Functional dissection of dopaminergic neurons underlying male-male courtship behavior in Drosophila

• Main Authors: Jiun-Yuan Huang, 黃鈞源
• Other Authors: Tsai-Feng Fu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/37493002961579082540

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 生物醫學科技研究所 === 98 === Courtship behavior is fundamental to the propagation of animal species. Animals use multiple sensory cues to recognize conspecifics and to choose a potentially suitable mate for reproduction. A courtship behavior occurs in heterosexual usually. The recent study found that sexual behavior between males is observed in many species, but the biological factors involved are poorly known. Although wild-type male flies rarely show male–male courtship, the frequency and intensity of this behavior can be strongly increased by genetic manipulation. Dopamine (DA) is a very important neuromodulator in animals. Its role in mammal heterosexual behavior has been extensively studied. Studies demonstrate that DA elevation can enhance male-male courtship behavior in Drosophila. We used genetic approach to increasing dopamine level by UAS-TH under a driver of Murashka-1 and showed enhanced propensity to court other males but did not change their courtship toward virgin females and locomotor activity. Consistently, the knocking downs of dopamine by UAS-THi under a same driver of Murashka-1 and investigated increased male attractiveness or decrease aversiveness towards other males in dark. Our results show that the Murashka-1 expressing neurons played an important role in the regulation of the promotion of male courtship among fruit flies homosexual behavior among the production.