Sisodia Seema, Singh B N
Genetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2005 Jul;43(7):575-95.
The analysis of genetics of behaviour within and between species provides important clues about the forces shaping the evolution of behavioural genes. In Drosophila, a number of key processes such as emergence from the pupal case, locomotor activity, feeding, olfaction and aspects of mating behaviour are under circadian regulation. Genes controlling sexual behaviour are likely to control species specific differences in courtship that are involved in reproductive isolation of closely related species. Courtship in Drosophila is characterized by a series of stereotyped behaviours that lead to copulation and more than 30 genes have been identified through mutations that affect one or more of these elements. Although curiosity about behavioural differences between the sexes undoubtedly predates recorded history, little efforts have been made to uncover the molecular basis of male and female courtship. The brain and nervous system functions that underlie sex-specific behaviour are of obvious importance to all animals including humans. To understand behaviour related to sex it is important to distinguish those aspects that are controlled genetically. The isolation and analysis of Drosophila mutants with altered sexual orientation lead to the identification of novel branches in the sex-determination cascade, which govern the sexually dimorphic development of the nervous system.
对物种内部和物种之间行为遗传学的分析，为塑造行为基因进化的力量提供了重要线索。在果蝇中，一些关键过程，如从蛹壳中羽化、运动活动、进食、嗅觉以及交配行为的各个方面，都受昼夜节律调节。控制性行为的基因可能控制着求偶行为中物种特异性的差异，这些差异与近缘物种的生殖隔离有关。果蝇的求偶行为以一系列刻板行为为特征，这些行为会导致交配，并且已经通过影响这些行为元素中的一个或多个的突变鉴定出了30多个基因。尽管对两性行为差异的好奇无疑早于有记录的历史，但人们几乎没有努力去揭示雄性和雌性求偶行为的分子基础。性别特异性行为背后的大脑和神经系统功能，对包括人类在内的所有动物都具有明显的重要性。为了理解与性别相关的行为，区分那些受基因控制的方面很重要。对性取向改变的果蝇突变体的分离和分析，导致在性别决定级联反应中发现了新的分支，这些分支控制着神经系统的性别二态性发育。
