fly species. Male Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans produce different sound signals during mating rituals, known as courtship songs. Female flies from these species selectively increase their receptivity when they hear songs with conspecific temporal patterns. Here, we firstly confirmed interspecific differences in temporal pattern preferences; D. simulans preferred pulse songs with longer intervals than D. melanogaster. Primary and secondary song-relay neurons, JO neurons and AMMC-B1 neurons, shared similar morphology and neurotransmitters between species. The temporal pattern preferences of AMMC-B1 neurons were also relatively similar between species, with slight but significant differences in their band-pass properties. Although the shift direction of the response property matched that of the behavior, these differences are not large enough to explain behavioral differences in song preferences. This study enhances our understanding of the conservation and diversification of the architecture of the early-stage neural circuit which processes acoustic communication signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro S. Ohashi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Yuki Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Awasaki
- grid.411205.30000 0000 9340 2869School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo, 181-8611 Japan
| | - Matthew P. Su
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601 Japan
| | - Yusuke Yoneyama
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Nao Morimoto
- grid.39158.360000 0001 2173 7691Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0815 Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan. .,Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan.
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27
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Galili DS, Jefferis GS, Costa M. Connectomics and the neural basis of behaviour. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 54:100968. [PMID: 36113710 PMCID: PMC7614087 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Methods to acquire and process synaptic-resolution electron-microscopy datasets have progressed very rapidly, allowing production and annotation of larger, more complete connectomes. More accurate neuronal matching techniques are enriching cell type data with gene expression, neuron activity, behaviour and developmental information, providing ways to test hypotheses of circuit function. In a variety of behaviours such as learned and innate olfaction, navigation and sexual behaviour, connectomics has already revealed interconnected modules with a hierarchical structure, recurrence and integration of sensory streams. Comparing individual connectomes to determine which circuit features are robust and which are variable is one key research area; new work in comparative connectomics across development, experience, sex and species will establish strong links between neuronal connectivity and brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana S Galili
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Gregory Sxe Jefferis
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK; Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Marta Costa
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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28
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Karigo T, Deutsch D. Flexibility of neural circuits regulating mating behaviors in mice and flies. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:949781. [PMID: 36426135 PMCID: PMC9679785 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.949781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating is essential for the reproduction of animal species. As mating behaviors are high-risk and energy-consuming processes, it is critical for animals to make adaptive mating decisions. This includes not only finding a suitable mate, but also adapting mating behaviors to the animal's needs and environmental conditions. Internal needs include physical states (e.g., hunger) and emotional states (e.g., fear), while external conditions include both social cues (e.g., the existence of predators or rivals) and non-social factors (e.g., food availability). With recent advances in behavioral neuroscience, we are now beginning to understand the neural basis of mating behaviors, particularly in genetic model organisms such as mice and flies. However, how internal and external factors are integrated by the nervous system to enable adaptive mating-related decision-making in a state- and context-dependent manner is less well understood. In this article, we review recent knowledge regarding the neural basis of flexible mating behaviors from studies of flies and mice. By contrasting the knowledge derived from these two evolutionarily distant model organisms, we discuss potential conserved and divergent neural mechanisms involved in the control of flexible mating behaviors in invertebrate and vertebrate brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Karigo
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Tomomi Karigo,
| | - David Deutsch
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel,David Deutsch,
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29
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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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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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30
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Baker CA, McKellar C, Pang R, Nern A, Dorkenwald S, Pacheco DA, Eckstein N, Funke J, Dickson BJ, Murthy M. Neural network organization for courtship-song feature detection in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3317-3333.e7. [PMID: 35793679 PMCID: PMC9378594 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Animals communicate using sounds in a wide range of contexts, and auditory systems must encode behaviorally relevant acoustic features to drive appropriate reactions. How feature detection emerges along auditory pathways has been difficult to solve due to challenges in mapping the underlying circuits and characterizing responses to behaviorally relevant features. Here, we study auditory activity in the Drosophila melanogaster brain and investigate feature selectivity for the two main modes of fly courtship song, sinusoids and pulse trains. We identify 24 new cell types of the intermediate layers of the auditory pathway, and using a new connectomic resource, FlyWire, we map all synaptic connections between these cell types, in addition to connections to known early and higher-order auditory neurons-this represents the first circuit-level map of the auditory pathway. We additionally determine the sign (excitatory or inhibitory) of most synapses in this auditory connectome. We find that auditory neurons display a continuum of preferences for courtship song modes and that neurons with different song-mode preferences and response timescales are highly interconnected in a network that lacks hierarchical structure. Nonetheless, we find that the response properties of individual cell types within the connectome are predictable from their inputs. Our study thus provides new insights into the organization of auditory coding within the Drosophila brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa A Baker
