Insulin-producing cells regulate the sexual receptivity through the painless TRP channel in Drosophila virgin females.

ABSTRACT: In a variety of animal species, females hold a leading position in evaluating potential mating partners. The decision of virgin females to accept or reject a courting male is one of the most critical steps for mating success. In the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, however, the molecular and neuronal mechanisms underlying female receptivity are still poorly understood, particularly for virgin females. The Drosophila painless (pain) gene encodes a transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel. We previously demonstrated that mutations in pain significantly enhance the sexual receptivity of virgin females and that pain expression in pain(GAL4) -positive neurons is necessary and sufficient for pain-mediated regulation of the virgin receptivity. Among the pain(GAL4) -positive neurons in the

SUBMITTER: Sakai T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3913769 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature