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ONLINE ARTICLES

Brain Sex Differences and Function of the fruitless Gene in Drosophila

Pages 309-332 | Received 03 Jun 2008, Published online: 11 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

The fruitless (fru) gene in Drosophila plays a pivotal role in the formation of neural circuits underlying gender-specific behaviors. Specific labeling of fru-expressing neurons has revealed a core circuit responsible for male courtship behavior. Females with a small number of masculinized neuronal clusters in their brain can initiate male-type courtship behavior. By examining the correlations between the masculinized neurons and behavioral gender type, a male-specific neuronal cluster, named P1, which coexpresses fru and doublesex, was identified as a putative trigger center for male-type courtship behavior. P1 neurons extend dendrite to the lateral horn, where multimodal sensory inputs converge. Molecular studies suggest that fru determines the level of masculinization of neurons by orchestrating the transcription of a set of downstream genes, which remain to be identified.

Abbreviations
MOL=

the muscle of Lawrence

INAH3=

interstitial nucleus of anterior hypothalamus 3

mAL=

medially located just above the antennal lobe

MARCM=

mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker

LH=

lateral horn

PN=

projection neuron

Grs=

gustatory receptors

iACT=

inner antennocerebral tract

mACT=

middle antennocerebral tract.

Abbreviations
MOL=

the muscle of Lawrence

INAH3=

interstitial nucleus of anterior hypothalamus 3

mAL=

medially located just above the antennal lobe

MARCM=

mosaic analysis with a repressible cell marker

LH=

lateral horn

PN=

projection neuron

Grs=

gustatory receptors

iACT=

inner antennocerebral tract

mACT=

middle antennocerebral tract.

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