One of the major challenges in neuroscience research is to understand the function of the brain at the level of genes, gene regulatory networks, neurons, and circuit structure. This proposal seeks to understand Drosophila reproductive behaviors, a highly tractable model, given knowledge of the master regulatory transcription factors and neuroanatomical structures that underlie these behaviors. fruitless (fru) encodes a set of master regulatory transcription factors, which are necessary and largely sufficient for specifying the potential for innate male courtship behaviors. This proposal is built on our results that demonstrate that a family of cell adhesion molecules, called Dprs and DIPs, have important functions in specifying the potential for reproductive behavior downstream of fru. We will determine the roles for behavior of subsets of fru-expressing neurons that overlap with Dpr/DIP expression (fru P1?Dpr/Dip), using genetic intersectional strategies. We will also determine how anatomical sexual dimorphism in fru P1 neurons arises by functionally examining the roles of Dpr/DIPs. This study will also elucidate the Dpr/DIP interactome within fru-expressing neurons. Using cell-type specific genomic tools, we will also molecularly classify fru P1?Dpr/Dip-expressing subpopulations to elucidate the molecular underpinnings that give rise to different neuronal functions.

Public Health Relevance

Understanding human mental health disorders requires a basic understanding of nervous system function, particularly how neuronal connections are built during development and how neural circuits function in the adult to specify complex behaviors. This study seeks to understand at a molecular-genetic level how the potential for behavior is built into the nervous system. These studies will proceed with analyses in a multi-cellular organism, so we can interrogate the role of genes, proteins and neural circuits in a functionally relevant context to gain insight into how a circuit for a complex behavior is built and functions.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM073039-14
Application #
9979923
Study Section
Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section (MNG)
Program Officer
Sesma, Michael A
Project Start
2006-07-01
Project End
2021-06-30
Budget Start
2020-07-01
Budget End
2021-06-30
Support Year
14
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Florida State University
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
790877419
City
Tallahassee
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32306
Signor, Sarah A; Arbeitman, Michelle N; Nuzhdin, Sergey V (2016) Gene networks and developmental context: the importance of understanding complex gene expression patterns in evolution. Evol Dev 18:201-9
Newell, Nicole R; New, Felicia N; Dalton, Justin E et al. (2016) Neurons That Underlie Drosophila melanogaster Reproductive Behaviors: Detection of a Large Male-Bias in Gene Expression in fruitless-Expressing Neurons. G3 (Bethesda) 6:2455-65
Arbeitman, Michelle N; New, Felicia N; Fear, Justin M et al. (2016) Sex Differences in Drosophila Somatic Gene Expression: Variation and Regulation by doublesex. G3 (Bethesda) 6:1799-808
Fear, Justin M; Arbeitman, Michelle N; Salomon, Matthew P et al. (2015) The Wright stuff: reimagining path analysis reveals novel components of the sex determination hierarchy in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Syst Biol 9:53
Arbeitman, Michelle N; Kopp, Artyom; L Siegal, Mark et al. (2014) The genetics of sex: exploring differences. Genetics 197:527-9
Arbeitman, Michelle N; Kopp, Artyom; Siegal, Mark L et al. (2014) The genetics of sex: exploring differences. G3 (Bethesda) 4:979-81
Ardekani, Reza; Biyani, Anurag; Dalton, Justin E et al. (2013) Three-dimensional tracking and behaviour monitoring of multiple fruit flies. J R Soc Interface 10:20120547
Dalton, Justin E; Fear, Justin M; Knott, Simon et al. (2013) Male-specific Fruitless isoforms have different regulatory roles conferred by distinct zinc finger DNA binding domains. BMC Genomics 14:659
Thomas, Amanda; Lee, Pei-Jung; Dalton, Justin E et al. (2012) A versatile method for cell-specific profiling of translated mRNAs in Drosophila. PLoS One 7:e40276
Winbush, Ari; Reed, Danielle; Chang, Peter L et al. (2012) Identification of gene expression changes associated with long-term memory of courtship rejection in Drosophila males. G3 (Bethesda) 2:1437-45

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