• FoxP-dependent operant self-learning in Drosophila
  • Parva Nasimi,1 Raya Bonakdar,2,* ٍErisa Dashtgoli,3 Asal Amori,4 Rojan Karamzadeh,5 Atena Mehdipour,6
    1. Neurogenetics Department, Regensburg University, Germany
    2. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    3. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    4. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    5. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center
    6. Imam Jafar Sadegh Laboratory and Research Center


  • Introduction: The highly conserved FoxP family of transcription factors is involved in operant self-learning, a form of motor learning in different animals such as humans, zebra finches, and Drosophila. The FoxP genes mutant flies showed profound defects in operant self-learning, motor coordination, and performance of inborn behaviors.
  • Methods: The article is written based on recent results published on dFoxP.
  • Results: Palazzo and colleagues (2020) presented key data on the FoxP circuits associated with locomotion and object fixation in Drosophila using available lines and created lines by them. All three FoxP isoforms (FoxP-iA, FoxP-iB, and FoxP-iIR) are expressed in neurons, but not in glia and that not all neurons express all isoforms. These isoforms are expressed in, e.g., the protocerebral bridge, the fan shaped body, and in motorneurons, but not in the mushroom bodies. Furthermore, the expression of FoxP genes in the protocerebral bridge and motorneurons during development is required for the normal locomotion and landmark fixation in walking.
  • Conclusion: The results of flight simulator method demonstrated the significant impairment of dFoxP mutant flies in operant self-learning and habit formation. The alterations in brain structures as a result of mutation in dFoxP, can affect operant self-learning in Drosophila. Therefore, this conserved gene regulates operant self-learning and habit formation in flies.
  • Keywords: dFoxP, Drosophila, Habit, Operan self-learning