2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
A behavioral and physiological study of the central regulatory mechanism that governs male courtship behavior in Drosophila
| Project/Area Number |
24770065
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Animal physiology/Animal behavior
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| Research Institution | Tohoku University |
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Principal Investigator |
KOHATSU Soh 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 研究支援者 (40571930)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
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| Keywords | ショウジョウバエ / 本能行動 / 求愛行動 / カルシウムイメージング / 光遺伝学 |
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| Research Abstract |
In this study, we explored the neural substrate that governs the male courtship behavior in Drosophila. Using an optogenetic neural activation technique applied to brain neurons in a male freely behaving on a treadmill, we identified two subsets of interneurons, pC1 and pC2l neurons, which express a sex determination gene doublesex (dsx), are responsible for the activation of male courtship behavior. in vivo functional imaging revealed that these two subsets of interneurons show transient calcium rises that are temporally associated with courtship acts, providing the first demonstration of neural correlates of courtship behavior in Drosohila. Taken together, it is suggested that the activation of pC1 and pC2l neurons has a pivotal role in central regulatory mechanism of male courtship behavior.
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