title: A small subset of fruitless subesophageal neurons modulate early courtship in Drosophila.
abstract: We show that a small subset of two to six subesophageal neurons, expressing the male products of the male courtship master regulator gene products fruitless Male (fru M), are required in the early stages of the Drosophila melanogaster male courtship behavioral program. Loss of fru M expression or inhibition of synaptic transmission in these fru M(+) neurons results in delayed courtship initiation and a failure to progress to copulation primarily under visually-deficient conditions. We identify a fru M-dependent sexually dimorphic arborization in the tritocerebrum made by two of these neurons. Furthermore, these SOG neurons extend descending projections to the thorax and abdominal ganglia. These anatomical and functional characteristics place these neurons in the position to integrate gustatory and higher-order signals in order to properly initiate and progress through early courtship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University. San Jose, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Janelia Farm Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Geoffrey W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose State University. San Jose, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rachael L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: French
authors.affiliation: Janelia Farm Research Campus, HHMI, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors.forename: Bruce S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology; D003380:Courtship; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C103226:fru protein, Drosophila
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Oct 1;99(20):13232-7
references.pmid: 12239352
references.citation: Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2013 Feb;23(1):76-83
references.pmid: 23021897
references.citation: Neuron. 2011 Feb 10;69(3):509-22
references.pmid: 21315261
references.citation: Curr Biol. 2010 Sep 28;20(18):1589-601
references.pmid: 20832311
references.citation: Nature. 2004 Jul 29;430(6999):564-9
references.pmid: 15282607
references.citation: Genetics. 1997 Nov;147(3):1107-30
references.pmid: 9383056
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 2008 Sep;11(9):1059-67
references.pmid: 19160504
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):15154-8
references.pmid: 12399547
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Jan 12;352(2):305-10
references.pmid: 17126293
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009;4(2):e4457
references.pmid: 19214231
references.citation: Curr Biol. 2010 Sep 28;20(18):1602-14
references.pmid: 20832315
references.citation: Neuron. 2008 Sep 11;59(5):759-69
references.pmid: 18786359
references.citation: Cell. 2008 Apr 18;133(2):354-63
references.pmid: 18423205
references.citation: J Neurobiol. 2000 Jun 15;43(4):404-26
references.pmid: 10861565
references.citation: Nat Protoc. 2006;1(4):2110-5
references.pmid: 17487202
references.citation: Neuron. 2011 Feb 10;69(3):498-508
references.pmid: 21315260
references.citation: Int Rev Neurobiol. 2011;99:87-105
references.pmid: 21906537
references.citation: Biotechniques. 2000 Oct;29(4):726, 728, 730, 732
references.pmid: 11056799
references.citation: Cell. 2005 Jun 3;121(5):785-94
references.pmid: 15935764
references.citation: Genetics. 2011 Sep;189(1):195-211
references.pmid: 21705753
references.citation: J Comp Neurol. 1994 Nov 22;349(4):633-45
references.pmid: 7860793
references.citation: Science. 2008 Nov 7;322(5903):904-9
references.pmid: 18988843
references.citation: Development. 2002 Dec;129(24):5667-81
references.pmid: 12421707
references.citation: Nat Protoc. 2006;1(2):559-68
references.pmid: 17406282
references.citation: Cell. 2005 Jun 3;121(5):795-807
references.pmid: 15935765
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Mar 13;104(11):4706-11
references.pmid: 17360588
references.citation: Cell. 2001 Apr 6;105(1):13-24
references.pmid: 11300999
references.citation: Genesis. 2004 Aug;39(4):240-5
references.pmid: 15286996
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 Jul;1170:394-8
references.pmid: 19686165
references.citation: Nature. 2005 Jul 21;436(7049):395-400
references.pmid: 15959468
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 19;109(25):10065-70
references.pmid: 22645338
references.citation: PLoS One. 2010 Oct 12;5(10):e13248
references.pmid: 20967276