Park, A., Tran, T., Gutierrez, L., Stojanik, C.J., Plyler, J., Thompson, G.A., Bohm, R.A., Scheuerman, E.A., Smith, D.P., Atkinson, N.S. (2021). Alcohol-induced aggression in Drosophila. Addict. Biol. 26(5): e13045.
FlyBase ID
FBrf0250158
Publication Type
Research paper
Abstract
Alcohol-induced aggression is a destructive and widespread phenomenon associated with violence and sexual assault. However, little is understood concerning its mechanistic origin. We have developed a Drosophila melanogaster model to genetically dissect and understand the phenomenon of sexually dimorphic alcohol-induced aggression. Males with blood alcohol levels of 0.04-mg/ml BAC were less aggressive than alcohol-naive males, but when the BAC had dropped to ~0.015 mg/ml, the alcohol-treated males showed an increase in aggression toward other males. This aggression-promoting treatment is referred to as the post-ethanol aggression (PEA) treatment. Females do not show increased aggression after the same treatment. PEA-treated males also spend less time courting and attempt to copulate earlier than alcohol-naive flies. PEA treatment induces expression of the FruM transcription factor (encoded by a male-specific transcript from the fruitless gene), whereas sedating doses of alcohol reduce FruM expression and reduce male aggression. Transgenic suppression of FruM induction also prevents alcohol-induced aggression. In male flies, alcohol-induced aggression is dependent on the male isoform of the fruitless transcription factor (FruM). Low-dose alcohol induces FruM expression and promotes aggression, whereas higher doses of alcohol suppress FruM and suppress aggression.
