Courtship, aggression and avoidance: Pheromones, receptors and neurons for social behaviors in Drosophila

Dahanukar, Anupama; Ray, Anandasankar

doi:10.4161/fly.5.1.13794

Cited by 34 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…The identification of specific receptors for the pheromones usually follows. The pairing of pheromones and their cognate receptors then leads to the characterization of the specific neural circuits involved in pheromone communication (Dahanukar and Ray, 2011; Gomez-Diaz and Benton, 2013). In mammals, chemical purification studies have revealed a number of urinary chemicals as putative pheromones (Novotny et al, 1985, 1986; Jemiolo et al, 1989).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated action of pheromone signals in promoting courtship behavior in male mice

Haga-Yamanaka

et al. 2014

eLife

132

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The mammalian vomeronasal organ encodes pheromone information about gender, reproductive status, genetic background and individual differences. It remains unknown how pheromone information interacts to trigger innate behaviors. In this study, we identify vomeronasal receptors responsible for detecting female pheromones. A sub-group of V1re clade members recognizes gender-identifying cues in female urine. Multiple members of the V1rj clade are cognate receptors for urinary estrus signals, as well as for sulfated estrogen (SE) compounds. In both cases, the same cue activates multiple homologous receptors, suggesting redundancy in encoding female pheromone cues. Neither gender-specific cues nor SEs alone are sufficient to promote courtship behavior in male mice, whereas robust courtship behavior can be induced when the two cues are applied together. Thus, integrated action of different female cues is required in pheromone-triggered mating behavior. These results suggest a gating mechanism in the vomeronasal circuit in promoting specific innate behavior.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03025.001

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated action of pheromone signals in promoting courtship behavior in male mice

Haga-Yamanaka

et al. 2014

eLife

132

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“…Many drosophilids co-exist in nature and the mechanisms that influence courtship in D. melanogaster are well studied (Billeter et al, 2006; Dahanukar and Ray, 2011; Siwicki and Kravitz, 2009; Spieth, 1952). Behavioral reproductive isolation appears to operate in D. melanogaster since interspecies hybrids are rarely found in nature (Barbash, 2010; Spieth, 1974).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and Neural Mechanisms that Inhibit Drosophila from Mating with Other Species

Fan

Manoli

Ahmed

et al. 2013

Cell

144

161

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SUMMARY Genetically hard-wired neural mechanisms must enforce behavioral reproductive isolation because interspecies courtship is rare even in sexually naïve animals of most species. We find that the chemoreceptor Gr32a inhibits male D. melanogaster from courting diverse fruit fly species. Gr32a recognizes non-volatile aversive cues present on these reproductively dead-end targets, and activity of Gr32a neurons is necessary and sufficient to inhibit interspecies courtship. Male-specific Fruitless (FruM), a master regulator of courtship, also inhibits interspecies courtship. Gr32a and FruM are not co-expressed, but FruM neurons contact Gr32a neurons, suggesting that these genes influence a shared neural circuit that inhibits inter-species courtship. Gr32a and FruM also suppress within-species intermale courtship, but we show that distinct mechanisms preclude sexual displays toward conspecific males and other species. Although this chemosensory pathway does not inhibit interspecies mating in D. melanogaster females, similar mechanisms appear to inhibit this behavior in many other male drosophilids.

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“…Information about the environment is transformed into neural activity by specialized sensory organs that detect signals via touch-, taste-, vibration-, odor- and image-sensitive neurons. Pheromones commonly used as olfactory or contact signals in social behavior like courtship and aggression provide information about gender, receptivity, or conspecificity [1]–[3]. In many systems, chemosensory signal-detecting systems are regulated by biogenic amines including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine (or octopamine, its invertebrate analog) acting as neuromodulators [4]–[6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Octopamine Neuromodulation Regulates Gr32a-Linked Aggression and Courtship Pathways in Drosophila Males

Andrews

Fernández

et al. 2014

PLoS Genet

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Chemosensory pheromonal information regulates aggression and reproduction in many species, but how pheromonal signals are transduced to reliably produce behavior is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that the pheromonal signals detected by Gr32a-expressing chemosensory neurons to enhance male aggression are filtered through octopamine (OA, invertebrate equivalent of norepinephrine) neurons. Using behavioral assays, we find males lacking both octopamine and Gr32a gustatory receptors exhibit parallel delays in the onset of aggression and reductions in aggression. Physiological and anatomical experiments identify Gr32a to octopamine neuron synaptic and functional connections in the suboesophageal ganglion. Refining the Gr32a-expressing population indicates that mouth Gr32a neurons promote male aggression and form synaptic contacts with OA neurons. By restricting the monoamine neuron target population, we show that three previously identified OA-FruM neurons involved in behavioral choice are among the Gr32a-OA connections. Our findings demonstrate that octopaminergic neuromodulatory neurons function as early as a second-order step in this chemosensory-driven male social behavior pathway.

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Courtship, aggression and avoidance: Pheromones, receptors and neurons for social behaviors in Drosophila

Cited by 34 publications

References 78 publications

Integrated action of pheromone signals in promoting courtship behavior in male mice

Integrated action of pheromone signals in promoting courtship behavior in male mice

Genetic and Neural Mechanisms that Inhibit Drosophila from Mating with Other Species

Octopamine Neuromodulation Regulates Gr32a-Linked Aggression and Courtship Pathways in Drosophila Males

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