A Bidirectional Circuit Switch Reroutes Pheromone Signals in Male and Female Brains

Kohl, Johannes; Ostrovsky, Aaron D.; Frechter, Shahar; Jefferis, Gregory S.X.E.

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2013.11.025

Cited by 189 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 58 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

237

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Interestingly, both females and males express OR67d and OR65a, and these receptors respond equally to cVA in both sexes (Kurtovic et al, 2007;Van der Goes van Naters and Carlson, 2007). However, the neuronal circuit underlying OR67d is sexually dimorphic and, consequently, different neuronal cluster are activated in males and females (Datta et al, 2008;Ruta et al, 2010;Kohl et al, 2013 Table 2). …”

Section: Chemoreceptors and Sexual Behavior: Relevance Of Pheromone Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, the precise and complete network from the detection of a chemical at the periphery to the muscle cells that lead to a behavioral output is still partially described. Some recent studies on cVA detection have started to decipher this network (Kohl et al, 2013), and have shown that this cVA circuit seems to be interconnected with other sensory modalities such as hearing (Zhou et al, 2014) which highlights the importance of the connectivity between modalities.…”

Section: Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Chemicals and chemoreceptors: ecologically relevant signals driving behavior in Drosophila

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Insects encounter a vast repertoire of chemicals in their natural environment, which can signal positive stimuli like the presence of a food source, a potential mate, or a suitable oviposition site as well as negative stimuli such as competitors, predators, or toxic substances reflecting danger. The presence of specialized chemoreceptors like taste and olfactory receptors allows animals to detect chemicals at short and long distances and accordingly, trigger proper behaviors toward these stimuli. Since the first description of olfactory and taste receptors in Drosophila melanogaster 15 years ago, our knowledge on the identity, properties, and function of specific chemoreceptors has increased exponentially. In the last years, multidisciplinary approaches combining genetic tools with electrophysiological techniques, behavioral recording, evolutionary analysis, and chemical ecology studies are shedding light on our understanding on the ecological relevance of specific chemoreceptors for the survival of Drosophila in their natural environment. In this review we discuss the current knowledge on chemoreceptors of both the olfactory and taste systems of the fruitfly. We focus on the relevance of particular receptors for the detection of ecologically relevant cues such as pheromones, food sources, and toxic compounds, and we comment on the behavioral changes that the detection of these chemicals induce in the fly. In particular, we give an updated outlook of the chemical communication displayed during one of the most important behaviors for fly survival, the courtship behavior. Finally, the ecological relevance of specific chemicals can vary depending on the niche occupied by the individual. In that regard, in this review we also highlight the contrast between adult and larval systems and we propose that these differences could reflect distinctive requirements depending on the change of ecological niche occupied by Drosophila along its life cycle.

show abstract

Section: Chemoreceptors and Sexual Behavior: Relevance Of Pheromone Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemicals and chemoreceptors: ecologically relevant signals driving behavior in Drosophila

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…There is a sex-specific processing component to the response to cVA (Ruta et al, 2010;Kohl et al, 2013). While cVA has a suppressive effect on male courtship, it acts as an aphrodisiac to females, who mate quicker with males when they sense this pheromone (Kurtovic et al, 2007;Ronderos and Smith, 2010).…”

Section: A Second Pheromonal System: Cis-vaccenyl Acetatementioning

confidence: 99%

The role of cVA and the Odorant binding protein Lush in social and sexual behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Billeter¹,

Levine

2015

Front. Ecol. Evol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Social living is beneficial because it allows conspecifics to interact in ways that increase their chances of survival and reproduction. A key mechanism underlying these benefits is the ability to recognize conspecifics; thus, allowing the production of coordinated social interactions. Identification of such individuals is often through chemical communication: the individuals' pheromonal profile indicates their sex, species, and even past experiences. However, we know little about how the chemosensory system of conspecifics detects and how the nervous system processes this information. One of the best documented pheromonal detection mechanisms is that of cis-Vaccenyl Acetate (cVA) made by male Drosophila melanogaster and transferred to females during mating. Sensing of cVA by males inhibits courtship behavior toward already mated females. Sensing of cVA on other males also inhibits courtship and increases aggression. In this hybrid review/research article, we discuss the pheromonal system of Drosophila putting an emphasis on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in cVA sensing by the olfactory system, perception by the nervous system and ultimately the regulation of social interactions. The behavioral effect of cVA is context-as well as experience-dependent leading us to conclude that cVA plays a modulatory role in regulating social interactions rather than being a recognition pheromone. We also provide new behavioral data on the function of the Odorant Binding Protein Lush, which binds cVA in olfactory sensilla and help sensing this chemical. Our data indicate that lush may be involved in the sensing of additional pheromones to cVA and suggest the existence of a lush-independent cVA detection system. Interpretation of our data in the light of our current knowledge about pheromonal recognition in Drosophila indicates that this system is incompletely understood.

show abstract

“…The functional connectivity between neurons that is demonstrated by measuring GECI responses cannot indicate whether the connections are direct, and it is always possible that intermediate neurons are involved. To distinguish between the possibilities of monosynaptic versus polysynaptic connectivity, as well as to characterize the physiological properties of the functional connection, electrophysiology experiments are required (Gruntman and Turner 2013;Kohl et al 2013;Fişek and Wilson 2014;Tuthill and Wilson 2016).…”

Section: Assessing Functional Connectivity Among Neuronsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Targeted manipulation of neuronal activity in behaving adult flies

Hampel

Seeds

2016

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ability to control the activity of specific neurons in freely behaving animals provides an effective way to probe the contributions of neural circuits to behavior. Wide interest in studying principles of neural circuit function using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has fueled the construction of an extensive transgenic toolkit for performing such neural manipulations. Here we describe approaches for using these tools to manipulate the activity of specific neurons and assess how those manipulations impact the behavior of flies. We also describe methods for examining connectivity among multiple neurons that together form a neural circuit controlling a specific behavior. This work provides a resource ABSTRACTThe ability to control the activity of specific neurons in freely behaving animals provides an effective way to probe the contributions of neural circuits to behavior. Wide interest in studying principles of neural circuit function using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has fueled the construction of an extensive transgenic toolkit for performing such neural manipulations. Here we describe approaches for using these tools to manipulate the activity of specific neurons and assess how those manipulations impact the behavior of flies. We also describe methods for examining connectivity among multiple neurons that together form a neural circuit controlling a specific behavior. This work provides a resource for researchers interested in examining how neurons and neural circuits contribute to the rich repertoire of behaviors performed by flies.

show abstract

A Bidirectional Circuit Switch Reroutes Pheromone Signals in Male and Female Brains

Cited by 189 publications

References 58 publications

Chemicals and chemoreceptors: ecologically relevant signals driving behavior in Drosophila

Chemicals and chemoreceptors: ecologically relevant signals driving behavior in Drosophila

The role of cVA and the Odorant binding protein Lush in social and sexual behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Targeted manipulation of neuronal activity in behaving adult flies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About