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Genetic identification and separation of innate and experience-dependent courtship behaviors in Drosophila.

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Cell. 2014 Jan 16;156(1-2):236-48. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.11.041
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Genetic identification and separation of innate and experience-dependent courtship behaviors in Drosophila. Baker Lab
Pan Y, Baker BS
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Abstract

Wild-type D. melanogaster males innately possess the ability to perform a multistep courtship ritual to conspecific females. The potential for this behavior is specified by the male-specific products of the fruitless (fru(M)) gene; males without fru(M) do not court females when held in isolation. We show that such fru(M) null males acquire the potential for courtship when grouped with other flies; they apparently learn to court flies with which they were grouped, irrespective of sex or species and retain this behavior for at least a week. The male-specific product of the doublesex gene (dsx(M)) is necessary and sufficient for the acquisition of the potential for such experience-dependent courtship. These results reveal a process that builds, via dsx(M) and social experience, the potential for a more flexible sexual behavior, which could be evolutionarily conserved as dsx-related genes that function in sexual development are found throughout the animal kingdom.

PMID: 24439379 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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