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Thiem J, Viskadourou M, Gaitanidis A, Stravopodis DJ, Strauß R, Duch C, Consoulas C. Biological aging of two innate behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster: Escape climbing versus courtship learning and memory. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293252. [PMID: 38593121 PMCID: PMC11003613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Motor and cognitive aging can severely affect life quality of elderly people and burden health care systems. In search for diagnostic behavioral biomarkers, it has been suggested that walking speed can predict forms of cognitive decline, but in humans, it remains challenging to separate the effects of biological aging and lifestyle. We examined a possible association of motor and cognitive decline in Drosophila, a genetic model organism of healthy aging. Long term courtship memory is present in young male flies but absent already during mid life (4-8 weeks). By contrast, courtship learning index and short term memory (STM) are surprisingly robust and remain stable through mid (4-8 weeks) and healthy late life (>8 weeks), until courtship performance collapses suddenly at ~4.5 days prior to death. By contrast, climbing speed declines gradually during late life (>8 weeks). The collapse of courtship performance and short term memory close to the end of life occur later and progress with a different time course than the gradual late life decline in climbing speed. Thus, during healthy aging in male Drosophila, climbing and courtship motor behaviors decline differentially. Moreover, cognitive and motor performances decline at different time courses. Differential behavioral decline during aging may indicate different underlying causes, or alternatively, a common cause but different thresholds for defects in different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Thiem
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
| | - Maria Viskadourou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandros Gaitanidis
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios J. Stravopodis
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Roland Strauß
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
| | - Carsten Duch
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
| | - Christos Consoulas
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
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2
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Gong LL, Zhang MQ, Ma YF, Feng HY, Zhao YQ, Zhou YY, He M, Smagghe G, He P. RNAi of yellow-y, required for normal cuticle pigmentation, impairs courtship behavior and oviposition in the German cockroach (Blattella germanica). Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2024; 115:e22114. [PMID: 38659314 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The insect cuticle plays a key role in maintaining the insect's physiological function and behavior. Herein, the yellow-y protein is required to produce black melanin, and is expressed in a pattern that correlates with the distribution of this pigment. However, yellow-y can also have other functions, for instance, in insect behavior, but not much is known. In this study, we have studied the yellow-y gene in one important model and pest species, namely the German cockroach (Blattella germanica), which is to our knowledge the first time reported. In essence, we identified the yellow-y gene (BgY-y) and characterized its function by using RNA interference (RNAi). Silencing of BgY-y gene led to different developmental abnormalities (body weight and wings) in both genders. Specifically, there was an abundant decrease in melanin, turning the body color in pale yellow and the cuticle softer and more transparent. Interestingly, we also observed that the knockdown of BgY-y impaired the male cockroaches to display a weaker response to female-emitted contact sex pheromones, and also that the oviposition ability was weakened in the RNAi females. This study comprehensively analyzed the biological functions of the yellow-y gene in German cockroaches from the perspectives of development, body color, courtship behavior and oviposition, and as a consequence, this may opens new avenues to explore it as a novel pest control gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang-Lang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Hong-Yan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yang-Yuntao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Institute Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peng He
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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Abstract
Vocal learning in songbirds is thought to have evolved through sexual selection, with female preference driving males to develop large and varied song repertoires1-3. However, many songbird species learn only a single song in their lifetime4. How sexual selection drives the evolution of single-song repertoires is not known. Here, by applying dimensionality-reduction techniques to the singing behaviour of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), we show that syllable spread in low-dimensional feature space explains how single songs function as honest indicators of fitness. We find that this Gestalt measure of behaviour captures the spectrotemporal distinctiveness of song syllables in zebra finches; that females strongly prefer songs that occupy more latent space; and that matching path lengths in low-dimensional space is difficult for young males. Our findings clarify how simple vocal repertoires may have evolved in songbirds and indicate divergent strategies for how sexual selection can shape vocal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyal Alam
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Fayha Zia
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Todd F Roberts
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- O'Donnell Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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4
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Chen CH, Lin YC, Wang SH, Kuo TH, Tsai HY. An automatic system for recognizing fly courtship patterns via an image processing method. Behav Brain Funct 2024; 20:5. [PMID: 38493127 PMCID: PMC10943763 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00231-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Fruit fly courtship behaviors composed of a series of actions have always been an important model for behavioral research. While most related studies have focused only on total courtship behaviors, specific courtship elements have often been underestimated. Identifying these courtship element details is extremely labor intensive and would largely benefit from an automatic recognition system. To address this issue, in this study, we established a vision-based fly courtship behavior recognition system. The system based on the proposed image processing methods can precisely distinguish body parts such as the head, thorax, and abdomen and automatically recognize specific courtship elements, including orientation, singing, attempted copulation, copulation and tapping, which was not detectable in previous studies. This system, which has high identity tracking accuracy (99.99%) and high behavioral element recognition rates (> 97.35%), can ensure correct identification even when flies completely overlap. Using this newly developed system, we investigated the total courtship time, and proportion, and transition of courtship elements in flies across different ages and found that male flies adjusted their courtship strategy in response to their physical condition. We also identified differences in courtship patterns between males with and without successful copulation. Our study therefore demonstrated how image processing methods can be applied to automatically recognize complex animal behaviors. The newly developed system will largely help us investigate the details of fly courtship in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsin Chen
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chiao Lin
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Hao Wang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Han Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
| | - Hung-Yin Tsai
- Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
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5
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Henske J, Eltz T. Age-dependent perfume development in male orchid bees, Euglossa imperialis. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246995. [PMID: 38511547 PMCID: PMC11006377 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Male neotropical orchid bees concoct complex perfume blends by collecting exogenous volatiles from various sources, including orchids. These perfumes, stored in specialized hind-leg pouches and released during courtship, serve as inter-sexual signals. It has been hypothesized that male perfumes honestly indicate aspects of male fitness. If perfume traits such as quantity or complexity increase over individual lifetime, perfumes could reflect age (survival) and cumulative foraging success of males. We conducted a two-season mark-recapture study with Euglossa imperialis in Costa Rica, monitoring the balance of perfume uptake and expenditure over individual male lifetime. We sealed one hind-leg pouch upon initial capture, 'freezing' the perfume status on one side, and compared it with the other side at recapture to assess changes in perfume traits over time. Additionally, we used a novel method to estimate individual age by combining two parameters of wing degradation. Contrary to predictions, young to intermediate-aged bees had the highest quantities of perfume and the highest diversity of detected compounds. At the same time, the change in perfume between recaptures was positive (increase in amount and complexity) in young bees, whereas it was neutral to negative in older bees. Although these findings do not disprove an indicator function of male perfume, they shift the emphasis to non-cumulative fitness components such as sensory acuteness or cognitive capacity as likely targets of selection. Females preferring strong perfume signals in mates would maximize speed of foraging in offspring rather than their lifetime cumulative yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Henske
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Eltz
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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6
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Baker CA, Guan XJ, Choi M, Murthy M. The role of fruitless in specifying courtship behaviors across divergent Drosophila species. Sci Adv 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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7
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Fu X, Zhu X. Key homeobox transcription factors regulate the development of the firefly's adult light organ and bioluminescence. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1736. [PMID: 38443352 PMCID: PMC10914744 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45559-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Adult fireflies exhibit unique flashing courtship signals, emitted by specialized light organs, which develop mostly independently from larval light organs during the pupal stage. The mechanisms of adult light organ development have not been thoroughly studied until now. Here we show that key homeobox transcription factors AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 regulate the development of adult light organs and bioluminescence in the firefly Aquatica leii. Interference with the expression of AlAbd-B and AlUnc-4 genes results in undeveloped or non-luminescent adult light organs. AlABD-B regulates AlUnc-4, and they interact with each other. AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 activate the expression of the luciferase gene AlLuc1 and some peroxins. Four peroxins are involved in the import of AlLUC1 into peroxisomes. Our study provides key insights into the development of adult light organs and flash signal control in fireflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhua Fu