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Claire McKellar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Rich Pang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Sven Dorkenwald
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Diego A Pacheco
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nils Eckstein
- Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA; Institute of Neuroinformatics UZH/ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Funke
- Janelia Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | | | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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31
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The neuronal logic of how internal states control food choice. Nature 2022; 607:747-755. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04909-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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32
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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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33
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Chen J, Zhu H, Wang R, Su X, Ruan Z, Pan Y, Peng Q. Functional Dissection of Protein Kinases in Sexual Development and Female Receptivity of Drosophila. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:923171. [PMID: 35757001 PMCID: PMC9220291 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.923171] [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: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation is crucial for a variety of biological functions, but how it is involved in sexual development and behavior is rarely known. In this study, we performed a screen of RNA interference targeting 177 protein kinases in Drosophila and identified 13 kinases involved in sexual development in one or both sexes. We further identified that PKA and CASK promote female sexual behavior while not affecting female differentiation. Knocking down PKA or CASK in about five pairs of pC1 neurons in the central brain affects the fine projection but not cell number of these pC1 neurons and reduces virgin female receptivity. We also found that PKA and CASK signaling is required acutely during adulthood to promote female sexual behavior. These results reveal candidate kinases required for sexual development and behaviors and provide insights into how kinases would regulate neuronal development and physiology to fine tune the robustness of sexual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan Zhu
- School of Biological and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangbin Su
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zongcai Ruan
- School of Biological and Medical Engineering, 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
| | - Qionglin Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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34
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nervous systems must not only generate specific adaptive behaviors, such as reproduction, aggression, feeding, and sleep, but also select a single behavior for execution at any given time, depending on both internal states and external environmental conditions. Despite their tremendous biological importance, the neural mechanisms of action selection remain poorly understood. In the past decade, studies in the model animal Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated valuable neural mechanisms underlying action selection of innate behaviors. In this review, we summarize circuit mechanisms with a particular focus on a small number of sexually dimorphic neurons in controlling action selection among sex, fight, feeding, and sleep behaviors in both sexes of flies. We also discuss potentially conserved circuit configurations and neuromodulation of action selection in both the fly and mouse models, aiming to provide insights into action selection and the sexually dimorphic prioritization of innate behaviors.
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35
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Ishikawa Y, Kimura MT, Toda MJ. Biology and ecology of the Oriental flower-breeding Drosophila elegans and related species. Fly (Austin) 2022; 16:207-220. [PMID: 35499147 PMCID: PMC9067466 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2022.2066953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals adapt to their environments in the course of evolution. One effective approach to elucidate mechanisms of adaptive evolution is to compare closely related species with model organisms in which knowledge of the molecular and physiological bases of various traits has been accumulated. Drosophila elegans and its close relatives, belonging to the same species group as the model organism D. melanogaster, exhibit various unique characteristics such as flower-breeding habit, courtship display, territoriality, sexual dimorphism, and colour polymorphism. Their ease of culturing and availability of genomic information makes them a useful model for understanding mechanisms of adaptive evolution. Here, we review the morphology, distribution, and phylogenetic relationships of D. elegans and related species, as well as their characteristic flower-dependent biology, food habits, and life-history traits. We also describe their unique mating and territorial behaviours and note their distinctive karyotype and the genetic mechanisms of morphological diversity that have recently been revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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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: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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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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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38
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Liu M, Kim DW, Zeng H, Anderson DJ. Make war not love: The neural substrate underlying a state-dependent switch in female social behavior. Neuron 2022; 110:841-856.e6. [PMID: 34982958 PMCID: PMC8897222 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Female mice exhibit opposing social behaviors toward males depending on their reproductive state: virgins display sexual receptivity (lordosis behavior), while lactating mothers attack. How a change in reproductive state produces a qualitative switch in behavioral response to the same conspecific stimulus is unknown. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we identify two distinct subtypes of estrogen receptor-1-positive neurons in the ventrolateral subdivision of the female ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl) and demonstrate that they causally control sexual receptivity and aggressiveness in virgins and lactating mothers, respectively. Between- and within-subject bulk-calcium recordings from each subtype reveal that aggression-specific cells acquire an increased responsiveness to social cues during the transition from virginity to maternity, while the responsiveness of the mating-specific population appears unchanged. These results demonstrate that reproductive-state-dependent changes in the relative activity of transcriptomically distinct neural subtypes can underlie categorical switches in behavior associated with physiological state changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Liu
