Identification of octopaminergic neurons that modulate sleep suppression by male sex drive

Molecular and circuit mechanisms for balancing competing drives are not well understood. While circadian and homeostatic mechanisms generally ensure sufficient sleep at night, other pressing needs can overcome sleep drive. Here, we demonstrate that the balance between sleep and sex drives determines whether male flies sleep or court, and identify a subset of octopaminergic neurons (MS1) that regulate sleep specifically in males. When MS1 neurons are activated, isolated males sleep less, and when MS1 neurons are silenced, the normal male sleep suppression in female presence is attenuated and mating behavior is impaired. MS1 neurons do not express the sexually dimorphic FRUITLESS (FRU) transcription factor, but form male-specific contacts with FRU-expressing neurons; calcium imaging experiments reveal bidirectional functional connectivity between MS1 and FRU neurons. We propose octopaminergic MS1 neurons interact with the FRU network to mediate sleep suppression by male sex drive. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke R21NS094782 Kyunghee KohNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke R01NS086887 Kyunghee KohNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute T32HL07713 Emilia H MoscatoBurroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists Matthew KayserPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology SFRH-BD-52321-2013 Daniel R MachadoPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology SFRH-BD-51726-2011 Dinis JS Afonso