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Xinlei Zhu
- Firefly Conservation Research Centre, Wuhan, 430070, China
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8
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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9
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Li XL, Li DD, Cai XY, Cheng DF, Lu YY. Reproductive behavior of fruit flies: courtship, mating, and oviposition. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:935-952. [PMID: 37794312 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Many species of the Tephritidae family are invasive and cause huge damage to agriculture and horticulture, owing to their reproductive characteristics. In this review, we have summarized the existing studies on the reproductive behavior of Tephritidae, particularly those regarding the genes and external factors that are associated with courtship, mating, and oviposition. Furthermore, we outline the issues that still need to be addressed in fruit fly reproduction research. The review highlights the implications for understanding the reproductive behavior of fruit flies and discusses methods for their integrated management and biological control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Lian Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dou-Dou Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yan Cai
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dai-Feng Cheng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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10
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Zhuravlev AV, Vetrovoy OV, Zalomaeva ES, Egozova ES, Nikitina EA, Savvateeva-Popova EV. Overexpression of the limk1 Gene in Drosophila melanogaster Can Lead to Suppression of Courtship Memory in Males. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2024; 89:393-406. [PMID: 38648760 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924030015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Courtship suppression is a behavioral adaptation of the fruit fly. When majority of the females in a fly population are fertilized and non-receptive for mating, a male, after a series of failed attempts, decreases its courtship activity towards all females, saving its energy and reproductive resources. The time of courtship decrease depends on both duration of unsuccessful courtship and genetically determined features of the male nervous system. Thereby, courtship suppression paradigm can be used for studying molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. p-Cofilin, a component of the actin remodeling signaling cascade and product of LIM-kinase 1 (LIMK1), regulates Drosophila melanogaster forgetting in olfactory learning paradigm. Previously, we have shown that limk1 suppression in the specific types of nervous cells differently affects fly courtship memory. Here, we used Gal4 > UAS system to induce limk1 overexpression in the same types of neurons. limk1 activation in the mushroom body, glia, and fruitless neurons decreased learning index compared to the control strain or the strain with limk1 knockdown. In cholinergic and dopaminergic/serotoninergic neurons, both overexpression and knockdown of limk1 impaired Drosophila short-term memory. Thus, proper balance of the limk1 activity is crucial for normal cognitive activity of the fruit fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandr V Zhuravlev
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - Oleg V Vetrovoy
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
| | - Ekaterina S Zalomaeva
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
- Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia
| | - Ekaterina S Egozova
- Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia.
| | - Ekaterina A Nikitina
- Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia.
- Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia
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11
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Abstract
In this narrative medicine essay, a professional writer pens a letter to the surgeon who tried to repair her brother’s coronary artery dissection to share her regret that neither she nor the physician discussed his imminent death.
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12
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [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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13
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Chen X, Su X, Qiu Z, Xu Y, Yang Z, Hu P. Courtship and mating behavior of Endoclita signifer (Hepialidae: Lepidoptera) and the male sex pheromones in hairbrushes. J Econ Entomol 2024; 117:218-229. [PMID: 38195198 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Endoclita signifer Walker is the most destructive wood-boring pest of Eucalyptus in China, causing significant economic and ecological damage. As an insect of the primitive Lepidoptera family Hepialidae, E. signifer fly and mat for only 10-20 min at dusk. The courtship and mating behavior of E. signifer adults and whether male moths release sex pheromones are still unknown, especially since transitory flight survival strategies in primitive moths differ from advanced moths like noctuids. In this study, we first observed the courtship and mating behavior of E. signifer by considering the effects of space and then analyzed extracts of male hairbrushes using gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection. Our results indicated that during the courtship period, flying males form courtship fields, lekking, and chase flying females before mating with them; E. signifer were more successful in mating in larger spaces (Length × Width × Height = 9.6 × 7 × 4 m); 5 compounds in the hairbrushes of the male moths which elicited antennal responses of 2 sexes, despite at high concentrations. Combined with it, indicating that communication between male and female may rely on male sex pheromones. These findings can serve as a basis for studying the mechanisms of sex communication in E. signifer and developing sex pheromone-based trapping techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiaoyan Su
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhisong Qiu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhende Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Ping Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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14
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Wei Q, Feng ZL, Cai YD, He JC, Lai FX, Wan PJ, Wang WX, Yao Q, Chiu JC, Fu Q. Characterization of light-dependent rhythm of courtship vibrational signals in Nilaparvata lugens: essential involvement of cryptochrome genes. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:508-517. [PMID: 37735824 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vibrational signal plays a crucial role in courtship communication in many insects. However, it remains unclear whether insect vibrational signals exhibit daily rhythmicity in response to changes in environmental cues. RESULTS In this study, we observed daily rhythms of both female vibrational signals (FVS) and male vibrational signals (MVS) in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), one of the most notorious rice pests across Asia. Notably, oscillations of FVS and MVS in paired BPHs were synchronized as part of male-female duetting interactions, displaying significant day-night rhythmicity. Furthermore, we observed light dependency of FVS emissions under different photoperiodic regimes (18 L:6 D and 6 L:18 D) and illumination intensity levels (>300 lx, 50 lx, and 25 lx). Subsequently, the potential role of circadian clock genes cryptochromes (Nlcry1 and Nlcry2) in regulating FVS daily oscillations was examined using gene knockdown via RNA interference. We observed sharp declines and disrupted rhythms in FVS frequencies when either of the Nlcrys was downregulated, with Nlcry2 knockdown showing a more prominent effect. Moreover, we recorded a novel FVS variant (with a dominant frequency of 361.76 ± 4.31 Hz) emitted by dsNlcry1-treated BPH females, which significantly diminished the impact of courtship stimuli on receptive males. CONCLUSION We observed light-dependent daily rhythms of substrate-borne vibrational signals (SBVS) in BPH and demonstrated essential yet distinct roles of the two Nlcrys. These findings enhanced our understanding of insect SBVS and illustrated the potential of novel precision physical control strategies for disrupting mating behaviors in this rice pest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ze-Lin Feng
- School of Information Science and Technology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yao D Cai
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jia-Chun He
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng-Xiang Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pin-Jun Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qing Yao
- School of Information Science and Technology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Joanna C Chiu
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Qiang Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Choi N, Miller P, Hebets EA. Vibroscape analysis reveals acoustic niche overlap and plastic alteration of vibratory courtship signals in ground-dwelling wolf spiders. Commun Biol 2024; 7:23. [PMID: 38182735 PMCID: PMC10770364 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05700-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
To expand the scope of soundscape ecology to encompass substrate-borne vibrations (i.e. vibroscapes), we analyzed the vibroscape of a deciduous forest floor using contact microphone arrays followed by automated processing of large audio datasets. We then focused on vibratory signaling of ground-dwelling Schizocosa wolf spiders to test for (i) acoustic niche partitioning and (ii) plastic behavioral responses that might reduce the risk of signal interference from substrate-borne noise and conspecific/heterospecific signaling. Two closely related species - S. stridulans and S. uetzi - showed high acoustic niche overlap across space, time, and dominant frequency. Both species show plastic behavioral responses - S. uetzi males shorten their courtship in higher abundance of substrate-borne noise, S. stridulans males increased the duration of their vibratory courtship signals in a higher abundance of conspecific signals, and S. stridulans males decreased vibratory signal complexity in a higher abundance of S. uetzi signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noori Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Pat Miller
- University of Mississippi field station associate, Abbeville, MS, USA
| | - Eileen A Hebets
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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16
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Perrodin C, Verzat C, Bendor D. Courtship behaviour reveals temporal regularity is a critical social cue in mouse communication. eLife 2023; 12:RP86464. [PMID: 38149925 PMCID: PMC10752583 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
