Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Anindya Ganguly
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Adishthi S Gurav
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Morris A Aguilar
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States
Male courtship is provoked by perception of a potential mate. In addition, the likelihood and intensity of courtship are influenced by recent mating experience, which affects sexual drive. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we found that the homolog of mammalian neuropeptide Y, neuropeptide F (NPF), and a cluster of male-specific NPF (NPFM) neurons, regulate courtship through affecting courtship drive. Disrupting NPF signaling produces sexually hyperactive males, which are resistant to sexual satiation, and whose courtship is triggered by sub-optimal stimuli. We found that NPFM neurons make synaptic connections with P1 neurons, which comprise the courtship decision center. Activation of P1 neurons elevates NPFM neuronal activity, which then act through NPF receptor neurons to suppress male courtship, and maintain the proper level of male courtship drive.
