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

• Autores: Andrews, Jonathan C.; Fernandez, Maria de la Paz; Yu, Qin; Leary, Greg P.; Leung, Adelaine K. W.; Kavanaugh, Michael P.; Kravitz, Edward A.; Certel, Sarah
• Año de publicación: 2014
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Aggression; Gustatory receptors; Drosophila; Octopamine
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

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.
Fil: Andrews, Jonathan C.. University Of Montana; Estados Unidos
Fil: Fernandez, Maria de la Paz. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires; Argentina
Fil: Yu, Qin. University Of Montana; Estados Unidos
Fil: Leary, Greg P.. University Of Montana; Estados Unidos
Fil: Leung, Adelaine K. W.. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kavanaugh, Michael P.. University Of Montana; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kravitz, Edward A.. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unidos
Fil: Certel, Sarah. University Of Montana; Estados Unidos