Michelle Arbeitman Ph.D.
Professor
Education
Ph.D., Stanford University, Developmental Biology, Supervisor: Dr. David Hogness.
B.A., University of California at Berkeley, Molecular and Cell Biology, Summa Cum Laude.
Research Focus
My lab has been studying the genetic basis of courtship and reproductive behaviors of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Fruit flies exhibit a characteristic, programmed behavior that is under the control of the sex hierarchy, a genetic regulatory network that controls all aspects of somatic sexual dimorphism seen in flies. My work focuses on two genes, called fruitless and doublesex (at the bottom of the hierarchy) that encode transcription factors, which are produced in a sex-specific manner. An important question that my lab has addressed is, “which genes are controlled by these transcription factors to specify behavior and sex-specific traits?” My lab will continue to functionally characterize how this regulatory network specifies behaviors, by studying how these transcription factors direct the development of neural circuits using state-of-the-art genomics, molecular-genetic and behavioral approaches.
Publications
Single-cell transcriptome profiles of Drosophila fruitless-expressing neurons from both sexes. Palmateer CM, Artikis C, Brovero SG, Friedman B, Gresham A, Arbeitman MN. Elife. 2023 Feb 1;12:e78511. doi: 10.7554/eLife.78511. PMID: 36724009; PMCID: PMC9891730.
Investigation of Drosophila fruitless neurons that express Dpr/DIP cell adhesion molecules. Brovero SG, Fortier JC, Hu H, Lovejoy PC, Newell NR, Palmateer CM, Tzeng RY, Lee PT, Zinn K, Arbeitman MN. Elife. 2021 Feb 22;10:e63101. doi: 10.7554/eLife.63101. PMID: 33616528; PMCID: PMC7972454. https://elifesciences.org/articles/63101
The brain transcriptome of the wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata. Stribling D, Chang PL, Dalton JE, Conow CA, Rosenthal M, Hebets E, Graze RM, Arbeitman MN. BMC Res Notes. 2021 Jun 23;14(1):236. doi: 10.1186/s13104-021-05648-y. PMID: 34162407; PMCID: PMC8220750.
The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. Newell NR, Ray S, Dalton JE, Fortier JC, Kao JY, Chang PL, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2020 Mar 5;10(3):967-983. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400963.PMID: 31907222 Free PMC article.
The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. Newell NR, Ray S, Dalton JE, Fortier JC, Kao JY, Chang PL, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2020 Mar 5;10(3):967-983. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400963.PMID: 31907222 Free PMC article.
Modular tissue-specific regulation of doublesex underpins sexually dimorphic development in Drosophila. Rice GR, Barmina O, Luecke D, Hu K, Arbeitman M, Kopp A.Development. 2019 Jul 25;146(14):dev178285. doi: 10.1242/dev.178285.PMID: 31285355 Free PMC article.
Sex and the Single Fly: A Perspective on the Career of Bruce S. Baker. Andrew DJ, Chen EH, Manoli DS, Ryner LC, Arbeitman MN.Genetics. 2019 Jun;212(2):365-376. doi: 10.1534/genetics.119.301928.PMID: 31167898 Free PMC article.
Maternal Experience Leads to Lasting Gene Expression Changes in Some Regions of the Mouse Brain. Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2019 Aug 8;9(8):2623-2628. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400249.PMID: 31164388 Free PMC article.
Perturbation of IIS/TOR signaling alters the landscape of sex-differential gene expression in Drosophila. Graze RM, Tzeng RY, Howard TS, Arbeitman MN.BMC Genomics. 2018 Dec 10;19(1):893. doi: 10.1186/s12864-018-5308-3.PMID: 30526477 Free PMC article.
Neurons That Underlie Drosophila melanogaster Reproductive Behaviors: Detection of a Large Male-Bias in Gene Expression in fruitless-Expressing Neurons. Newell NR, New FN, Dalton JE, McIntyre LM, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2016 Aug 9;6(8):2455-65. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.019265.PMID: 27247289 Free PMC article.