While animals navigating the real world face a barrage of sensory input, their brains evolved to perceptually compress multidimensional information by selectively extracting the features relevant for survival. Notably, communication signals supporting social interactions in several mammalian species consist of acoustically complex sequences of vocalisations. However, little is known about what information listeners extract from such time-varying sensory streams. Here, we utilise female mice's natural behavioural response to male courtship songs to identify the relevant acoustic dimensions used in their social decisions. We found that females were highly sensitive to disruptions of song temporal regularity and preferentially approached playbacks of intact over rhythmically irregular versions of male songs. In contrast, female behaviour was invariant to manipulations affecting the songs' sequential organisation or the spectro-temporal structure of individual syllables. The results reveal temporal regularity as a key acoustic cue extracted by mammalian listeners from complex vocal sequences during goal-directed social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Perrodin
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Colombine Verzat
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Idiap Research InstituteMartignySwitzerland
| | - Daniel Bendor
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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17
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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18
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Chen Y, Zhang Y, Ai S, Xing S, Zhong G, Yi X. Female semiochemicals stimulate male courtship but dampen female sexual receptivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311166120. [PMID: 38011549 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311166120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a vital role in mate attraction and discrimination among many insect species. Here, we document a unique example of semiochemical parsimony, where four chemicals act as both aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs in different contexts in Bactrocera dorsalis. Specifically, we identified four female-specific semiochemicals, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl cis-9-hexadecenoate, and ethyl palmitate, which serve as aphrodisiacs to attract male flies and arouse male courtship. Interestingly, these semiochemicals, when sexually transferred to males during mating, can function as anti-aphrodisiacs, inhibiting the receptivity of subsequent female mates. We further showed that the expression of elongase11, a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of these semiochemicals, is under the control of doublesex, facilitating the exclusive biosynthesis of these four semiochemicals in females and guaranteeing effective chemical communication. The dual roles of these semiochemicals not only ensure the attractiveness of mature females but also provide a simple yet reliable mechanism for female mate discrimination. These findings provide insights into chemical communication in B. dorsalis and add elements for the design of pest control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shupei Ai
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shuyuan Xing
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Guohua Zhong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xin Yi
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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19
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Luong K, Bernardo MF, Lindstrom M, Alluri RK, Rose GJ. Brain regions controlling courtship behavior in the bluehead wrasse. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4937-4949.e3. [PMID: 37898122 PMCID: PMC10764105 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Bluehead wrasses (Thalassoma bifasciatum) follow a socially controlled mechanism of sex determination. A socially dominant initial-phase (IP) female is able to transform into a new terminal-phase (TP) male if the resident TP male is no longer present. TP males display an elaborate array of courtship behaviors, including both color changes and motor behaviors. Little is known concerning the neural circuits that control male-typical courtship behaviors. This study used glutamate iontophoresis to identify regions that may be involved in courtship. Stimulation of the following brain regions elicited diverse types of color change responses, many of which appear similar to courtship color changes: the ventral telencephalon (supracommissural nucleus of the ventral telencephalon [Vs], lateral nucleus of the ventral telencephalon [Vl], ventral nucleus of the ventral telencephalon [Vv], and dorsal nucleus of the ventral telencephalon [Vd]), parts of the preoptic area (NPOmg and NPOpc), entopeduncular nucleus, habenular nucleus, and pretectal nuclei (PSi and PSm). Stimulation of two regions in the posterior thalamus (central posterior thalamic [CP] and dorsal posterior thalamic [DP]) caused movements of the pectoral fins that are similar to courtship fluttering and vibrations. Furthermore, these responses were elicited in female IP fish, indicating that circuits for sexual behaviors typical of TP males exist in females. Immunohistochemistry results revealed regions that are more active in fish that are not courting: interpeduncular nucleus, red nucleus, and ventrolateral thalamus (VL). Taken together, we propose that the telencephalic-habenular-interpeduncular pathway plays an important role in controlling and regulating courtship behaviors in TP males; in this model, in response to telencephalic input, the habenular nucleus inhibits the interpeduncular nucleus, thereby dis-inhibiting forebrain regions and promoting the expression of courtship behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyphuong Luong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
| | - Madeline F Bernardo
- School of Medicine, University of Utah, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
| | - Michael Lindstrom
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, 101 Northern Blvd, Glen Head, NY 11545, USA
| | - Rishi K Alluri
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Gary J Rose
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, 257 S 1400 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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20
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Sadedin S, Duéñez-Guzmán EA, Leibo JZ. Emotions and courtship help bonded pairs cooperate, but emotional agents are vulnerable to deceit. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308911120. [PMID: 37948585 PMCID: PMC10655579 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308911120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordinated pair bonds are common in birds and also occur in many other taxa. How do animals solve the social dilemmas they face in coordinating with a partner? We developed an evolutionary model to explore this question, based on observations that a) neuroendocrine feedback provides emotional bookkeeping which is thought to play a key role in vertebrate social bonds and b) these bonds are developed and maintained via courtship interactions that include low-stakes social dilemmas. Using agent-based simulation, we found that emotional bookkeeping and courtship sustained cooperation in the iterated prisoner's dilemma in noisy environments, especially when combined. However, when deceitful defection was possible at low cost, courtship often increased cooperation, whereas emotional bookkeeping decreased it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Sadedin
- Independent Researcher, Abbots LangleyWD5 0QS, United Kingdom
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21
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22
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Giannopoulos AS, Giannakou L, Gourgoulianni N, Pitaraki E, Jagirdar R, Marnas P, Tzamalas PI, Rouka E, Livanou E, Hatzoglou C, Gourgoulianis K, Lüpold S, Blanckenhorn WU, Zarogiannis SG. The effect of cigarette smoke extract exposure on the size and sexual behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 104:104325. [PMID: 37995887 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a widely used animal model in human diseases and to date it has not been applied to the study of the impact of tobacco use on human sexual function. Hence, this report examines the effects of different concentrations of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure on the size and sexual behavior of D. melanogaster. Wild-type flies were held in vials containing CSE-infused culture media at concentrations of 10%, 25%, and 50% for three days, and their offspring were reared under the same conditions before measuring their body size and mating behavior. CSE exposure during development reduced the tibia length and body mass of emerging adult flies and prolonged the time required for successful courtship copulation success, while courtship behaviors (wing extension, tapping, abdomen bending, attempted copulation) remained largely unchanged. Our findings indicate that CSE exposure negatively affects the development of flies and their subsequent reproductive success. Future experiments should investigate the CSE effect on male female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios-Stefanos Giannopoulos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Lydia Giannakou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Natalia Gourgoulianni
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eleanna Pitaraki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Rajesh Jagirdar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Periklis Marnas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Panagiotis I Tzamalas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Erasmia Rouka
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Eleni Livanou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Chrissi Hatzoglou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Gourgoulianis
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wolf U Blanckenhorn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sotirios G Zarogiannis
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
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23
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Garita-Alvarado CA. Courtship behavior in the knife livebearer Alfaro cultratus (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae). J Fish Biol 2023; 103:1221-1225. [PMID: 37415430 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The mating behavior of the knife livebearer Alfaro cultratus is described in detail. During "rubbing," the male swims to a position above the female and gently moves down repeatedly touching the dorsal part of female head with the pelvic fin tips. This courtship behavior constitutes the first report of a pelvic fin male-female contact during mating in poecilids. Based on preliminary evidence, I propose that a sensory bias mechanism could mediate the evolution of signal design/mate choice in this species, which should be tested in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Garita-Alvarado
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
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24
