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Yamanouchi HM, Tanaka R, Kamikouchi A. Piezo-mediated mechanosensation contributes to stabilizing copulation posture and reproductive success in Drosophila males. iScience 2023; 26:106617. [PMID: 37250311 PMCID: PMC10214400 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In internal fertilization animals, reproductive success depends on maintaining copulation until gametes are transported from male to female. In Drosophila melanogaster, mechanosensation in males likely contributes to copulation maintenance, but its molecular underpinning remains to be identified. Here we show that the mechanosensory gene piezo and its' expressing neurons are responsible for copulation maintenance. An RNA-seq database search and subsequent mutant analysis revealed the importance of piezo for maintaining male copulation posture. piezo-GAL4-positive signals were found in the sensory neurons of male genitalia bristles, and optogenetic inhibition of piezo-expressing neurons in the posterior side of the male body during copulation destabilized posture and terminated copulation. Our findings suggest that the mechanosensory system of male genitalia through Piezo channels plays a key role in copulation maintenance and indicate that Piezo may increase male fitness during copulation in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryoya Tanaka
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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Jois S, Chan YB, Fernandez MP, Pujari N, Janz LJ, Parker S, Leung AKW. Sexually dimorphic peripheral sensory neurons regulate copulation duration and persistence in male Drosophila. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6177. [PMID: 35418584 PMCID: PMC9007984 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10247-3] [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: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral sensory neurons are the gateway to the environment across species. In Drosophila, olfactory and gustatory senses are required to initiate courtship, as well as for the escalation of courtship patterns that lead to copulation. To be successful, copulation must last long enough to ensure the transfer of sperm and seminal fluid that ultimately leads to fertilization. The peripheral sensory information required to regulate copulation duration is unclear. Here, we employed genetic manipulations that allow driving gene expression in the male genitalia as a tool to uncover the role of these genitalia specific neurons in copulation. The fly genitalia contain sex-specific bristle hairs innervated by mechanosensory neurons. To date, the role of the sensory information collected by these peripheral neurons in male copulatory behavior is unknown. We confirmed that these MSNs are cholinergic and co-express both fru and dsx. We found that the sensory information received by the peripheral sensory neurons from the front legs (GRNs) and mechanosensory neurons (MSNs) at the male genitalia contribute to the regulation of copulation duration. Moreover, our results show that their function is required for copulation persistence, which ensures copulation is undisrupted in the presence of environmental stress before sperm transfer is complete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Jois
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Yick-Bun Chan
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Maria Paz Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York City, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Narsimha Pujari
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Lea Joline Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Sarah Parker
- Centre for Applied Epidemiology, Large Animal Clinical Science, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Adelaine Kwun-Wai Leung
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada.
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Palmateer CM, Moseley SC, Ray S, Brovero SG, Arbeitman MN. Analysis of cell-type-specific chromatin modifications and gene expression in Drosophila neurons that direct reproductive behavior. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009240. [PMID: 33901168 PMCID: PMC8102012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Examining the role of chromatin modifications and gene expression in neurons is critical for understanding how the potential for behaviors are established and maintained. We investigate this question by examining Drosophila melanogaster fru P1 neurons that underlie reproductive behaviors in both sexes. We developed a method to purify cell-type-specific chromatin (Chromatag), using a tagged histone H2B variant that is expressed using the versatile Gal4/UAS gene expression system. Here, we use Chromatag to evaluate five chromatin modifications, at three life stages in both sexes. We find substantial changes in chromatin modification profiles across development and fewer differences between males and females. Additionally, we find chromatin modifications that persist in different sets of genes from pupal to adult stages, which may point to genes important for cell fate determination in fru P1 neurons. We generated cell-type-specific RNA-seq data sets, using translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP). We identify actively translated genes in fru P1 neurons, revealing novel stage- and sex-differences in gene expression. We also find chromatin modification enrichment patterns that are associated with gene expression. Next, we use the chromatin modification data to identify cell-type-specific super-enhancer-containing genes. We show that genes with super-enhancers in fru P1 neurons differ across development and between the sexes. We validated that a set of genes are expressed in fru P1 neurons, which were chosen based on having a super-enhancer and TRAP-enriched expression in fru P1 neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen M. Palmateer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Shawn C. Moseley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Surjyendu Ray
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Savannah G. Brovero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Michelle N. Arbeitman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
- Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wang J, Fan H, Wang P, Liu YH. Expression Analysis Reveals the Association of Several Genes with Pupal Diapause in Bactrocera minax (Diptera: Tephritidae). INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10060169. [PMID: 31200584 PMCID: PMC6628110 DOI: 10.3390/insects10060169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Chinese citrus fly, Bactrocera minax, is a devastating pest of citrus, which enters the obligatory diapause in overwintering pupae to resist harsh environmental conditions. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying pupal diapause. The previous transcriptomic analysis revealed that a large number of genes were regulated throughout the pupal stage. Of these genes, 12 and six ones that are remarkably up- and downregulated, respectively, specifically in intense diapause were manually screened out in present study. To validate the expression of these genes throughout the pupal stage, the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted, and the genes displaying different expression patterns with those of previous study were excluded. Then, the expressions of remaining genes were compared between diapause-destined and non-diapause-destined pupae to reveal their association with diapause using qRT-PCR and semiquantitative PCR. Finally, five genes, TTLL3B, Cyp6a9, MSTA, Fru, and UC2, and two genes, KSPI and LYZ1, were demonstrated to be positively and negatively associated with diapause, respectively. These findings provide a solid foundation for the further investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying B. minax pupal diapause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
| | - Huan Fan
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
| | - Pan Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
| | - Ying-Hong Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
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Jois S, Chan YB, Fernandez MP, Leung AKW. Characterization of the Sexually Dimorphic fruitless Neurons That Regulate Copulation Duration. Front Physiol 2018; 9:780. [PMID: 29988589 PMCID: PMC6026680 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male courtship in Drosophila melanogaster is a sexually dimorphic innate behavior that is hardwired in the nervous system. Understanding the neural mechanism of courtship behavior requires the anatomical and functional characterization of all the neurons involved. Courtship involves a series of distinctive behavioral patterns, culminating in the final copulation step, where sperms from the male are transferred to the female. The duration of this process is tightly controlled by multiple genes. The fruitless (fru) gene is one of the factors that regulate the duration of copulation. Using several intersectional genetic combinations to restrict the labeling of GAL4 lines, we found that a subset of a serotonergic cluster of fru neurons co-express the dopamine-synthesizing enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase, and provide behavioral and immunological evidence that these neurons are involved in the regulation of copulation duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas Jois
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Yick Bun Chan
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Paz Fernandez
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Adelaine Kwun-Wai Leung
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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