Control of the postmating behavioral switch in Drosophila females by internal sensory neurons.
Mating induces changes in the receptivity and egg-laying behavior in Drosophila females, primarily due to a peptide pheromone called sex peptide which is transferred with the sperm into the female reproductive tract during copulation. Whereas sex peptide is generally believed to modulate fruitless-GAL4-expressing neurons in the central nervous system to produce behavioral changes, we found that six to eight sensory neurons on the reproductive tract labeled by both ppk-GAL4 and fruitless-GAL4 can sense sex peptide to control the induction of postmating behaviors. In these sensory neurons, sex peptide appears to act through Pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins and suppression of protein kinase A activity to reduce synaptic output. Our results uncover a neuronal mechanism by which sex peptide exerts its control over reproductive behaviors in Drosophila females.
Yang
Chung-Hui
CH
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Rumpf
Sebastian
S
Xiang
Yang
Y
Gordon
Michael D
MD
Song
Wei
W
Jan
Lily Y
LY
Jan
Yuh-Nung
YN
D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C489461:Kir2.1 channel; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D015222:Sodium Channels; C532965:ppk protein, Drosophila; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D020962:Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins