The genetics of sexual behavior in Drosophila

Abstract

Genes play a profound role in the regulation of Drosophila behavioral system, either sexual or nonsexual. Those regulating sexual behavior may lead to differences at the level of species, thus causing behavioral isolation. Courtship in Drosophila involves several behavioral repertoires which are controlled genetically. It involves the use of several sensory stimuli that may affect the behavioral responses of both the sexes. These sensory signals are sex specific, and the specificity is due to differential expression of the genes. In addition to the premating behavior, certain candidate genes also affect several postmating responses. Genes also play a magnificent role in the differentiation of two morphologically and behaviorally distinct sexes as well as in their brain structures, which may explain the basis of sexual dimorphism in Droso- phila. Also, the advancement in the area of system genetics like the use of mutants and GAL4/ UAS and CRISPR/Cas9 systems provides a much better way to understand the role of genes in controlling several aspects of behavior more closely.