title: Dispensable, redundant, complementary, and cooperative roles of dopamine, octopamine, and serotonin in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: To investigate the regulation of Drosophila melanogaster behavior by biogenic amines, we have exploited the broad requirement of the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) for the vesicular storage and exocytotic release of all monoamine neurotransmitters. We used the Drosophila VMAT (dVMAT) null mutant to globally ablate exocytotic amine release and then restored DVMAT activity in either individual or multiple aminergic systems, using transgenic rescue techniques. We find that larval survival, larval locomotion, and female fertility rely predominantly on octopaminergic circuits with little apparent input from the vesicular release of serotonin or dopamine. In contrast, male courtship and fertility can be rescued by expressing DVMAT in octopaminergic or dopaminergic neurons, suggesting potentially redundant circuits. Rescue of major aspects of adult locomotion and startle behavior required octopamine, but a complementary role was observed for serotonin. Interestingly, adult circadian behavior could not be rescued by expression of DVMAT in a single subtype of aminergic neurons, but required at least two systems, suggesting the possibility of unexpected cooperative interactions. Further experiments using this model will help determine how multiple aminergic systems may contribute to the regulation of other behaviors. Our data also highlight potential differences between behaviors regulated by standard exocytotic release and those regulated by other mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lebestky
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grygoruk
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Djapri
authors.forename: Hakeem O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Lawal
authors.forename: Harshul A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Zaveri
authors.forename: Filmon
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mehanzel
authors.forename: Rod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Najibi
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seidman
authors.forename: Niall P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Larry C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ackerson
authors.forename: Nigel T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Maidment
authors.forename: F Rob
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Krantz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D009655:Octopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000235:genetics; D012098:Reproduction; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D009655:Octopamine; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine