Genes underlying reproductive behavior and physiology

生殖行为和生理学的基因

• 批准号: 7144516
• 负责人: MICHELLE N ARBEITMAN
• 金额: $ 28.24万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-07-01 至 2011-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7144516
• 关键词: Drosophilidae; RNA interference; arthropod genetics; behavioral /social science research tag; behavioral genetics; functional /structural genomics; gender difference; gene expression; genetic regulation; morphology; neurogenetics; neurophysiology; neuropsychology; protein structure function; sex behavior; sex linked trait; transcription factor

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A fundamental problem in neurobiology is understanding how the potential for complex behaviors are established. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system to explore this question, given that a robust behavior, mating behavior, is genetically programmed. Drosophila male courtship consists of a series of steps directed towards a female. Females that have not been mated are receptive to male courtship behaviors, whereas those that have been recently mated will reject these advances. There is molecular-genetic evidence demonstrating that the sex hierarchy plays a central role in establishing courtship and mating behaviors in both males and females, through the action of transcription factors encoded by doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru). Both dsx and fru produce sex-specific isoforms. Molecular-genetic analyses have demonstrated that both dsx and fru play fundamental roles in the establishment of sex-specific cell fates important for reproductive behaviors. Despite the importance of these transcription factors, practically nothing is known about their targets. We will use genomic approaches to identify genes regulated by these transcription factors. We will study the functions of these target genes in the nervous system to gain insight into the genetic specification of behavior. This will provide a foundation for understanding the specification of complex behaviors in other organisms, including humans, for which we have very limited understanding.

描述（由申请人提供）：神经生物学的一个基本问题是了解如何建立复杂行为的潜力。果蝇Melanogaster是一个出色的模型系统，可以探索这个问题，因为在基因编程中采用了强大的交配行为，交配行为。果蝇的男性求爱包括针对女性的一系列步骤。尚未交配的女性接受男性求爱行为，而最近交配的女性会拒绝这些进步。有分子遗传学证据表明，性别等级结构在男性和女性的建立求爱和交配行为方面起着核心作用，这是通过Doublesex（DSX）和毫无生命的（FRU）所编码的转录因子的作用。 DSX和FRU都产生了性别特异性同工型。分子遗传学分析表明，DSX和FRU在建立性别特异性细胞命运中对生殖行为很重要。尽管这些转录因素很重要，但实际上对它们的目标一无所知。我们将使用基因组方法来识别这些转录因子调节的基因。我们将研究这些靶基因在神经系统中的功能，以深入了解行为的遗传规范。这将为理解包括人类在内的其他生物的复杂行为的规范提供基础，为此我们对此有限。