ISSN:
1432-1351
Keywords:
period gene and mutants
;
per transformants
;
Associative learning and memory
;
Circadian rhythm
;
Courtship behavior
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary A link between learning deficits and circadian period-lengthening mutations in Drosophila melanogaster previously has been reported. Mutant long-period males performed poorly in two learning assays involving experience-dependent courtship inhibition. In one, normal males that have courted fertilized females subsequently show courtship inhibition with virgin females. In the other, normal males that have courted sexually immature males subsequently fail to court other immature males. Those results have been reassessed in an extended study of genetic variants involving the period gene. 1. Long-period per L1 males demonstrated poor conditioned courtship inhibition when exposed to fertilized females; they showed normal courtship conditioning when exposed to immature males. This could be due to a per L1 -associated olfactory deficit with fertilized females, since per L1 males were unable to discriminate behaviorally between fertilized and virgin females. 2. Other long-period males, including per L2 males and transgenic per L1 males bearing a truncated form of the per + gene, were conditioned normally by fertilized females. Thus, the courtship inhibition defect is specific to the per L1 mutant strain. 3. per L1 (and other per mutant) flies showed normal acquisition and retention of a classically conditioned olfactory avoidance response. 4. Results from a new conditioned courtship inhibition experiment are presented; males exposed to fertilized females during training showed further courtship inhibition during subsequent exposure to fertilized females. From the perspective of learning theory, this can be viewed as a savings experiment.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00194897
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