Article Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila Highlights Authors d P1 neurons are functionally tuned toward appropriate E. Josephine Clowney, Shinya Iguchi, potential mates Jennifer J. Bussell, Elias Scheer, Vanessa Ruta d Gustatory and olfactory pheromone circuits converge on P1 neurons Correspondence
[email protected] d Pheromone signals are carried by parallel excitatory and inhibitory branches In Brief d This neural architecture allows stringent and flexible control Gustatory and olfactory pheromone of courtship behavior afferents converge on courtship- promoting P1 neurons in the male Drosophila brain. Integration of these positive and negative chemosensory signals tunes P1 neural responses to generate selective courtship to appropriate mates. Clowney et al., 2015, Neuron 87, 1036–1049 September 2, 2015 ª2015 Elsevier Inc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.07.025 Neuron Article Multimodal Chemosensory Circuits Controlling Male Courtship in Drosophila E. Josephine Clowney,1 Shinya Iguchi,1 Jennifer J. Bussell,2 Elias Scheer,1 and Vanessa Ruta1,* 1Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA 2Department of Neuroscience, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA *Correspondence:
[email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.07.025 SUMMARY the male pursues the female, tracking her closely and extending a single wing to produce a species-specific song. The male will Throughout the animal kingdom, internal states eventually contact her ovipositor with his proboscis and mount generate long-lasting and self-perpetuating chains her to attempt copulation, and courtship can continue for tens of behavior. In Drosophila, males instinctively pursue of minutes until the pair copulates or the female decamps.