- Program in Neurobiology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA,Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Dong-Wook Kim
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA,Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - David J. Anderson
- Program in Neurobiology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA,Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA,Lead contact,Correspondence: (D.J.A)
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39
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Duckhorn JC, Cande J, Metkus MC, Song H, Altamirano S, Stern DL, Shirangi TR. Regulation of Drosophila courtship behavior by the Tlx/tailless-like nuclear receptor, dissatisfaction. Curr Biol 2022; 32:1703-1714.e3. [PMID: 35245457 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic courtship behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster develop from the activity of the sexual differentiation genes, doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru), functioning with other regulatory factors that have received little attention. The dissatisfaction (dsf) gene encodes an orphan nuclear receptor homologous to vertebrate Tlx and Drosophila tailless that is critical for the development of several aspects of female- and male-specific sexual behaviors. Here, we report the pattern of dsf expression in the central nervous system and show that the activity of sexually dimorphic abdominal interneurons that co-express dsf and dsx is necessary and sufficient for vaginal plate opening in virgin females, ovipositor extrusion in mated females, and abdominal curling in males during courtship. We find that dsf activity results in different neuroanatomical outcomes in females and males, promoting and suppressing, respectively, female development and function of these neurons depending upon the sexual state of dsx expression. We posit that dsf and dsx interact to specify sex differences in the neural circuitry for dimorphic abdominal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Duckhorn
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Jessica Cande
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Mary C Metkus
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Hyeop Song
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Sofia Altamirano
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Troy R Shirangi
- Villanova University, Department of Biology, 800 East Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085, USA.
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40
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The insect somatostatin pathway gates vitellogenesis progression during reproductive maturation and the post-mating response. Nat Commun 2022; 13:969. [PMID: 35181671 PMCID: PMC8857180 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28592-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vitellogenesis (yolk accumulation) begins upon eclosion and continues through the process of sexual maturation. Upon reaching sexual maturity, vitellogenesis is placed on hold until it is induced again by mating. However, the mechanisms that gate vitellogenesis in response to developmental and reproductive signals remain unclear. Here, we have identified the neuropeptide allatostatin-C (AstC)-producing neurons that gate both the initiation of vitellogenesis that occurs post-eclosion and its re-initiation post-mating. During sexual maturation, the AstC neurons receive excitatory inputs from Sex Peptide Abdominal Ganglion (SAG) neurons. In mature virgin females, high sustained activity of SAG neurons shuts off vitellogenesis via continuous activation of the AstC neurons. Upon mating, however, Sex Peptide inhibits SAG neurons, leading to deactivation of the AstC neurons. As a result, this permits both JH biosynthesis and the progression of vitellogenesis in mated females. Our work has uncovered a central neural circuit that gates the progression of oogenesis. In mammals, somatostatin plays a role in preventing the release of sex hormones before puberty begins. A Drosophila study uncovered the process by which insect somatostatin controls ovarian development in response to developmental and mating signals.
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41
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Devineni AV, Scaplen KM. Neural Circuits Underlying Behavioral Flexibility: Insights From Drosophila. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:821680. [PMID: 35069145 PMCID: PMC8770416 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.821680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility is critical to survival. Animals must adapt their behavioral responses based on changes in the environmental context, internal state, or experience. Studies in Drosophila melanogaster have provided insight into the neural circuit mechanisms underlying behavioral flexibility. Here we discuss how Drosophila behavior is modulated by internal and behavioral state, environmental context, and learning. We describe general principles of neural circuit organization and modulation that underlie behavioral flexibility, principles that are likely to extend to other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita V. Devineni
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kristin M. Scaplen
- Department of Psychology, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, United States
- Center for Health and Behavioral Studies, Bryant University, Smithfield, RI, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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42
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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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43
