Drosulfakinin signaling modulates female sexual receptivity in Drosophila

Abstract

Female sexual behavior as an innate behavior is of prominent biological importance for survival and reproduction. However, molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying female sexual behavior is not well understood. Here, we identify the Cholecystokinin-like peptide Drosulfakinin (DSK) promotes female sexual behavior in Drosophila. Manipulation both Dsk and DSK neuronal activity impact female sexual receptivity. In addition, we reveal that Dsk-expressing neurons receive input signal from R71G01GAL4 neurons to promote female sexual receptivity. Based on intersectional technique, we further found the regulation of female sexual behavior relies mainly on medial DSK neurons rather than lateral DSK neurons, and medial DSK neurons modulate female sexual behavior by acting on its receptor CCKLR-17D3. Thus, we characterized DSK/CCKLR-17D3 as R71G01GAL4 neurons downstream signaling to regulate female sexual behavior.