Abstract

The biogenic amine octopamine (OA) and its precursor tyramine (TA) are involved in controlling a plethora of different physiological and behavioral processes. The tyramine- ß- hydroxylase ( t ß h ) gene encodes the enzyme catalyzing the last synthesis step from TA to OA. Here, we report differential dominance (from recessive to overdominant) of the putative null t ß h nM18 allele in 2 behavioral measures in Buridan’s paradigm (walking speed and stripe deviation) and in proboscis extension (sugar sensitivity) in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster . The behavioral analysis of transgenic t ß h expression experiments in mutant and wild-type flies as well as of OA and TA receptor mutants revealed a complex interaction of both aminergic systems. Our analysis suggests that the different neuronal networks responsible for the 3 phenotypes show differential sensitivity to t ß h gene expression levels. The evidence suggests that this sensitivity is brought about by a TA/OA opponent system modulating the involved neuronal circuits. This conclusion has important implications for standard transgenic techniques commonly used in functional genetics.