Horigome, M. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2025

Mating status-dependent dopaminergic modulation of auditory sensory neurons in Drosophila

Mating status often modulates responses to courtship sounds in animals. The neural mechanisms underlying this modulation, however, have not been well clarified. Here, we show that dopaminergic signals are involved in modulating the responses of auditory sensory neurons in Drosophila melanogaster females depending on their mating status. These neurons abundantly express three types of dopamine receptors, with some having direct synaptic connections with dopaminergic neurons. Of these receptors, suppressing the expression of Dop1R2 reduces sound responses of auditory sensory neurons in unmated but not mated females. Moreover, expression of Dop1R2 in auditory sensory neurons enhances the song response behavior of unmated females, manifested by copulation receptivity when exposed to songs. Our research suggests that dopaminergic modulation via Dop1R2 is involved in mating state-dependent regulation of auditory sensory processing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Convergence of distinct subpopulations of mechanosensory neurons onto a neural circuit that elicits grooming

Diverse subpopulations of mechanosensory neurons detect different mechanical forces and influence behavior. How these subpopulations connect with central circuits to influence behavior remains an important area of study. We previously discovered a neural circuit that elicits grooming of the Drosophila melanogaster antennae that is activated by an antennal mechanosensory chordotonal organ, the Johnstons organ (JO) (Hampel et al., 2015). Here, we describe anatomically and physiologically distinct JO mechanosensory neuron subpopulations and define how they interface with the circuit that elicits antennal grooming. We show that the subpopulations project to distinct zones in the brain and differ in their responses to mechanical stimulation of the antennae. Each subpopulation elicits grooming through direct synaptic connections with a single interneuron in the circuit, the dendrites of which span the different mechanosensory afferent projection zones. Thus, distinct JO subpopulations converge onto the same neural circuit to elicit a common behavioral response.

neuroscience↗