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Albouy R, Faria AM, Fonseca PJ, Amorim MCP. Effects of temperature on acoustic and visual courtship and reproductive success in the two-spotted goby Pomatoschistus flavescens. Mar Environ Res 2023; 192:106197. [PMID: 37793242 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Fish are ectothermic and small changes in water temperature could greatly affect reproduction. The two-spotted goby is a small semi-pelagic species that uses visual and acoustic displays to mate. Here, we studied the effect of temperature (16 and 20 °C) on acoustic and visual courtship and associated reproductive success in 39 males. Temperature influenced male visual courtship performed outside the nest, but it did not influence calling rate and the number of laid eggs. Interestingly, the number of sounds (drums) was the sole predictor of spawning success. These findings suggest that exposure to different temperatures within the species' natural range affect courtship behaviour but not its reproductive success. We propose that finding the link between acoustic behaviour and reproduction in fishes offers the opportunity to monitor fish sounds both in the lab and in nature to learn how they respond to environmental changes and human impacts, namely global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Albouy
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; IMBRSEA Master Programme, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ana M Faria
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Portugal
| | - M Clara P Amorim
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
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25
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26
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Roeser A, Gadagkar V, Das A, Puzerey PA, Kardon B, Goldberg JH. Dopaminergic error signals retune to social feedback during courtship. Nature 2023; 623:375-380. [PMID: 37758948 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06580-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Hunger, thirst, loneliness and ambition determine the reward value of food, water, social interaction and performance outcome1. Dopamine neurons respond to rewards meeting these diverse needs2-8, but it remains unclear how behaviour and dopamine signals change as priorities change with new opportunities in the environment. One possibility is that dopamine signals for distinct drives are routed to distinct dopamine pathways9,10. Another possibility is that dopamine signals in a given pathway are dynamically tuned to rewards set by the current priority. Here we used electrophysiology and fibre photometry to test how dopamine signals associated with quenching thirst, singing a good song and courting a mate change as male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were provided with opportunities to retrieve water, evaluate song performance or court a female. When alone, water reward signals were observed in two mesostriatal pathways but singing-related performance error signals were routed to Area X, a striatal nucleus specialized for singing. When courting a female, water seeking was reduced and dopamine responses to both water and song performance outcomes diminished. Instead, dopamine signals in Area X were driven by female calls timed with the courtship song. Thus the dopamine system handled coexisting drives by routing vocal performance and social feedback signals to a striatal area for communication and by flexibly re-tuning to rewards set by the prioritized drive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Roeser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Vikram Gadagkar
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Anindita Das
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Pavel A Puzerey
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Brian Kardon
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jesse H Goldberg
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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Wassiliwizky E, Wontorra P, Ullén F. How being perceived to be an artist boosts feelings of attraction in others. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18747. [PMID: 37907580 PMCID: PMC10618184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45952-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Music production is a universal phenomenon reaching far back into our past. Given its ubiquity, evolution theorists have postulated adaptive functions for music, such as strengthening in-group cohesion, intimidating enemies, or promoting child bonding. Here, we focus on a longstanding Darwinian hypothesis, suggesting that music production evolved as a vehicle to display an individual's biological fitness in courtship competition, thus rendering musicality a sexually selected trait. We also extend this idea to visual artists. In our design, we employed different versions of naturalistic portraits that manipulated the presence or absence of visual cues suggesting that the person was an artist or a non-artist (e.g., farmer, teacher, physician). Participants rated each portrayed person's appeal on multiple scales, including attractiveness, interestingness, sympathy, and trustworthiness. Difference scores between portrait versions revealed the impact of the artistic/non-artistic visual cues. We thus tested Darwin's hypothesis on both a within-subject and within-stimulus level. In addition to this implicit approach, we collected explicit ratings on the appeal of artists versus non-artists. The results demonstrate divergent findings for both types of data, with only the explicit statements corroborating Darwin's hypothesis. We discuss this divergence in detail, along with the particular role of interestingness revealed by the implicit data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugen Wassiliwizky
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Grueneburgweg 14, 60322, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Paul Wontorra
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Grueneburgweg 14, 60322, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fredrik Ullén
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Grueneburgweg 14, 60322, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Onaga J, Soma M. Eyes of love: Java sparrows increase eye ring conspicuousness when pair-bonded. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292074. [PMID: 37878547 PMCID: PMC10599526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Conspicuous facial features, such as blushing in primates, can communicate social/emotional/physiological states in animals. However, the role of bare facial features is less well studied in birds than in humans or primates. We investigate the Java sparrow, which is characterised by conspicuous rings of swollen and blushed bare skin around the eye. Eye rings show no clear sex difference, although the swelling is associated with breeding. Java sparrows are socially monogamous, with mutual courtships and long-term pair-bonding. Therefore, it is plausible that eye rings function in within-pair communication. Specifically, do eye rings reflect psychophysiological conditions after pair formation? We assessed variations in ring thickness in pair-bonded birds and compared them with single birds and pairs of non-bonded individuals. Over the 12-week experimental period, pair-bonded males and females had an increased ring thickness, unlike the controls. We suggest eye rings convey breeding motivations or serve as fertility signals. This would be of great importance for ensuring reproductive synchrony in tropical birds like the Java sparrow. Our results contribute to understanding the evolution of facial ornamentation in birds, which was often overlooked in the past studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Onaga
- Biosystems Science Course, Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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MacGillavry T, Spezie G, Fusani L. When less is more: coy display behaviours and the temporal dynamics of animal courtship. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231684. [PMID: 37788700 PMCID: PMC10547558 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection research has been dominated by the notion that mate choice selects for the most vigorous displays that best reflect the quality of the courter. However, courtship displays are often temporally structured, containing different elements with varying degrees of intensity and conspicuousness. For example, highly intense movements are often coupled with more subtle components such as static postures or hiding displays. Here, we refer to such subtle display traits as 'coy', as they involve the withholding of information about maximal display capabilities. We examine the role of intensity variation within temporally dynamic displays, and discuss three hypotheses for the evolution of coy courtship behaviours. We first review the threat reduction hypothesis, which points to sexual coercion and sexual autonomy as important facets of sexual selection. We then suggest that variation in display magnitude exploits pre-existing perceptual biases for temporal contrast. Lastly, we propose that information withholding may leverage receivers' predispositions for filling gaps in information-the 'curiosity bias'. Overall, our goal is to draw attention to temporal variation in display magnitude, and to advocate possible scenarios for the evolution of courtship traits that regularly occur below performance maxima. Throughout, we highlight novel directions for empirical and theoretical investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas MacGillavry
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Giovanni Spezie
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Beck J, Wernisch B, Klaus T, Penn DJ, Zala SM. Attraction of female house mice to male ultrasonic courtship vocalizations depends on their social experience and estrous stage. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285642. [PMID: 37816035 PMCID: PMC10564145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Male house mice (Mus musculus) produce complex ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), especially during courtship and mating. Playback experiments suggest that female attraction towards recordings of male USVs depends on their social experience, paternal exposure, and estrous stage. We conducted a playback experiment with wild-derived female house mice (M. musculus musculus) and compared their attraction to male USVs versus the same recording without USVs (background noise). We tested whether female attraction to USVs is influenced by the following factors: (1) social housing (two versus one female per cage); (2) neonatal paternal exposure (rearing females with versus without father); and (3) estrous stage. We found that females showed a significant attraction to male USVs but only when they were housed socially with another female. Individually housed females showed the opposite response. We found no evidence that pre-weaning exposure to a father influenced females' preferences, whereas estrous stage influenced females' attraction to male USVs: females not in estrus showed preferences towards male USVs, whereas estrous females did not. Finally, we found that individually housed females were more likely to be in sexually receptive estrous stages than those housed socially, and that attraction to male USVs was most pronounced amongst non-receptive females that were socially housed. Our findings indicate that the attraction of female mice to male USVs depends upon their social experience and estrous stage, though not paternal exposure. They contribute to the growing number of studies showing that social housing and estrous stage can influence the behavior of house mice and we show how such unreported variables can contribute to the replication crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Beck
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bettina Wernisch
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Teresa Klaus
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dustin J. Penn
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah M. Zala
