Neural circuitry linking mating and egg laying in Drosophila females.

ABSTRACT: Mating and egg laying are tightly cooordinated events in the reproductive life of all oviparous females. Oviposition is typically rare in virgin females but is initiated after copulation. Here we identify the neural circuitry that links egg laying to mating status in Drosophila melanogaster. Activation of female-specific oviposition descending neurons (oviDNs) is necessary and sufficient for egg laying, and is equally potent in virgin and mated females. After mating, sex peptide-a protein from the male seminal fluid-triggers many behavioural and physiological changes in the female, including the onset of egg laying¹. Sex peptide is detected by sensory neurons in the uterus^2-4, and silences these neurons and their postsynaptic ascending neurons in the abdominal ganglio

SUBMITTER: Wang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7687045 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature