A 3844 base pair fragment from the flanking non-coding or intronic region of Vsx2 is fused upstream of a Drosophila core synthetic promoter (DSCP) followed by sequence encoding a lexA::p65 driver. The driver sequence has been optimized for Drosophila codon usage. An Hsp70 transcriptional terminator is present.
Comment: A FLP/FRT strategy shows P{GMR71G01-lexA} drives expression in adult ingestion neuron 1 when combined with TI{GAL4::p65}CCKLR-17D3GAL4::p65.
A FLP/FRT intersectional strategy shows expression of EcollexAGMR71G01 in adult doublesex pC1 (female and male) neurons when combined with ScerGAL4dsx.Δ2.
Expression driven by EcollexAGMR71G01 was restricted to a subset of adult fruitless pMP-e (male) neurons when combined with ScerGAL4dsx.Δ2 in a FLP based intersection strategy.
EcollexAGMR71G01 drives expression in a subset of adult doublesex pC1 (male) neuron that also have expression driven by EcollexAfru.P1.
EcollexAR71G01 drives expression in a subset of neurons in the adult CNS, including the male-specific P1 (pMP-e) neurons in the brain. The P1 neurons overlap with the expression of ScerGAL4fru.P1.B or ScerGAL4dsx-GAL4 in males. A small number of abdominal ganglion neurons and glial cells are also detected when expressing both EcollexAR71G01 and ScerGAL4dsx-GAL4.
Thermogenetic activation (using TrpA1FRT.stop.UAS.Tag:MYC at 29[o]C with Scer\FLP1L.8xlexAop) of cells expressing Scer\GAL4dsx.Δ2 and Ecol\lexAGMR71G01 in adult males significantly increases aggressive lunging behavior and wing extensions towards other males, compared to controls.
Inhibition (using Ctet\TeTxLCFRT.stop.UAS with Scer\FLP1L.8xlexAop) of neurons expressing Ecol\lexAGMR71G01 and Scer\GAL4dsx.Δ2 significantly reduces male-male courtship chaining responses to pulse song, compared to controls.
Optogenetic activation (using Cnoc\ChR1Cs.20xUAS.FRT.Venus with Scer\FLP1L.8xlexAop and activating with 655 nm (red) light) of neurons expressing Ecol\lexAGMR71G01 and Scer\GAL4dsx.Δ2 significantly increases male-male courtship chaining, compared to controls.
Inhibition (using Ctet\tetXTNT-LC.FRT.stop.UAS with Scer\FLP1L.8xlexAop) of cells expressing both Scer\GAL4dsx.Δ2 and Ecol\lexAGMR71G01 in adult virgin females significantly reduces copulation within 10 min of introduction to a male, compared to controls.
Thermogenetic activation (using TrpA1FRT.stop.UAS.Tag:MYC with Scer\FLP1L.8xlexAop at 27[o]C) of cells expressing both Scer\GAL4dsx.Δ2 and Ecol\lexAGMR71G01 in mature adult virgin females, but not immature or mated females, significantly increases copulation within 10 min of introduction to a male, compared to baseline, unlike controls.