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Liao X, Tao B, Zhang X, Chen L, Chen J, Song Y, Hu W. Loss of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 576:112010. [PMID: 37419437 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is essential for establishment and maintenance of reproduction in male vertebrates. Spermatogenesis, which is mainly regulated by the combined action of hormones, growth factors, and epigenetic factors, is highly conserved. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. In this study, global gdnfa knockout and Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) transgenic zebrafish lines were generated. Loss of gdnfa resulted in disorganized testes, decreased gonadosomatic index, and low percentage of mature spermatozoa. In the Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) zebrafish line, we found that gdnfa was expressed in Leydig cells. The mutation in gdnfa significantly decreased Leydig cell marker gene expression and androgen secretion in Leydig cells. In addition, courtship behavior was disrupted in the male mutants. We present in vivo data showing that global knockout of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish. The first viable vertebrate model with a global gdnfa knockout may be valuable for studying the role of GDNF in animal reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyao Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Binbin Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Xiya Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yanlong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modem Agriculture, China; Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Pfaus JG, Safron A, Zakreski E. From distal to proximal to interactive: behavioral and brain synchrony during attraction, courtship, and sexual interaction-implications for clinical assessments of relationship style and quality. Sex Med Rev 2023; 11:312-322. [PMID: 37544764 DOI: 10.1093/sxmrev/qead034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Synchronous behaviors between individuals are nonverbal signs of closeness and common purpose. In the flow from initial attraction to intimate sexual interaction, attention and synchrony move from distal to proximal to interactive and are mediated by sensitized activation of neural systems for sexual motivation, arousal, and desire and those that recognize and mimic common facial and body movements between individuals. When reinforced by sexual pleasure and other relationship rewards, this results in the strengthening of attraction and bonding and the display of more common motor patterns. As relationships falter, nonverbal behaviors likely become asynchronous. OBJECTIVES To define behavioral, romantic, and sexual synchrony during phases of attraction and how their disruption can be observed and utilized by clinicians to assess individual relationship styles and quality. METHODS We review the literature on behavioral and attentional synchrony in humans and animals in an effort to understand experiential and innate mechanisms of synchrony and asynchrony and how they develop, as well as implications for attraction, relationship initiation, maintenance of romantic and sexual closeness, and relationship disintegration. RESULTS Evidence is presented that behavioral synchrony and the neural mechanisms that underlie it are vital to relationship formation and satisfaction. CONCLUSION Behavioral synchrony helps to create feelings of sexual and romantic synergy, cohesion, and arousal among individuals. Asynchrony is aversive and can spark feelings of discontent, aversion, and jealousy. Thus, observing patterns of nonverbal sexual and romantic synchrony between individuals offers insights into the potential quality of their relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Pfaus
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, 18200, Czech Republic
- Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, 25067, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Safron
- Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, 21224, United States
| | - Ellen Zakreski
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague, 18200, Czech Republic
- Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, 25067, Czech Republic
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Cargnelutti F, Castillo-Pérez U, Reyes-Ramírez A, Rocha-Ortega M, Córdoba-Aguilar A. Copulatory courtship, body temperature and infection in Tenebrio molitor. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291384. [PMID: 37682968 PMCID: PMC10490994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Ectothermic animals can raise their body temperature under varying circumstances. Two such situations occur during sexual activity (as metabolic rate rises during copulatory movements) and during infection (to control pathogens more effectively). We have investigated these two situations using Tenebrio molitor males. We recorded the copulatory courtship behavior of sick (= infected with Metharizium robertsii fungus) vs healthy males and its link with body temperature. We predicted a positive relation between copulatory courtship (measured as antennal and leg contact behavior) and body temperature, especially in sick males. We found that the intensity of contacts correlated with increased body temperature in sick males. Previous studies in this species indicated that partner females laid fewer eggs after mating with sick males above a certain male body temperature threshold. Thus, our present findings suggest that females may detect male infection via intensity of antennal-mediated courtship, body temperature or their combination. If this is the case, females may assess male cues directly related to health status such as body temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Cargnelutti
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ulises Castillo-Pérez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México
| | - Alicia Reyes-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México
| | - Maya Rocha-Ortega
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, México
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Hoekzema H, Baskir E, Kozlowski C, Elden M, Powell DM. Breeding season behaviors of captive tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) pairs. Zoo Biol 2023; 42:616-624. [PMID: 37092593 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
While courtship and breeding in birds is a topic of much study, behaviors of nocturnal species are difficult to observe. This study provides an ethogram and comparative analysis of relevant breeding and nonbreeding behaviors of three captive tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) pairs at the Saint Louis Zoo. Infrared cameras were used to record nighttime activity, and 30 h of footage per pair were analyzed. Notable behaviors included a significant increase in nest-building activity in a pair 9-13 days before egg-laying, and a difference in the use of copulation signals between the two breeding females, with one accepting copulation attempts more readily than the other. Bill gaping behavior was determined to not be directly related to courtship. These results provide a preliminary description of tawny frogmouth behaviors during the breeding season and provide a basis on which further studies of both captive and wild tawny frogmouths can build.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Hoekzema
- Department of Zoology (OEP Biology Program), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eli Baskir
- Department of Reproductive and Behavioral Sciences, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Corinne Kozlowski
- Department of Reproductive and Behavioral Sciences, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Marija Elden
- Bird House, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David M Powell
- Department of Reproductive and Behavioral Sciences, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Liu Y, Heath JJ, Zhang S, van Wijk M, Wang G, Buellesbach J, Wada-Katsumata A, Groot AT, Schal C. A mosaic of endogenous and plant-derived courtship signals in moths. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3529-3535.e4. [PMID: 37531958 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Insects rely on olfaction to guide a wide range of adaptive behaviors, including mate and food localization, mate choice, oviposition site selection, kin recognition, and predator avoidance.1 In nocturnal insects, such as moths2 and cockroaches,3 mate finding is stimulated predominantly by long-range species-specific sex pheromones, typically emitted by females. During courtship, at close range, males in most moth species emit a blend of pheromone compounds from an everted, often large, pheromone gland. While long-distance communication with sex pheromones has been remarkably well characterized in thousands of moth species,2,4 close-range chemosensory sexual communication remains poorly understood. We reveal that in the moth Chloridea virescens, the male pheromone consists of three distinct classes of compounds: de novo biosynthesized alcohols, aldehydes, acetates, and carboxylic acids that resemble the female's emissions; newly identified compounds that are unique to the male pheromone, such as aliphatic polyunsaturated hydrocarbons; and sequestered plant secondary compounds and hormone derivatives, including methyl salicylate (MeSA). Thus, males employ a mosaic pheromone blend of disparate origins that may serve multiple functions during courtship. We show that two olfactory receptors in female antennae are tuned to MeSA, which facilitates female acceptance of the male. Because MeSA is emitted by plants attacked by pathogens and herbivores,5 the chemosensory system of female moths was likely already tuned to this plant volatile, and males appear to exploit the female's preadapted sensory bias. Interestingly, while female moths (largely nocturnal) and butterflies (diurnal) diverged in their use of sensory modalities in sexual communication,6 MeSA is used by males of both lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Jeremy J Heath
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Michiel van Wijk
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Guirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Ayako Wada-Katsumata
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Astrid T Groot
- Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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Puissant S, Gurcel K. The genus Tibicina Kolenati, 1857 in Morocco (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Tibicininae): taxonomic assessment from integrative research. Zootaxa 2023; 5330:535-560. [PMID: 38221122 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5330.4.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
A new subspecies, Tibicina quadrisignata pilleti Puissant ssp. nov. is described from Morocco. This cicada is similar to Tibicina quadrisignata (Hagen, 1855) but differs mainly in the body color of the males and some acoustic parameters, notably in the courtship song. A complete pipeline is developed for detailed analysis of the morphology and acoustic behavior of the two Tibicina taxa currently known in Morocco, i.e. Tibicinaquadrisignata (Hagen, 1855) pilleti Puissant ssp. nov. and Tibicina maldesi Boulard, 1981. Biology, ecology and distribution are presented for the first time for both taxa. Tibicinamaldesi emits an abnormally high carrier frequency relative to its size. It could be an adaptation to avoid acoustic interference with a sympatric Tibicina species yet to be discovered or extinct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephane Puissant
- Musum national dHistoire naturelle; Dpartement Systmatique et Evolution; UMR CNRS 7205 OSEB; CP 50; 45 rue Buffon; F 75005 Paris and Musum dHistoire naturelle de Dijon Jardin de lArquebuse; 14 rue Jehan de Marville; F 21000 Dijon; France..
