Neuronal control of Drosophila Copulation - WCUB, ENWW

Copulation is the most crucial action in life for any sexually reproductive species, yet we understand very little about the mechanisms by which an animal chooses to attempt copulation and coordinates its behaviours in order to ensure success. Understanding the universal principles by which the nervous system selects and carries out a behaviour, requires a description of the individual cellular components underlying it and how they are organized into functional neural circuits. This project will expand upon previous descriptions of a neural circuit controlling copulation in males of the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster, by providing a high resolution description of the individual circuit elements involved. We will investigate the underlying principles which allow the male to make a decision to copulate or not, and how information is fed back to the brain in copulo to ensure reproductive success.

BBSRC Priority Areas:
Integrative Animal and Plant Biology and also Exploiting New Ways of Working.