Turning Males On: Activation of Male Courtship Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
Yufeng Pan, Carmen C. Robinett, Bruce S. Baker
The innate sexual behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster males are an attractive system for elucidating how complex behavior patterns are generated. The potential for male sexual behavior in D. melanogaster is specified by the fruitless (fru) and doublesex (dsx) sex regulatory genes. We used the temperature-sensitive activator dTRPA1 to probe the roles of fruM- and dsx-expressing neurons in male courtship behaviors. Almost all steps of courtship, from courtship song to ejaculation, can be induced at very high levels through activation of either all fruM or all dsx neurons in solitary males. Detailed characterizations reveal different roles for fruM and dsx in male courtship. Surprisingly, the system for mate discrimination still works well when all dsx neurons are activated, but is impaired when all fruM neurons are activated. Most strikingly, we provide evidence for a fruM-independent courtship pathway that is primarily vision dependent.
Yufeng Pan, Carmen C. Robinett, Bruce S. Baker
The innate sexual behaviors of Drosophila melanogaster males are an attractive system for elucidating how complex behavior patterns are generated. The potential for male sexual behavior in D. melanogaster is specified by the fruitless (fru) and doublesex (dsx) sex regulatory genes. We used the temperature-sensitive activator dTRPA1 to probe the roles of fruM- and dsx-expressing neurons in male courtship behaviors. Almost all steps of courtship, from courtship song to ejaculation, can be induced at very high levels through activation of either all fruM or all dsx neurons in solitary males. Detailed characterizations reveal different roles for fruM and dsx in male courtship. Surprisingly, the system for mate discrimination still works well when all dsx neurons are activated, but is impaired when all fruM neurons are activated. Most strikingly, we provide evidence for a fruM-independent courtship pathway that is primarily vision dependent.
PLoS ONE 6(6): e21144. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021144
Why is this cool?
The researchers did something here that is truly amazing: they found a pathway into male courtship behavior...in flies!!!! "Almost all steps of courtship, from courtship song to ejaculation, can be induced at very high levels through activation of either all fruM or all dsx neurons in solitary males." Kablam!! I don't know much about flies or their mating behavior, but I think this could have amazing repercussions on human mating!
Imagine that an analogous system is investigated in humans and that medicines are discovered to activate or deactivate the system in both men or women! The activating pill would be prescribed to couples who are experiencing a lull in their physical interactions. I say physical because the concentration of whatever this fantastical drug will decide the type of interaction.
A low dose gives attraction and high dose gives complete submission to sexual desire. Maybe the deactivating pill would be prescribed for a cheating spouse or a spouse that feels the urge to cheat.
It reminds me of the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I'm thinking specifically of the scene where Deckard and his wife are arguing about using the mood organ. If you have not read it, you really should because Blade Runner omits a great many awesome ideas.
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