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Takayanagi-Kiya S, Shioya N, Nishiuchi T, Iwami M, Kiya T. Cell assembly analysis of neural circuits for innate behavior in Drosophila melanogaster using an immediate early gene stripe/ egr-1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303318120. [PMID: 37549285 PMCID: PMC10438382 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303318120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate behavior, such as courtship behavior, is controlled by a genetically defined set of neurons. To date, it remains challenging to visualize and artificially control the neural population that is active during innate behavior in a whole-brain scale. Immediate early genes (IEGs), whose expression is induced by neural activity, can serve as powerful tools to map neural activity in the animal brain. We screened for IEGs in vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster and identified stripe/egr-1 as a potent neural activity marker. Focusing on male courtship as a model of innate behavior, we demonstrate that stripe-GAL4-mediated reporter expression can label fruitless (fru)-expressing neurons involved in courtship in an activity (experience)-dependent manner. Optogenetic reactivation of the labeled neurons elicited sexual behavior in males, whereas silencing of the labeled neurons suppressed courtship and copulation. Further, by combining stripe-GAL4-mediated reporter expression and detection of endogenous Stripe expression, we established methods that can label neurons activated under different contexts in separate time windows in the same animal. The cell assembly analysis of fru neural population in males revealed that distinct groups of neurons are activated during interactions with a female or another male. These methods will contribute to building a deeper understanding of neural circuit mechanisms underlying innate insect behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seika Takayanagi-Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa920-1192, Japan
| | - Natsumi Shioya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa920-1192, Japan
| | - Takumi Nishiuchi
- Research Center for Experimental Modeling of Human Disease, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa920-8640, Japan
| | - Masafumi Iwami
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa920-1192, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa920-1192, Japan
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Goncharova AA, Besedina NG, Bragina JV, Danilenkova LV, Kamysheva EA, Fedotov SA. Courtship suppression in Drosophila melanogaster: The role of mating failure. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290048. [PMID: 37561803 PMCID: PMC10414572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a popular model organism in the study of memory due to a wide arsenal of methods used to analyze neuronal activity. The most commonly used tests in research of behavioral plasticity are shock avoidance associated with chemosensory cues and courtship suppression after mating failure. Many authors emphasize the value of courtship suppression as a model of behavior most appropriate to natural conditions. However, researchers often investigate courtship suppression using immobilized and decapitated females as targets of courtship by males, which makes the data obtained from such flies less valuable. In our study, we evaluate courtship suppression towards immature mobile non-receptive females after training with mated or immature females combined with an aversive stimulus (quinine). We have shown that the previously described mechanisms of courtship suppression, as a result of the association of the courtship object with the repellent, as well as due to increased sensitivity to the anti-aphrodisiac cVA after mating failure, are not confirmed when immature mobile females are used. We discuss the reasons for the discrepancies between our results and literature data, define the conditions to be met in the courtship suppression test if the aim is to analyze the natural forms of behavioral plasticity, and present data on the test modifications to approximate conditions to natural ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Goncharova
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Natalia G. Besedina
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Julia V. Bragina
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Larisa V. Danilenkova
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Elena A. Kamysheva
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Sergei A. Fedotov
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral Genetics, Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Toxinology and Molecular Systematics, L.A. Orbeli Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, Saint Petersburg University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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40
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Ha TS, Sengupta S, Powell J, Smith DP. An angiotensin converting enzyme homolog is required for volatile pheromone detection, odorant binding protein secretion and normal courtship behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad109. [PMID: 37283550 PMCID: PMC10484059 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In many arthropods, including insects responsible for transmission of human diseases, behaviors that include mating, aggregation, and aggression are triggered by detection of pheromones. Extracellular odorant binding proteins are critical for pheromone detection in many insects and are secreted into the fluid bathing the olfactory neuron dendrites. In Drosophila melanogaster, the odorant binding protein LUSH is essential for normal sensitivity to the volatile sex pheromone, 11-cis vaccenyl acetate (cVA). Using a genetic screen for cVA pheromone insensitivity, we identified ANCE-3, a homolog of human angiotensin converting enzyme that is required for detection of cVA pheromone. The mutants have normal dose-response curves for food odors, although olfactory neuron amplitudes are reduced in all olfactory neurons examined. ance-3 mutants have profound delays in mating, and the courtship defects are primarily but not exclusively due to loss of ance-3 function in males. We demonstrate that ANCE-3 is required in the sensillae support cells for normal reproductive behavior, and that localization of odorant binding proteins to the sensillum lymph is blocked in the mutants. Expression of an ance-3 cDNA in sensillae support cells completely rescues the cVA responses, LUSH localization, and courtship defects. We show the courtship latency defects are not due to effects on olfactory neurons in the antenna nor mediated through ORCO receptors, but instead stem from ANCE-3-dependent effects on chemosensory sensillae in other body parts. These findings reveal an unexpected factor critical for pheromone detection with profound influence on reproductive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Soo Ha
- Department of Biomedical Science, Daegu University, 201 Daegudae-ro, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, 38453 Republic of Korea
| | - Samarpita Sengupta
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
- Department of Physician Assistant Studies, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
| | - Jordan Powell
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
| | - Dean P Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
- O’Donnell Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA
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41
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Ueno M, Nakata M, Kaneko Y, Iwami M, Takayanagi-Kiya S, Kiya T. fruitless is sex-differentially spliced and is important for the courtship behavior and development of silkmoth Bombyx mori. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 159:103989. [PMID: 37453662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms of the brain play essential roles in successful reproduction. Silkmoth Bombyx mori exhibits extensive sexual differences in sexual behavior, as well as their morphology. Although the neural circuits that transmit information about sex pheromone in the male brain are extensively analyzed, the molecular mechanisms that regulate their development are still elusive. In the present study, we focused on the silkmoth ortholog of fruitless (fru) as a candidate gene that regulates sexual dimorphisms of the brain. fru transcripts were expressed from multiple promoters in various tissues, and brain-specific transcripts were sex-specifically spliced, in a manner similar to Drosophila. Interestingly, fru was highly expressed in the adult female brain and the male larval testis. Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated fru knockout strains revealed that fru plays important roles in survival during late larval and pupal stages, testis development, and adult sexual behavior. fru mutant males exhibited highly reduced levels of courtship and low copulation rate, indicating that fru plays significant roles in the sexual behavior of silkmoths, although it is not absolutely necessary for copulation. In the fru mutant males, sexually dimorphic pattern of the odorant receptor expression was impaired, possibly causing the defects in courtship behavior. These results provide important clues to elucidate the development of sexual dimorphisms of silkmoth brains, as well as the evolution of fruitless gene in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Ueno
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Masami Nakata
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Kaneko
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Masafumi Iwami
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Seika Takayanagi-Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Kiya
- Division of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Japan.
