jim lovell (lov) regulates behavior through roles in both the PNS and CNS. Kathleen M. Beckingham, Sonia Bjorum, Rebecca Simonette, Raul Alanis, Michael Trejo, Keith Hanson. Dept Biochem & Cell Biol, Rice Univ, Houston, TX.

   jim lovell (lov) encodes a putative transcription factor of the BTB/POZ domain class. The gene is expressed in many neurons in the larval and adult nervous systems. An analysis of embryonic expression indicates roles for lov in the terminal differentiation of subsets of both central and sensory neurons. The lov⁴⁷ mutation affects expression of the major lov neural transcript and results in behavioral defects in larvae and adults. Larval locomotion is regulated by a CNS central pattern generator (CPG) that coordinates waves of contraction along the abdominal walls. lov⁴⁷ larvae show locomotor defects characteristic of loss of input to the CPG from the peripheral sense organs, particularly from the chordotonal (CH) class of neurons. In lov⁴⁷ Lov expression in a subset of CH neurons is lost, suggesting that the aberrant locomotion reflects loss of CH input to the CPG. In adults, lov⁴⁷ strongly affects male courtship behavior. However, in this case, Gal4 directed expression of lov RNAi to different neuron types indicates that the defects originate in the CNS rather than the periphery. Use of a fruitless (fru) Gal4 driver indicates that some of the affected neurons also express fru.