GABAergic signaling shapes multiple aspects of Drosophila courtship motor behavior

• Published in: iScience 2023-11, Vol.26 (11), p.108069, Article 108069
• Main Authors: Amin, Hoger, Nolte, Stella S., Swain, Bijayalaxmi, von Philipsborn, Anne C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral neuroscience; Biological sciences; Molecular neuroscience; Neuroscience
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108069

Inhibitory neurons are essential for orchestrating and structuring behavior. We use one of the best studied behaviors in Drosophila, male courtship, to analyze how inhibitory, GABAergic neurons shape the different steps of this multifaceted motor sequence. RNAi-mediated knockdown of the GABA-producing enzyme GAD1 and the ionotropic receptor Rdl in sex specific, fruitless expressing neurons in the ventral nerve cord causes uncoordinated and futile copulation attempts, defects in wing extension choice and severe alterations of courtship song. Altered song of GABA depleted males fails to stimulate female receptivity, but rescue of song patterning alone is not sufficient to rescue male mating success. Knockdown of GAD1 and Rdl in male brain circuits abolishes courtship conditioning. We characterize the around 220 neurons coexpressing GAD1 and Fruitless in the Drosophila male nervous system and propose inhibitory circuit motifs underlying key features of courtship behavior based on the observed phenotypes. [Display omitted] •GABAergic inhibition in fruitless+ neurons shapes Drosophila male courtship•Inhibition gates copulation attempts•Inhibition determines unilateral wing posture during courtship singing•GAD1+ and Rdl+ inhibitory motifs in the ventral nerve cord pattern courtship song Biological sciences; Neuroscience; Behavioral neuroscience; Molecular neuroscience