Abstract
Neurogenetic studies can be used to identify genes required for specific behaviors and can lead to the identification of neural circuits and molecular/physiological mechanisms underlying the behavior. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an ideal model organism for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying male and female sexual behaviors owing to the availability of vast genetic information and clearly defined behaviors. Neurogenetic studies on D. melanogaster have resulted in the identification of genes regulating male courtship behaviors, and neural circuits in the brain relevant to male courtship have been identified. On the other hand, brain mechanisms that control sexual behavior in virgin females remain largely unknown. In this review, I introduce the analysis method of sexual behaviors in Drosophila virgin females and the genes regulating the behaviors. In addition, I discuss the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying sexual behaviors in virgin females.