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Garaulet DL, Moro A, Lai EC. A double-negative gene regulatory circuit underlies the virgin behavioral state. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109335. [PMID: 34233178 PMCID: PMC8344067 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Virgin females of many species conduct distinctive behaviors, compared with post-mated and/or pregnant individuals. In Drosophila, this post-mating switch is initiated by seminal factors, implying that the default female state is virgin. However, we recently showed that loss of miR-iab-4/8-mediated repression of the transcription factor Homothorax (Hth) within the abdominal ventral nerve cord (VNC) causes virgins to execute mated behaviors. Here, we use genomic analysis of mir-iab-4/8 deletion and hth-microRNA (miRNA) binding site mutants (hth[BSmut]) to elucidate doublesex (dsx) as a critical downstream factor. Dsx and Hth proteins are highly complementary in CNS, and Dsx is downregulated in miRNA/hth[BSmut] mutants. Moreover, virgin behavior is highly dose sensitive to developmental dsx function. Strikingly, depletion of Dsx from very restricted abdominal neurons (SAG-1 cells) abrogates female virgin conducts, in favor of mated behaviors. Thus, a double-negative regulatory pathway in the VNC (miR-iab-4/8 ⫞ Hth ⫞ Dsx) specifies the virgin behavioral state. Garaulet et al. use transcriptomic analysis to reveal new downstream elements in a post-transcriptional cascade, via miR-iab-4/8 and Homothorax, that affects patterning of the CNS. This genetic circuit regulates the accumulation of a secondary target (Doublesex), whose level in specific neurons determines the behavior of adult virgin flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Garaulet
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Albertomaria Moro
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric C Lai
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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44
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Stanley RA, Kyriacou CP. A latitudinal cline in a courtship song character of Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:333-340. [PMID: 34100669 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1933968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The courtship song of male Drosophila melanogaster is generated by wing vibration and contains an interpulse interval (IPI) which is species-specific and usually falls in the mean range of 30-40 ms. The IPI is extremely temperature-sensitive, so we wondered whether flies collected along the eastern coast of Australia between latitudes 16.9°S and 42.9°S might have adapted to the different thermal conditions and show differences in mean IPI. We observe a significant correlation between IPI and latitude in addition to the well-known association between latitude and body size (Bergmannn's Rule). However, somewhat surprisingly we could not detect a significant association between body size and IPI. We also examined flies collected from the North and South-facing slopes of 'Evolution Canyon' in Israel and observed differences in IPI that support the view that thermal adaptation can shape this important song character. We also examined the songs of flies from Kenya and observed no correlation between altitude of collection and IPI. In all three experiments, body size did not correlate with IPI. A global analysis of all three sets of populations on three continents revealed a strong association between IPI and latitude. We speculate that IPI is shaped by thermal and sexual selection whereas body size is also shaped by natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamund A Stanley
- Department of Genetics & Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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45
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Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A. Molecular and neural mechanisms regulating sexual motivation of virgin female Drosophila. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4805-4819. [PMID: 33837450 PMCID: PMC11071752 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03820-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
During courtship, multiple information sources are integrated in the brain to reach a final decision, i.e., whether or not to mate. The brain functions for this complex behavior can be investigated by genetically manipulating genes and neurons, and performing anatomical, physiological, and behavioral analyses. Drosophila is a powerful model experimental system for such studies, which need to be integrated from molecular and cellular levels to the behavioral level, and has enabled pioneering research to be conducted. In male flies, which exhibit a variety of characteristic sexual behaviors, we have accumulated knowledge of many genes and neural circuits that control sexual behaviors. On the other hand, despite the importance of the mechanisms of mating decision-making in females from an evolutionary perspective (such as sexual selection), research on the mechanisms that control sexual behavior in females has progressed somewhat slower. In this review, we focus on the pre-mating behavior of female Drosophila melanogaster, and introduce previous key findings on the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that integrate sensory information and selective expression of behaviors toward the courting male.
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Grants
- JP20H03355 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- JP20H04997 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 19H04933 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 17K19450 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 15K07147 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- 18K06332 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Naito Foundation
- Inamori Foundation
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ishimoto
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
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46
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Male courtship song drives escape responses that are suppressed for successful mating. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9227. [PMID: 33927291 PMCID: PMC8084941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88691-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Persuasion is a crucial component of the courtship ritual needed to overcome contact aversion. In fruit flies, it is well established that the male courtship song prompts receptivity in female flies, in part by causing sexually mature females to slow down and pause, allowing copulation. Whether the above receptivity behaviours require the suppression of contact avoidance or escape remains unknown. Here we show, through genetic manipulation of neurons we identified as required for female receptivity, that male song induces avoidance/escape responses that are suppressed in wild type flies. First, we show that silencing 70A09 neurons leads to an increase in escape, as females increase their walking speed during courtship together with an increase in jumping and a reduction in pausing. The increase in escape response is specific to courtship, as escape to a looming threat is not intensified. Activation of 70A09 neurons leads to pausing, confirming the role of these neurons in escape modulation. Finally, we show that the escape displays by the female result from the presence of a courting male and more specifically from the song produced by a courting male. Our results suggest that courtship song has a dual role, promoting both escape and pause in females and that escape is suppressed by the activity of 70A09 neurons, allowing mating to occur.
