Serotonin and neuropeptide F have opposite modulatory effects on fly aggression.
Both serotonin (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y have been shown to affect a variety of mammalian behaviors, including aggression. Here we show in Drosophila melanogaster that both 5-HT and neuropeptide F, the invertebrate homolog of neuropeptide Y, modulate aggression. We show that drug-induced increases of 5-HT in the fly brain increase aggression. Elevating 5-HT genetically in the serotonergic circuits recapitulates these pharmacological effects, whereas genetic silencing of these circuits makes the flies behaviorally unresponsive to the drug-induced increase of 5-HT but leaves them capable of aggression. Genetic silencing of the neuropeptide F (npf) circuit also increases fly aggression, demonstrating an opposite modulation to 5-HT. Moreover, this neuropeptide F effect seems to be independent of 5-HT. The implication of these two modulatory systems in fly and mouse aggression suggest a marked degree of conservation and a deep molecular root for this behavior.
Dierick
Herman A
HA
The Neurosciences Institute, 10640 John J. Hopkins Drive, San Diego, California 92121, USA. dierick@nsi.edu
Greenspan
Ralph J
RJ
D000374:Aggression; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D020868:Gene Silencing; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C400215:neuropeptide F, Drosophila; D012701:Serotonin