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42
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Delval I, Fernández-Bolaños M, Visalberghi E, Izar P, Valentova JV. Homosexual Courtship in Young Wild Capuchin Monkeys: A Case Study. Arch Sex Behav 2023; 52:2303-2315. [PMID: 37286765 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02632-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In primates, many species exhibit same-sex sexual behaviors (SSB), defined as "genital contact or genital manipulation between same-sex individuals." Several sociosexual functions have been proposed, including proceptivity enhancement, receptivity reduction, dominance assertion, practice for heterosexual copulation, tension regulation, reconciliation, and alliance formation. Capuchin monkeys are known for their rich and flexible sexual behavioral repertoire and elaborated courtships. At present, the few reports of SSB in capuchin monkeys (genera Sapajus and Cebus) focused on mounting. Here, we describe the case observed in a population of wild yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus xanthosternos) in which two young males, aged 5-6 years and 19 months, performed a 15-min uninterrupted sequence of courtship behaviors and mounting. Comparing with a previously established ethogram of 20 behaviors typical for heterosexual behavior of tufted capuchins, we show that these males performed 16 of them. Thus, SSBs are already present in the repertoire of young individuals and the practice may serve to create or strengthen bonds. Although same-sex mounting and genital inspection are common in capuchins' play and other social interactions, the almost entire array of courtship behaviors has never been observed in youngsters. Additionally, this example supports the notion that primate (homo)sexual behavior is not limited to genitalia and copulation, since the observed courtship included diverse behaviors different from genital contact. Thus, we propose a broader definition of sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Delval
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Fernández-Bolaños
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Elisabetta Visalberghi
- Unit of Cognitive Primatology and Primate Center, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrícia Izar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Jaroslava Varella Valentova
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 1721, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil
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43
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Sterling ML, Teunisse R, Englitz B. Rodent ultrasonic vocal interaction resolved with millimeter precision using hybrid beamforming. eLife 2023; 12:e86126. [PMID: 37493217 PMCID: PMC10522333 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) fulfill an important role in communication and navigation in many species. Because of their social and affective significance, rodent USVs are increasingly used as a behavioral measure in neurodevelopmental and neurolinguistic research. Reliably attributing USVs to their emitter during close interactions has emerged as a difficult, key challenge. If addressed, all subsequent analyses gain substantial confidence. We present a hybrid ultrasonic tracking system, Hybrid Vocalization Localizer (HyVL), that synergistically integrates a high-resolution acoustic camera with high-quality ultrasonic microphones. HyVL is the first to achieve millimeter precision (~3.4-4.8 mm, 91% assigned) in localizing USVs, ~3× better than other systems, approaching the physical limits (mouse snout ~10 mm). We analyze mouse courtship interactions and demonstrate that males and females vocalize in starkly different relative spatial positions, and that the fraction of female vocalizations has likely been overestimated previously due to imprecise localization. Further, we find that when two male mice interact with one female, one of the males takes a dominant role in the interaction both in terms of the vocalization rate and the location relative to the female. HyVL substantially improves the precision with which social communication between rodents can be studied. It is also affordable, open-source, easy to set up, can be integrated with existing setups, and reduces the required number of experiments and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max L Sterling
- Computational Neuroscience Lab, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Visual Neuroscience Lab, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ruben Teunisse
- Computational Neuroscience Lab, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Englitz
- Computational Neuroscience Lab, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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44
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Bonheur M, Swartz KJ, Metcalf MG, Wen X, Zhukovskaya A, Mehta A, Connors KE, Barasch JG, Jamieson AR, Martin KC, Axel R, Hattori D. A rapid and bidirectional reporter of neural activity reveals neural correlates of social behaviors in Drosophila. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1295-1307. [PMID: 37308660 PMCID: PMC10866131 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01357-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Neural activity is modulated over different timescales encompassing subseconds to hours, reflecting changes in external environment, internal state and behavior. Using Drosophila as a model, we developed a rapid and bidirectional reporter that provides a cellular readout of recent neural activity. This reporter uses nuclear versus cytoplasmic distribution of CREB-regulated transcriptional co-activator (CRTC). Subcellular distribution of GFP-tagged CRTC (CRTC::GFP) bidirectionally changes on the order of minutes and reflects both increases and decreases in neural activity. We established an automated machine-learning-based routine for efficient quantification of reporter signal. Using this reporter, we demonstrate mating-evoked activation and inactivation of modulatory neurons. We further investigated the functional role of the master courtship regulator gene fruitless (fru) and show that fru is necessary to ensure activation of male arousal neurons by female cues. Together, our results establish CRTC::GFP as a bidirectional reporter of recent neural activity suitable for examining neural correlates in behavioral contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moise Bonheur
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kurtis J Swartz
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa G Metcalf
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xinke Wen
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Anna Zhukovskaya
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Avirut Mehta
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kristin E Connors
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Julia G Barasch
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew R Jamieson
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kelsey C Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Simons Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard Axel
- Department of Neuroscience, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daisuke Hattori
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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45
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Ellis EA, Goodheart JA, Hensley NM, González VL, Reda NJ, Rivers TJ, Morin JG, Torres E, Gerrish GA, Oakley TH. Sexual Signals Persist over Deep Time: Ancient Co-option of Bioluminescence for Courtship Displays in Cypridinid Ostracods. Syst Biol 2023; 72:264-274. [PMID: 35984328 PMCID: PMC10448971 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syac057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of sexually selected courtship displays command the attention of evolutionists, the longevity of these traits in deep time is poorly understood. Population-based theory suggests sexual selection could either lower or raise extinction risk, resulting in high or low persistence of lineages with sexually selected traits. Furthermore, empirical studies that directly estimate the longevity of sexually selected traits are uncommon. Sexually selected signals-including bioluminescent courtship-originated multiple times during evolution, allowing the empirical study of their longevity after careful phylogenetic and divergence time analyses. Here, we estimate the first transcriptome-based molecular phylogeny and divergence times of Cypridinidae. We report extreme longevity of bioluminescent courtship, a trait important in mate choice and probably under sexual selection. Our relaxed-clock estimates of divergence times coupled with stochastic character mapping show luminous courtship evolved only once in Cypridinidae-in a Sub-Tribe, we name Luxorina-at least 151 millions of years ago from cypridinid ancestors that used bioluminescence only in antipredator displays, defining a Tribe we name Luminini. This time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of cypridinids will serve as a foundation for integrative and comparative studies on the biochemistry, molecular evolution, courtship, diversification, and ecology of cypridinid bioluminescence. The persistence of luminous courtship for hundreds of millions of years suggests that sexual selection did not cause a rapid loss of associated traits, and that rates of speciation within the group exceeded extinction risk, which may contribute to the persistence of a diverse clade of signaling species. [Ancestral state reconstruction; Biodiversity; co-option; divergence time estimates; macroevolution; Ostracoda; phylogenomics; sexual selection.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Ellis
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Jessica A Goodheart
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of
Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037,
USA
| | - Nicholai M Hensley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Vanessa L González