Sex Differences in Drosophila Somatic Gene Expression: Variation and Regulation by doublesex. Arbeitman MN, New FN, Fear JM, Howard TS, Dalton JE, Graze RM.G3 (Bethesda). 2016 Jul 7;6(7):1799-808. doi: 10.1534/g3.116.027961.PMID: 27172187 Free PMC article.
Transcriptomic analysis of the hippocampus from six inbred strains of mice suggests a basis for sex-specific susceptibility and severity of neurological disorders. Vied C, Ray S, Badger CD, Bundy JL, Arbeitman MN, Nowakowski RS.J Comp Neurol. 2016 Sep 1;524(13):2696-710. doi: 10.1002/cne.23989. Epub 2016 Mar 29.PMID: 26917114
An Examination of Dynamic Gene Expression Changes in the Mouse Brain During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Ray S, Tzeng RY, DiCarlo LM, Bundy JL, Vied C, Tyson G, Nowakowski R, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2015 Nov 23;6(1):221-33. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.020982.PMID: 26596646 Free PMC article.
Male-specific Fruitless isoforms have different regulatory roles conferred by distinct zinc finger DNA binding domains. Dalton JE, Fear JM, Knott S, Baker BS, McIntyre LM, Arbeitman MN.BMC Genomics. 2013 Sep 27;14:659. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-659.PMID: 24074028 Free PMC article.
A Versatile Method for Cell-Specific Profiling of Translated mRNAs in Drosophila. Thomas A, Lee PJ, Dalton JE, Nomie KJ, Stoica L, Costa-Mattioli M, Chang P, Nuzhdin S, Arbeitman MN, Dierick HA. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e40276. Epub 2012 Jul 6.
Evolution of sex-specific traits through changes in HOX-dependent doublesex expression. Tanaka K, Barmina O, Sanders LE, Arbeitman MN, Kopp A. PLoS Biol. 2011 Aug;9(8):e1001131. Epub 2011 Aug 23.
Somatic sex-specific transcriptome differences in Drosophila revealed by whole transcriptome sequencing. Chang PL, Dunham JP, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN. BMC Genomics. 2011 Jul 14;12:364.
The genetic basis of rapidly evolving male genital morphology in Drosophila. Masly JP, Dalton JE, Srivastava S, Chen L, Arbeitman MN. Genetics. 2011 Sep;189(1):357-74. Epub 2011 Jul 12.
Everything you always wanted to know about sex ... in flies. Arbeitman MN, Kopp A, Siegal ML, Van Doren M. Sex Dev. 2010;4(6):315-20. Epub 2010 Oct 8.
Dynamic, mating-induced gene expression changes in female head and brain tissues of Drosophilamelanogaster. Dalton JE, Kacheria TS, Knott SR, Lebo MS, Nishitani A, Sanders LE, Stirling EJ, Winbush A, Arbeitman MN.
Neurogenetics: short-circuiting sexually dimorphic behaviors. Arbeitman M, Winbush A. Curr Biol. 2010 Sep 28;20(18):R804-6.
Ecdysone receptor acts in fruitless- expressing neurons to mediate drosophila courtship behaviors. Dalton JE, Lebo MS, Sanders LE, Sun F, Arbeitman MN.
Somatic, germline and sex hierarchy regulated gene expression during Drosophila metamorphosis. Lebo MS, Sanders LE, Sun F, Arbeitman MN. BMC Genomics. 2009 Feb 13;10:80.
Doublesex establishes sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila central nervous system in an isoform-dependent manner by directing cell number. Sanders LE, Arbeitman MN. Dev Biol. 2008 Aug 15;320(2):378-90. Epub 2008 May 29.
Genomic and functional studies of Drosophila sex hierarchy regulated gene expression in adult head and nervous system tissues. Goldman TD, Arbeitman MN. PLoS Genet. 2007 Nov;3(11):e216.
Ph.D., Stanford University, Developmental Biology, Supervisor: Dr. David Hogness.
B.A., University of California at Berkeley, Molecular and Cell Biology, Summa Cum Laude.
