Abstract
Natural aggressiveness is commonly observed in all animal species, and is displayed frequently when animals compete for food, territory and mating. Aggression is an innate behaviour, and is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, the genetics of aggression remains largely unclear. In this study, we identify the peacefulness (pfs) gene as a novel player in the control of male-male aggression in Drosophila. Mutations in pfs decreased intermale aggressiveness, but did not affect locomotor activity, olfactory avoidance response and sexual behaviours. pfs encodes for the evolutionarily conserved molybdenum cofactor (MoCo) synthesis 1 protein (Mocs1), which catalyzes the first step in the MoCo biosynthesis pathway. Neuronal-specific knockdown of pfs decreased aggressiveness. By contrast, overexpression of pfs greatly increased aggressiveness. Knocking down Cinnamon (Cin) catalyzing the final step in the MoCo synthesis pathway, caused a pfs-like aggression phenotype. In humans, inhibition of MoCo-dependent enzymes displays anti-aggressive effects. Thus, the control of aggression by Pfs-dependent MoCo pathways may be conserved throughout evolution.
Highlights
All animal species display aggression, an innate behaviour that is evolutionarily conserved
P-element insertion d03517 decreased intermale aggressiveness In a search for novel genetic factors involved in the control of aggression, we found that mutants homozygous for P-element insertion P{XP}d03517 (d03517) showed a significant decrease in the levels of intermale aggressiveness (Fig. 1a and b)
That overexpression of Pfs caused a dramatic increase in intermale aggressiveness suggests strongly that Pfs/Molybdenum cofactor synthesis 1 protein (Mocs1) and the molybdenum cofactor (MoCo) synthesis pathway actively promote intermale aggression in Drosophila
Summary
All animal species display aggression, an innate behaviour that is evolutionarily conserved. Social experience has been shown to play an important role in modulating the levels of aggressiveness in humans as well as animal models [3,4,5,6]. Recent studies begin to reveal genetic factors underlying heritable differences in aggressiveness [7,8,9]. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system for studying neural and genetic basis of aggression. Aggressive behaviours in Drosophila were firstly reported by Alfred Sturtevant [10], and later studied in greater details by the groups of Jacobs [11], Hoffmann [12] and Kravitz [13]. Like that in mammals [14], manipulating the levels of neurotransmitters such as
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