A double-negative gene regulatory circuit underlies the virgin behavioral state Journal Article
| Authors: | Garaulet, D. L.; Moro, A.; Lai, E. C. |
| Article Title: | A double-negative gene regulatory circuit underlies the virgin behavioral state |
| Abstract: | Virgin females of many species conduct distinctive behaviors, compared with post-mated and/or pregnant individuals. In Drosophila, this post-mating switch is initiated by seminal factors, implying that the default female state is virgin. However, we recently showed that loss of miR-iab-4/8-mediated repression of the transcription factor Homothorax (Hth) within the abdominal ventral nerve cord (VNC) causes virgins to execute mated behaviors. Here, we use genomic analysis of mir-iab-4/8 deletion and hth-microRNA (miRNA) binding site mutants (hth[BSmut]) to elucidate doublesex (dsx) as a critical downstream factor. Dsx and Hth proteins are highly complementary in CNS, and Dsx is downregulated in miRNA/hth[BSmut] mutants. Moreover, virgin behavior is highly dose sensitive to developmental dsx function. Strikingly, depletion of Dsx from very restricted abdominal neurons (SAG-1 cells) abrogates female virgin conducts, in favor of mated behaviors. Thus, a double-negative regulatory pathway in the VNC (miR-iab-4/8 ˧ Hth ˧ Dsx) specifies the virgin behavioral state. © 2021 The Authors |
| Keywords: | microrna; central nervous system; transcriptome; bithorax complex; homothorax; doublesex; female post-mating switch; tale homeobox; virgin behavior |
| Journal Title: | Cell Reports |
| Volume: | 36 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| ISSN: | 2211-1247 |
| Publisher: | Cell Press |
| Date Published: | 2021-07-06 |
| Start Page: | 109335 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109335 |
| PUBMED: | 34233178 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC8344067 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- Export Date: 2 August 2021 -- Source: Scopus |
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