Figure 1.

Parallel cVA pathways have distinct effects on sexual behaviors

(A) Connectivity of Or67d ORNs, DA1 lPN, and DA1 lvPNs based on the hemibrain. Number of synaptic connections: ORN-lPN, 9,187 across 7 lPNs; ORN-lvPN, 286 across 3 lvPNs.

(B and C) EM reconstructions in FAFB (left) and light microscopy (LM) (right) images of DA1 lPNs (B) and DA1 lvPNs (C). Maximum intensity projections of reporter expression driven in female brains by lPN stable split line (SS) or lvPN-SS. (AL, antennal lobe; CA, calyx; LH, lateral horn; SIP, superior intermediate protocerebrum; DA1, dorsal anterior 1 glomerulus.) Scale bars, 20 μm.

(D) cVA activates lvPNs. GCaMP6s responses in lvPN axons to cVA presentation (10%) and solvent control. Shaded blue area: odor delivery (5 s). Average response from 6 flies, 6 trials, and gray area is the standard error of the mean (SEM) of biological replicates.

(E) A courtship assay. Annotated fly centroids, wing positions, and trajectories are plotted. Scale bars, 2 mm.

(F and G) Manipulating DA1 PNs in virgin females paired with wild-type males. Optogenetic activation of DA1 lvPNs increased female receptivity, while activating lPNs had no effect (F). Hid,Reaper-induced ablation of lvPNs decreased female receptivity, while ablating lPNs had no effect (G).

(H–K) Manipulating DA1 lPN-SS or lvPN-SS in males paired with wild-type females. Optogenetic activation decreased courtship (H) and mating proportion (I). Hid,Reaper-induced ablation had no effect on courtship (J) or mating proportion (K). Boxplot and hinges represent median and first and third quartiles.

(L and M) Manipulating DA1 PNs in pairs of males. Optogenetic activation of lvPN increased male-male aggression, while activating lPN had no effect (L, left). lPN activation reduced male-male wing-extension, while activating lvPN had no effect (L, right). Hid,Reaper-induced ablation had no effect on aggression (M, left) and reduced wing-extension (M, right).

Throughout the figures: mating curves represent the proportion of mated females over time. “Pulses”: 10-Hz red light pulses given for 5 s on and 5 s off. “Constant”: constant red light on; 627 nm, 8 μW/mm² during 20 min recording, in an otherwise complete dark incubator. Boxplot and hinges represent median and first and third quartiles. ^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗p < 0.01; ^∗∗∗p < 0.001.

See genotypes and statistics in Tables S1 and S2. See also Figure S1.