Title: | Evolution of a central neural circuit underlies Drosophila mate preferences |
Author(s): | Seeholzer LF; Seppo M; Stern DL; Ruta V; |
Address: | "Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA. Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA. ruta@rockefeller.edu" |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41586-018-0322-9 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1476-4687 (Electronic) 0028-0836 (Print) 0028-0836 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Courtship rituals serve to reinforce reproductive barriers between closely related species. Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans exhibit reproductive isolation, owing in part to the fact that D. melanogaster females produce 7,11-heptacosadiene, a pheromone that promotes courtship in D. melanogaster males but suppresses courtship in D. simulans males. Here we compare pheromone-processing pathways in D. melanogaster and D. simulans males to define how these sister species endow 7,11-heptacosadiene with the opposite behavioural valence to underlie species discrimination. We show that males of both species detect 7,11-heptacosadiene using homologous peripheral sensory neurons, but this signal is differentially propagated to P1 neurons, which control courtship behaviour. A change in the balance of excitation and inhibition onto courtship-promoting neurons transforms an excitatory pheromonal cue in D. melanogaster into an inhibitory cue in D. simulans. Our results reveal how species-specific pheromone responses can emerge from conservation of peripheral detection mechanisms and diversification of central circuitry, and demonstrate how flexible nodes in neural circuits can contribute to behavioural evolution" |
Keywords: | "Alkadienes/metabolism Animals *Biological Evolution Courtship Drosophila Proteins/metabolism Drosophila melanogaster/classification/*physiology Drosophila simulans/classification/*physiology Female Ion Channels/metabolism Male Mating Preference, Animal/*p;" |
Notes: | "MedlineSeeholzer, Laura F Seppo, Max Stern, David L Ruta, Vanessa eng DP2 NS087942/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/ DP2 NS0879422013/NH/NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2018/07/12 Nature. 2018 Jul; 559(7715):564-569. doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0322-9. Epub 2018 Jul 11" |