title: Cholinergic neurons mediate CaMKII-dependent enhancement of courtship suppression.
abstract: In Drosophila, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activity is crucial in associative courtship conditioning for both memory formation and suppression of courtship during training with a mated female. We have previously shown that increasing levels of constitutively active CaMKII, but not calcium-dependent CaMKII, in a subset of neurons can decrease the initial level of courtship and enhance the rate of suppression of courtship in response to a mated female. In this study, we demonstrate that a subpopulation of noncholinergic, nondopaminergic, non-GABAergic neurons can cause CaMKII-dependent reductions in initial courtship, but only cholinergic neurons enhance training-dependent suppression. These data suggest that processing of pheromonal signals in two subpopulations of neurons, likely antennal lobe projection neurons, is critical for behavioral plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Brandeis University, Department of Biology and Volen Center for Complex Systems, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454-9110, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mehren
authors.forename: Leslie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000201:enzymology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology; D003380:Courtship; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004330:Drosophila; D005260:Female; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium