Jean-Marc JALLON, Maiik AÏT-SAÏD and Akira KOMATSU
Laboratoire des Mecanismes de Communication, URA-CNRS 1491, Bat. 446,
UPS-ORSAY, 91405 ORSAY, FRANCE.
The Drosophiia melar1ogaster pheromonal repertoire comprises female specific molecules like cis 7,11 heptacosadiene which stimulate male sexual behavior and male rich molecules like cis 7 tricosene which affects female receptivity. Biogenic amines such as dopamine and serotonin are known to have strong effects on a variety of behaviors in vertebrates and invertebrates.
The Ddc gene encodes dope decarboxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of dope to doparnine and that of 5-hydroxytryptophan to serotonin. Drosophilia males homozygous for the temperature-sensitive mutation Ddc (ts1) allele were much less sucessful when reared at the restrictive temperature (29ºC) after eclosion compared to those reared at a permissive temperature (18ºC). Moreover these former males have a markedly reduced level of cis 7 tricosene.
Female pheromone defects linked to the same mutations will also be discussed as well as possible mechanisms of control by biogenic amines of hydrocarbon biosynthesis.