Sexual dimorphism: Neural circuit switches in the Drosophila brain

Darcy B Kelley; Emily A Bayer

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.026

Sexual dimorphism: Neural circuit switches in the Drosophila brain

Curr Biol. 2021 Mar 22;31(6):R297-R298. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.026.

Authors

Darcy B Kelley¹, Emily A Bayer²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, MC2432, 914 Fairchild, New York, NY 10025, USA. Electronic address: dbk3@columbia.edu.
² Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.

PMID: 33756143
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.026

Abstract

The sex-determining genes Double Sex and Fruitless are expressed in sexually differentiated neurons of the Drosophila brain. A tiny cluster of neurons, aDN cells, serves as a key circuit switch with sexually dimorphic properties: those of female flies respond to visual signals in males, while those of male flies respond to smell and humidity in females, supporting effective courtship and communal egg laying behaviors, respectively.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain / metabolism
Courtship
Drosophila Proteins* / genetics
Drosophila Proteins* / metabolism
Drosophila* / metabolism
Female
Male
Sex Characteristics
Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

Drosophila Proteins
Transcription Factors