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47
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Pacheco DA, Thiberge SY, Pnevmatikakis E, Murthy M. Auditory activity is diverse and widespread throughout the central brain of Drosophila. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:93-104. [PMID: 33230320 PMCID: PMC7783861 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00743-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Sensory pathways are typically studied by starting at receptor neurons and following postsynaptic neurons into the brain. However, this leads to a bias in analyses of activity toward the earliest layers of processing. Here, we present new methods for volumetric neural imaging with precise across-brain registration to characterize auditory activity throughout the entire central brain of Drosophila and make comparisons across trials, individuals and sexes. We discover that auditory activity is present in most central brain regions and in neurons responsive to other modalities. Auditory responses are temporally diverse, but the majority of activity is tuned to courtship song features. Auditory responses are stereotyped across trials and animals in early mechanosensory regions, becoming more variable at higher layers of the putative pathway, and this variability is largely independent of ongoing movements. This study highlights the power of using an unbiased, brain-wide approach for mapping the functional organization of sensory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Pacheco
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Stephan Y Thiberge
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Bezos Center for Neural Circuit Dynamics, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Eftychios Pnevmatikakis
- Center for Computational Mathematics, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Bezos Center for Neural Circuit Dynamics, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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48
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Deutsch D, Pacheco D, Encarnacion-Rivera L, Pereira T, Fathy R, Clemens J, Girardin C, Calhoun A, Ireland E, Burke A, Dorkenwald S, McKellar C, Macrina T, Lu R, Lee K, Kemnitz N, Ih D, Castro M, Halageri A, Jordan C, Silversmith W, Wu J, Seung HS, Murthy M. The neural basis for a persistent internal state in Drosophila females. eLife 2020; 9:e59502. [PMID: 33225998 PMCID: PMC7787663 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sustained changes in mood or action require persistent changes in neural activity, but it has been difficult to identify the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie persistent activity and contribute to long-lasting changes in behavior. Here, we show that a subset of Doublesex+ pC1 neurons in the Drosophila female brain, called pC1d/e, can drive minutes-long changes in female behavior in the presence of males. Using automated reconstruction of a volume electron microscopic (EM) image of the female brain, we map all inputs and outputs to both pC1d and pC1e. This reveals strong recurrent connectivity between, in particular, pC1d/e neurons and a specific subset of Fruitless+ neurons called aIPg. We additionally find that pC1d/e activation drives long-lasting persistent neural activity in brain areas and cells overlapping with the pC1d/e neural network, including both Doublesex+ and Fruitless+ neurons. Our work thus links minutes-long persistent changes in behavior with persistent neural activity and recurrent circuit architecture in the female brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Deutsch
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Diego Pacheco
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | | | - Talmo Pereira
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ramie Fathy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jan Clemens
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Cyrille Girardin
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Adam Calhoun
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Elise Ireland
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Austin Burke
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sven Dorkenwald
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Claire McKellar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Thomas Macrina
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ran Lu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Kisuk Lee
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Brain & Cognitive Science Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Nico Kemnitz
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Dodam Ih
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Manuel Castro
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Akhilesh Halageri
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Chris Jordan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - William Silversmith
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jingpeng Wu
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - H Sebastian Seung
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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49
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Schretter CE, Aso Y, Robie AA, Dreher M, Dolan MJ, Chen N, Ito M, Yang T, Parekh R, Branson KM, Rubin GM. Cell types and neuronal circuitry underlying female aggression in Drosophila. eLife 2020; 9:58942. [PMID: 33141021 PMCID: PMC7787668 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive social interactions are used to compete for limited resources and are regulated by complex sensory cues and the organism’s internal state. While both sexes exhibit aggression, its neuronal underpinnings are understudied in females. Here, we identify a population of sexually dimorphic aIPg neurons in the adult Drosophila melanogaster central brain whose optogenetic activation increased, and genetic inactivation reduced, female aggression. Analysis of GAL4 lines identified in an unbiased screen for increased female chasing behavior revealed the involvement of another sexually dimorphic neuron, pC1d, and implicated aIPg and pC1d neurons as core nodes regulating female aggression. Connectomic analysis demonstrated that aIPg neurons and pC1d are interconnected and suggest that aIPg neurons may exert part of their effect by gating the flow of visual information to descending neurons. Our work reveals important regulatory components of the neuronal circuitry that underlies female aggressive social interactions and provides tools for their manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoshinori Aso
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Alice A Robie
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Marisa Dreher
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Michael-John Dolan
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States.,Current address: Department of Neurology and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
| | - Nan Chen
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Masayoshi Ito
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Tansy Yang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Ruchi Parekh
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Kristin M Branson
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Gerald M Rubin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
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