Sound production during agonistic behavior of male<i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>

Jonsson, Thorin; Kravitz, Edward A.; Heinrich, Ralf

doi:10.4161/fly.5.1.13713

Cited by 35 publications

(33 citation statements)

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“…Courtship songs are generated by vibrations of one extended wing and include two different patterns, the sine and pulse song (7)(8)(9)(10). Although nothing was known about their role in communication, agonistic sounds have been previously observed in Drosophila (13,31,32). We confirm that these agonistic sounds consist of recurrent, stereotypical components.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acoustic signals of courtship and aggressive encounters were recorded as described (13). Oscillograms were generated and modified using Audacity software (audacity.sourceforge.net).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Drosophila males generate sound pulses during agonistic behavior by flicking both wings in a stereotyped manner (13). However, it is unknown whether aggression songs serve as acoustic communication signals between Drosophila males to modulate their subsequent behavior.…”

Section: Functional and Genetic Disruption Of The Sound-sensitive Ab mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the contrary, nothing is known about the impact of hearing on aggressive behavior. Furthermore, although agonistic sound pulses are known to be generated during aggressive encounters, it is unknown whether they serve as acoustic communication signals to modulate behavior (13).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

Versteven

Broeck

Geurten

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Aggression is a universal social behavior important for the acquisition of food, mates, territory, and social status. Aggression in Drosophila is context-dependent and can thus be expected to involve inputs from multiple sensory modalities. Here, we use mechanical disruption and genetic approaches in Drosophila melanogaster to identify hearing as an important sensory modality in the context of intermale aggressive behavior. We demonstrate that neuronal silencing and targeted knockdown of hearing genes in the fly's auditory organ elicit abnormal aggression. Further, we show that exposure to courtship or aggression song has opposite effects on aggression. Our data define the importance of hearing in the control of Drosophila intermale aggression and open perspectives to decipher how hearing and other sensory modalities are integrated at the neural circuit level.A ggression is one of the most important social behaviors in nature, ensuring reproduction and survival when competing for food, territory, or mating partners (1). Aggression is a complex behavior shaped by many factors, including a complex genetic architecture, the integration of various neurotransmitter and hormone systems, and a range of environmental factors (2).Correct integration and processing of sensory information are crucial to evoke an appropriate behavioral response. Previous studies have implicated different sensory modalities in the regulation of aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster, including the olfactory, gustatory, and visual systems (3-6).Another important sensory modality in Drosophila is hearing. Stereotypic sound patterns generated by wing vibration and their behavioral significance have been extensively studied in the context of Drosophila courtship (7-12). On the contrary, nothing is known about the impact of hearing on aggressive behavior. Furthermore, although agonistic sound pulses are known to be generated during aggressive encounters, it is unknown whether they serve as acoustic communication signals to modulate behavior (13).The Drosophila auditory organ, Johnston's organ (JO), is situated in the fly's antenna (Fig. 1A) (14-17). Antennal displacement leads to activation of ∼500 chordotonal stretch-receptor neurons in the JO, which contains AB neurons responsive to sound-evoked vibrations and CE neurons sensitive to sustained antennal deflections caused by gravity and wind (Fig. 1A) (18). The sensory neuron subclasses each innervates a particular region of the antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC), the primary processing center for auditory input in the fly brain (18).In this study, we use mechanical disruption and genetic approaches in D. melanogaster to identify hearing as an important sensory modality in the context of intermale aggressive behavior. We show that neuronal silencing and targeted knockdown of hearing genes in the fly's auditory organ induce abnormal aggression. Further, we show that exposure to courtship or aggression song has opposite effects on aggression. Our data provide evidence on the r...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Acoustic signals of courtship and aggressive encounters were recorded as described (13). Oscillograms were generated and modified using Audacity software (audacity.sourceforge.net).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Functional and Genetic Disruption Of The Sound-sensitive Ab mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

Versteven

Broeck

Geurten

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Transition matrices are shown in Supplementary Tables S1-S4. Deviation of the frequency of each transition from the expected value was examined by v 2 test (Hoikkala and Kaneshiro 1993;Chen et al 2002;Lasbleiz et al 2006;Jonsson et al 2011). The expected frequency of transitions was obtained by the method described by Goodman (1968).…”

Section: Transition Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual dimorphism and courtship behavior in Drosophila prolongata

Setoguchi

Takamori

Aotsuka

et al. 2014

J Ethol

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Sexual dimorphism is often derived from sexual selection. In sexually dimorphic Drosophila species, exaggerated male structures are used for specific behaviors in male-to-male competition or courtship toward females. In Drosophila prolongata, a member of the melanogaster species group, males have enlarged forelegs whereas females do not. However, the adaptive role of the enlarged forelegs is unclear because little is known about the behavior of D. prolongata. In this study, the courtship behavior of D. prolongata was investigated in comparison with closely related species. Males of D. prolongata use their forelegs in a specific behavior, ''leg vibration'', in which the male vigorously vibrates the female's abdomen by extending his forelegs from in front of her. Leg vibration was observed immediately before ''attempting copulation'', indicating that it has an adaptive role in the mating process. In contrast, leg vibration was not observed in closely related species. Because the large forelegs are necessary to accomplish leg vibration, it was suggested that the sexual dimorphism of D. prolongata forelegs is currently under the influence of sexual selection in courtship behavior.

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Hearing in Drosophila

Kamikouchi

Ishikawa

2016

Insect Hearing

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Since the fi rst analysis of the Drosophila courtship song in the early 1960s, the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying acoustic communication in fruit fl ies have attracted the interest of many researchers studying behavioral evolution, neuroethology, sensory systems, motor pattern control, acoustic information processing, and decision making in the brain. Recent studies utilizing a wide array of genetic tools have provided novel insights into the mechanisms of acoustic communication in Drosophila , from genes and cells to neural circuits and behaviors. Drosophila , in addition to the conventional model animals such as other singing insects, mammals, and birds, thus serves as an excellent model system for analyzing the neuronal and molecular mechanisms that are essential for information processing of acoustic signals. This chapter provides an overview of our current knowledge on hearing in Drosophila with an introduction to their acoustic communication, the hearing organs, and cells involved in the function and development of the auditory system and the auditory neural circuits in the brain.

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Sound production during agonistic behavior of maleDrosophila melanogaster

Cited by 35 publications

References 53 publications

Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

Sexual dimorphism and courtship behavior in Drosophila prolongata

Hearing in Drosophila

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