The neuropeptide tachykinin is essential for pheromone detection in a gustatory neural circuit

Gustatory pheromones play an essential role in shaping the behavior of many organisms. However, little is known about the processing of taste pheromones in higher order brain centers. Here, we describe a male-specific gustatory circuit in Drosophila that underlies the detection of the anti-aphrodisi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:eLife 2015-06, Vol.4, p.e06914-e06914
Main Authors: Shankar, Shruti, Chua, Jia Yi, Tan, Kah Junn, Calvert, Meredith E K, Weng, Ruifen, Ng, Wan Chin, Mori, Kenji, Yew, Joanne Y
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Animals
anti-aphrodisiac
Behavior
Brain research
Calcium imaging
CH503
Courtship
Drosophila
Drosophila - physiology
Drosophila Proteins - analysis
Females
Information processing
Insects
Males
Neuroimaging
Neurons - chemistry
Neurons - physiology
Neuropeptides
Neuroscience
NPF
Pheromones
Pheromones - metabolism
Receptors, Cell Surface - analysis
Sex pheromone
Sexual dimorphism
Tachykinin
Tachykinin receptors
Tachykinins - metabolism
Taste Perception
Taste stimuli
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Gustatory pheromones play an essential role in shaping the behavior of many organisms. However, little is known about the processing of taste pheromones in higher order brain centers. Here, we describe a male-specific gustatory circuit in Drosophila that underlies the detection of the anti-aphrodisiac pheromone (3R,11Z,19Z)-3-acetoxy-11,19-octacosadien-1-ol (CH503). Using behavioral analysis, genetic manipulation, and live calcium imaging, we show that Gr68a-expressing neurons on the forelegs of male flies exhibit a sexually dimorphic physiological response to the pheromone and relay information to the central brain via peptidergic neurons. The release of tachykinin from 8 to 10 cells within the subesophageal zone is required for the pheromone-triggered courtship suppression. Taken together, this work describes a neuropeptide-modulated central brain circuit that underlies the programmed behavioral response to a gustatory sex pheromone. These results will allow further examination of the molecular basis by which innate behaviors are modulated by gustatory cues and physiological state.
ISSN:2050-084X
2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.06914