Open AccessSex- and clock-controlled expression of the neuropeptide F gene in Drosophila
Author(s) -
Gyunghee Lee,
Jae Hoon Bahn,
Jae H. Park
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.0601171103
Subject(s) - biology , neuropeptide , doublesex , circadian clock , drosophila melanogaster , courtship , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , endocrinology , neuroscience , gene , genetics , circadian rhythm , receptor , paleontology , rna , rna splicing
Drosophila neuropeptide F (NPF), a homolog of vertebrate neuropeptide Y, functions in feeding and coordination of behavioral changes in larvae and in modulation of alcohol sensitivity in adults, suggesting diverse roles for this peptide. To gain more insight into adult-specific NPF neuronal functions, we studied hownpf expression is regulated in the adult brain. Here, we report thatnpf expression is regulated in both sex-nonspecific and male-specific manners. Our data show that male-specificnpf (ms-npf ) expression is controlled by thetransformer (tra )-dependent sex-determination pathway. Furthermore,fruitless , one of the major genes functioning downstream oftra , is apparently an upstream regulator of ms-npf transcription. Males lacking ms-npf expression (throughtraF -mediated feminization) ornpf -ablated male flies display significantly reduced male courtship activity, suggesting that one function of ms-npf neurons is to modulatefruitless -regulated sexual behavior. Interestingly, one of the ms-npf neuronal groups belongs to the previously defined clock-controlling dorsolateral neurons. Such ms-npf expression in the dorsolateral neurons is absent in arrhythmicClockJrk andcycle02 mutants, suggesting thatnpf is under dual regulation by circadian and sex-determining factors. Based on these data, we propose that NPF also plays a role in clock-controlled sexual dimorphism in adultDrosophila .