Neuropeptides Modulate Female Chemosensory Processing upon Mating in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: A female's reproductive state influences her perception of odors and tastes along with her changed behavioral state and physiological needs. The mechanism that modulates chemosensory processing, however, remains largely elusive. Using Drosophila, we have identified a behavioral, neuronal, and genetic mechanism that adapts the senses of smell and taste, the major modalities for food quality perception, to the physiological needs of a gravid female. Pungent smelling polyamines, such as putrescine and spermidine, are essential for cell proliferation, reproduction, and embryonic development in all animals. A polyamine-rich diet increases reproductive success in many species, including flies. Using a combination of behavioral analysis and in vivo physiology, we show that polyamine attraction is

SUBMITTER: Hussain A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4856363 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature