Genetic identification of neurons controlling a sexually dimorphic behaviour.
In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, locomotor activity is sexually dimorphic: female flies constantly modulate their activity pattern whereas males show a steadier, stereotyped walking pace [1]. Here, we mapped the area of the brain controlling this behavioural dimorphism. Adult male Drosophila expressing a dominant feminising transgene in a small cluster of neurons in the pars intercerebralis exhibited a female-like pattern of locomotor activity. Genetic ablation of these neurons prevented the feminisation of the locomotor activity of transgenic males. The results suggest that this cluster of neurons modulates sex-specific activity, but is not involved in initiating fly locomotion. Nor does it control male courtship behaviour, because feminisation of courtship was not correlated with the feminisation of locomotor activity.
Gatti
S
S
UMR-8620, Bases Neurales du Mouvement chez la Drosophile, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, F-91405, France.
Ferveur
J F
JF
Martin
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C052130:GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C097162:Tra protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors