Inositol synthesis gene is required for circadian rhythm of <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> mating behavior

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Accumulating evidence indicates that the molecular circadian clock underlies the mating behavior of <jats:italic>Drosophila melanogaster.</jats:italic> However, information about which gene affects circadian mating behavior is poorly understood in animals. The present study found that feeding <jats:italic>Myo</jats:italic>-inositol enhanced the close-proximity (CP) rhythm of <jats:italic>D. melanogaster</jats:italic> mating behavior and lengthened the period of the CP rhythm. Then, to understand a role for inositol synthesis to fly mating behavior, we established the <jats:italic>Inos</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>Myo</jats:italic>-inositol 1-phosphate synthase) <jats:italic>gene</jats:italic> knock down fly strains with RNAi. Interestingly, the CP behavior of this three-different driver knock down strains was arrhythmic, but the locomotor rhythm was rhythmic. The data of three-different <jats:italic>Inos</jats:italic> knock down strains suggests that <jats:italic>Inos</jats:italic> gene expression of upper LN<jats:sub>d</jats:sub>, l-LN<jats:sub>V</jats:sub>, 5<jats:sup>th</jats:sup>s-LN<jats:sub>v</jats:sub> in brain is necessary for proper CP rhythm generation in <jats:italic>D. melanogaster</jats:italic>. The data indicated that the <jats:italic>Inos</jats:italic> gene is involved in the role for the circadian rhythm of <jats:italic>D. melanogaster</jats:italic> mating behavior.</jats:p>