Differential roles of two major brain structures, mushroom bodies and central complex, for Drosophila male courtship behavior.

Full Abstract

Drosophila male courtship is a complex and robust behavior, the potential for which is genetically built into specific neural circuits in the central nervous system. Previous studies using male-female mosaics and the flies with defects in particular brain structures implicated the critical central regions involved in male courtship behavior. However, their acute physiological roles in courtship regulation still largely remain unknown. Using the temperature-sensitive Dynamin mutation, shibire(ts1), here we demonstrate the significance of two major brain structures, the mushroom bodies and the central complex, in experience-independent aspects of male courtship. We show that blocking of synaptic transmission in the mushroom body intrinsic neurons significantly delays courtship initiation and reduces the courtship activity by shortening the courtship bout length when virgin females are used as a sexual target. Interestingly, however, the same treatment affects neither initiation nor maintenance of courtship toward young males that release courtship-stimulating pheromones different from those of virgin females. In contrast, blocking of synaptic transmission in a central complex substructure, the fan-shaped body, slightly but significantly reduces courtship activity toward both virgin females and young males with little effect on courtship initiation. Taken together, our results indicate that the neuronal activity in the mushroom bodies plays an important role in responding to female-specific sex pheromones that stimulate initiation and maintenance of male courtship behavior, whereas the fan-shaped body neurons are involved in maintenance of male courtship regardless of the nature of courtship-stimulating cues.Copyright 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Author information

Author/s: Sakai, Takaomi (T); Kitamoto, Toshihiro (T);

Affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, 52242, USA.

Grants: MH62684 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of neurobiology (J Neurobiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 66 (issue 8) : pp 821-34

Dates: Created 2006/06/12; Completed 2006/09/08; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16673386, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals
Brain - cytology; physiology
Cues
Drosophila Proteins - genetics; metabolism
Drosophila melanogaster - cytology; physiology
Dynamins - genetics; metabolism
Female
Male
Motor Activity - physiology

Motor Activity - physiology
Mushroom Bodies - cytology; physiology
Mutation - genetics
Neural Pathways - cytology; physiology
Neurons - cytology; physiology
Sex Attractants - physiology
Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology
Synaptic Transmission - drug effects; physiology
Temperature

Associated Chemicals: Drosophila Proteins (0) ; Sex Attractants (0) ; shibire protein, Drosophila (EC 3.6.1.50) ; Dynamins (EC 3.6.5.5)

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