Sex peptide regulates female receptivity through serotoninergic neurons in Drosophila

• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106123
• Publication Date: 2023-02-02T20:07:21Z
• Authors: Yan Tong Yang; Shao Wei Hu; Xiaonan Li; Yuanjie Sun; Ping He; Kristi Anne Kohlm...; Yan Zhu
• Keywords: Receptivity

The courtship ritual is a dynamic interplay between males and females. Courtship successfully leading to copulation determined by the intention of both parties which conveyed complex action sequences. In Drosophila, neural mechanisms controlling female's willingness mate, or sexual receptivity, have only recently become focus investigations. Here, we report that pre-mating receptivity in females requires activity within subset serotonergic projection neurons (SPNs), positively regulate success. Of interest, male-derived sex peptide, SP, was transferred during acted inhibit SPN suppressed receptivity. Downstream 5-HT, subsets 5-HT7 receptor played critical roles SP-induced suppression Together, our study reveals serotonin signaling system central brain Drosophila manages desire mate.