Neural mechanism for the switching courtship and aggression

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04397
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Koganezawa Masayuki 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 准教授 (10302085)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ショウジョウバエ / 求愛行動 / 攻撃行動 / fruitless / doublesex

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sex differentiation of the central nervous system in Drosophila is controlled by the function of genes named fruitless (fru) and doublesex (dsx). Sexually dimorphic neural circuitry plays an important role in the execution of courtship and aggression. In this study, we focused on the dsx-expressing pC1 neurons. These neurons can be divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of fru expression. Using the activity manipulation experiments, we revealed that fru-positive subset of pC1 neurons were responsible for commanding courtship behavior, on the other hands, fru-negative subset of pC1 neurons were the commanding neurons for aggressive behavior.

Free Research Field

神経行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により今まで不明であった攻撃行動の司令ニューロンシステムを同定することができた。また求愛と攻撃という行動が相反して生ずることの基盤として、GABA作動性抑制性ニューロンによる司令ニューロンシステムへの抑制が重要であることも明らかとできた。このような抑制性ニューロンの機能はショウジョウバエ以外の動物でも相反的行動の実現に機能している可能性がある。