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Abstract
Animals often decide between alternative actions according to their current needs,
and hence the value they assign to each of the competing options. This process is
of special relevance during nutrient balancing, in which animals choose between different
food sources according to their current nutritional state. How such value-based decision
making is implemented at the molecular and neuronal level in the brain is not well
understood. Here we describe Drosophila melanogaster food choice as a genetically
tractable model to study value-based decision making in the context of nutrient balancing.
When faced with a choice between yeast and an alternative food source, flies deprived
of protein prefer the yeast. We show here that mating status is a critical modulator
of this decision-making process in females and that it relies on the action of the
sex peptide receptor in internal ppk(+) sensory neurons. Neuronal TOR/S6K function
is another critical input to this decision, possibly signaling the fly's current nutritional
status. We propose that the brain uses these internal states to assign value to external
sensory information from potential food sources, thereby guiding food choice and ensuring
nutrient homeostasis.
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