Sexual circuitry in Drosophila

• Sex-specific isoforms of Fruitless and Doublesex define dimorphic circuitry.
• Sensory pathways for chemical and auditory stimuli traced to the central brain.
• Female receptivity circuits that control post-mating behavioral changes are mapped.
• P1 and pC1 neurons integrate multimodal stimuli to trigger sex-specific behaviors.
• Multiple evolutionary innovations in drosophilid sexual characteristics and behaviors.

The sexual behavior of Drosophila melanogaster is an outstanding paradigm to understand the molecular and neuronal basis of sophisticated animal actions. We discuss recent advances in our knowledge of the genetic hardwiring of the underlying neuronal circuitry, and how pertinent sensory cues are differentially detected and integrated in the male and female brain. We also consider how experience influences these circuits over short timescales, and the evolution of these pathways over longer timescales to endow species-specific sexual displays and responses.