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution, National
Museum of Natural History, 10th and Constitution NW, Washington, DC
20560-0105, USA
| | - Nicholas J Reda
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, La
Crosse, WI 54601, USA
| | - Trevor J Rivers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - James G Morin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Elizabeth Torres
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Los
Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Gretchen A Gerrish
- Biology Department, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, La
Crosse, WI 54601, USA
- Trout Lake Station, Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin –
Madison, Boulder Junction, WI 54512, USA
| | - Todd H Oakley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of
California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Guo X, Zhang R, Jin Q, Cao N, Shi J, Zong X, Chen X, Wang C, Li X, Pang S, Li L. The kisspeptin-GnIH signaling pathway in the role of zebrafish courtship and aggressive behavior induced by azoxystrobin. Environ Pollut 2023; 325:121461. [PMID: 36934963 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Azoxystrobin, a strobilurin widely used to control rice diseases, has raised concerns about possible adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. At present, very little is known about the effects of azoxystrobin on courtship and aggressive behavior and the potential underlying mechanisms. In the present study, after exposing adult male and female zebrafish to worst-case scenario concentrations of azoxystrobin (0, 2 μg/L, 20 μg/L, and 200 μg/L) for 42 d, we observed a decrease in courtship behavior and an increase in aggressive behavior in both male and female zebrafish. In addition, to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the behavioral effects of azoxystrobin, we quantified the changes in the concentrations of kisspeptin, 5-HT, GnIH, and their corresponding receptor mRNA expression in the brain. The results showed that 200 μg/L azoxystrobin decreased the concentrations of kisspeptin and increased the concentration of GnIH in both male and female zebrafish brain. In addition, azoxystrobin also significantly reduced 5-HT concentration in female zebrafish brain. Further investigation revealed that altered courtship and aggressive behavior were associated with the expression levels of genes (kiss1, kiss2, gnrh3, gnrhr3, 5ht1a, and 5ht2a) involved in kisspeptin-GnIH signaling pathway. In conclusion, our study suggested that azoxystrobin may impair courtship and aggressive behavior in zebrafish by interfering with the kisspeptin-GnIH signaling pathway, which may have more profound effects on natural zebrafish populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanjun Guo
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Ruihua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Qian Jin
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Niannian Cao
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Jingjing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Xingxing Zong
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Xuejun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Xuefeng Li
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Sen Pang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Liqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China.
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47
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Trusel M, Roberts TF. Neural circuits: How the songbird brain orchestrates courtship displays. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R351-R353. [PMID: 37160090 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Volitional production of complex behaviors can be motivated by intrinsic rewards and also by extrinsic cues, like social engagement. A new study has revealed the neural circuit permitting social motivation to release multi-component courtship behaviors in a songbird, specifically the zebra finch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Trusel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Todd F Roberts
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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48
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Richardson J, Zuk M. Rethinking same-sex sexual behaviour: male field crickets have broad mating filters. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230002. [PMID: 37122255 PMCID: PMC10130708 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) occurs in many animals and is often treated as an anomaly requiring special explanation. One common explanation for SSB is mistaken identity. However, animals make similar 'mistakes' in other contexts-such as attempting to mate with immature individuals or inanimate objects. Framing such behaviours as 'mistakes' risks misinterpreting how animals make flexible mating decisions. Here we make a case for an alternative approach to thinking about SSB by instead considering an individual's mating filter. A broad filter means directing courtship toward anything that resembles a potential mate, whilst a narrow filter means only courting with receptive targets. We illustrate this approach by examining the mating filters of male Pacific field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). We find that males engage in SSB but also misdirect courtship toward juveniles (but not plastic crickets). This finding suggests that SSB is not an anomaly and is better considered alongside other misdirected behaviours. We argue that by viewing misdirected behaviours through the lens of mating filters rather than as 'mistakes' we can build a more nuanced understanding of reproductive behaviour and begin to determine when having a broader mating filter can be advantageous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Richardson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Marlene Zuk
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Moyaho A, Salazar-Bautista JL, Beristain-Castillo E, Amira FU. Iridescent scales signal male fighting ability to access females in the jewelled splitfin Xenotoca variata. J Fish Biol 2023; 102:794-802. [PMID: 36648014 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Jewelled splitfin males (Xenotoca variata) possess multi-colour iridescent scales (speckles) on the flanks. This study tested the hypothesis that the number of speckles could be a good proxy for predicting fighting ability in contests for access to females. The experiments consisted in observing and recording males' agonistic behaviour, courtship displays and mating attempts in mixed-sex groups. The data were analysed and presented based on a Bayesian approach, which revealed that the density (cm-2 ) of speckles was positively correlated with the increase observed in the proportional frequency of attacks. Similarly, the density of speckles was positively associated with the increase observed in the frequency of courtship behaviour and with the frequency of mating attempts. Male-male aggressions drastically diminished (by eightfold) when females were removed from the observation tanks. These results indicate that the number of speckles is a consistent predictor of successful access to females and therefore, speckled males are likely to be able to gain more mating opportunities. This finding highlights the ubiquitous role iridescent colours play in visual signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Moyaho
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Mexico
| | - José Luis Salazar-Bautista
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Mexico
| | | | - Flores-Urbina Amira
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Mexico
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50
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Moll FW, Kranz D, Corredera Asensio A, Elmaleh M, Ackert-Smith LA, Long MA. Thalamus drives vocal onsets in the zebra finch courtship song. Nature 2023; 616:132-136. [PMID: 36949189 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05818-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
While motor cortical circuits contain information related to specific movement parameters1, long-range inputs also have a critical role in action execution2,3. Thalamic projections can shape premotor activity2-6 and have been suggested7 to mediate the selection of short, stereotyped actions comprising more complex behaviours8. However, the mechanisms by which thalamus interacts with motor cortical circuits to execute such movement sequences remain unknown. Here we find that thalamic drive engages a specific subpopulation of premotor neurons within the zebra finch song nucleus HVC (proper name) and that these inputs are critical for the progression between vocal motor elements (that is, 'syllables'). In vivo two-photon imaging of thalamic axons in HVC showed robust song-related activity, and online perturbations of thalamic function caused song to be truncated at syllable boundaries. We used thalamic stimulation to identify a sparse set of thalamically driven neurons within HVC, representing ~15% of the premotor neurons within that network. Unexpectedly, this population of putative thalamorecipient neurons is robustly active immediately preceding syllable onset, leading to the possibility that thalamic input can initiate individual song components through selectively targeting these 'starter cells'. Our findings highlight the motor thalamus as a director of cortical dynamics in the context of an ethologically relevant behavioural sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix W Moll
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Devorah Kranz
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ariadna Corredera Asensio
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Margot Elmaleh
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lyn A Ackert-Smith
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael A Long
- NYU Neuroscience Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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