An analysis of neuronal circuitry mechanism that release courtship following in Drosophila

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02476
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kohatsu Soh 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 未来ICT研究所神戸フロンティア研究センター, 研究マネージャー (40571930)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Drosophila / courtship / vision / calcium imaging / visual behavior

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Drosophila, a male primarily relies on vision to chase and follow his potential mate. The role of vision in courtship following is well studied at the behavior level, yet its underlying neural circuit mechanism is unclear. In this study, by means of behavior screening that takes advantage of optogenetics, treadmill-based quantitative locomotion recording and in vivo calcium imaging, we identified a novel visual interneuron subset that mediates vision-dependent locomotion turn during courtship following. Our result contributes to understanding of the releasing mechanism of courtship behavior and visual target following in the fly brain.

Free Research Field

Neuroethology

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ショウジョウバエ雄の求愛行動は複数の要素的な動作の組み合わせによって構成されており、交尾達成のためにはそれらの要素的動作を協調的に発現させることが不可欠である。本研究では雄の求愛行動を形作る要素的動作の中でもとりわけ基礎的な、「雌の追跡」に関わるニューロン群を見出した。これは今後、求愛行動に関わる行動選択と運動制御の神経回路機構を探る上での起点となるものであり、ここに本研究の学術的意義がある。