My lab has been studying the genetic basis of courtship and reproductive behaviors of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Fruit flies exhibit a characteristic, programmed behavior that is under the control of the sex hierarchy, a genetic regulatory network that controls all aspects of somatic sexual dimorphism seen in flies. My work focuses on two genes, called fruitless and doublesex (at the bottom of the hierarchy) that encode transcription factors, which are produced in a sex-specific manner. An important question that my lab has addressed is, “which genes are controlled by these transcription factors to specify behavior and sex-specific traits?” My lab will continue to functionally characterize how this regulatory network specifies behaviors, by studying how these transcription factors direct the development of neural circuits using state-of-the-art genomics, molecular-genetic and behavioral approaches.
Single-cell transcriptome profiles of Drosophila fruitless-expressing neurons from both sexes. Palmateer CM, Artikis C, Brovero SG, Friedman B, Gresham A, Arbeitman MN. Elife. 2023 Feb 1;12:e78511. doi: 10.7554/eLife.78511. PMID: 36724009; PMCID: PMC9891730.
Investigation of Drosophila fruitless neurons that express Dpr/DIP cell adhesion molecules. Brovero SG, Fortier JC, Hu H, Lovejoy PC, Newell NR, Palmateer CM, Tzeng RY, Lee PT, Zinn K, Arbeitman MN. Elife. 2021 Feb 22;10:e63101. doi: 10.7554/eLife.63101. PMID: 33616528; PMCID: PMC7972454. https://elifesciences.org/articles/63101
The brain transcriptome of the wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata. Stribling D, Chang PL, Dalton JE, Conow CA, Rosenthal M, Hebets E, Graze RM, Arbeitman MN. BMC Res Notes. 2021 Jun 23;14(1):236. doi: 10.1186/s13104-021-05648-y. PMID: 34162407; PMCID: PMC8220750.
The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. Newell NR, Ray S, Dalton JE, Fortier JC, Kao JY, Chang PL, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2020 Mar 5;10(3):967-983. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400963.PMID: 31907222 Free PMC article.
The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. Newell NR, Ray S, Dalton JE, Fortier JC, Kao JY, Chang PL, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2020 Mar 5;10(3):967-983. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400963.PMID: 31907222 Free PMC article.
Modular tissue-specific regulation of doublesex underpins sexually dimorphic development in Drosophila. Rice GR, Barmina O, Luecke D, Hu K, Arbeitman M, Kopp A.Development. 2019 Jul 25;146(14):dev178285. doi: 10.1242/dev.178285.PMID: 31285355 Free PMC article.
Sex and the Single Fly: A Perspective on the Career of Bruce S. Baker. Andrew DJ, Chen EH, Manoli DS, Ryner LC, Arbeitman MN.Genetics. 2019 Jun;212(2):365-376. doi: 10.1534/genetics.119.301928.PMID: 31167898 Free PMC article.
Maternal Experience Leads to Lasting Gene Expression Changes in Some Regions of the Mouse Brain. Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2019 Aug 8;9(8):2623-2628. doi: 10.1534/g3.119.400249.PMID: 31164388 Free PMC article.
Perturbation of IIS/TOR signaling alters the landscape of sex-differential gene expression in Drosophila. Graze RM, Tzeng RY, Howard TS, Arbeitman MN.BMC Genomics. 2018 Dec 10;19(1):893. doi: 10.1186/s12864-018-5308-3.PMID: 30526477 Free PMC article.
Neurons That Underlie Drosophila melanogaster Reproductive Behaviors: Detection of a Large Male-Bias in Gene Expression in fruitless-Expressing Neurons. Newell NR, New FN, Dalton JE, McIntyre LM, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2016 Aug 9;6(8):2455-65. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.019265.PMID: 27247289 Free PMC article.
Sex Differences in Drosophila Somatic Gene Expression: Variation and Regulation by doublesex. Arbeitman MN, New FN, Fear JM, Howard TS, Dalton JE, Graze RM.G3 (Bethesda). 2016 Jul 7;6(7):1799-808. doi: 10.1534/g3.116.027961.PMID: 27172187 Free PMC article.
Transcriptomic analysis of the hippocampus from six inbred strains of mice suggests a basis for sex-specific susceptibility and severity of neurological disorders. Vied C, Ray S, Badger CD, Bundy JL, Arbeitman MN, Nowakowski RS.J Comp Neurol. 2016 Sep 1;524(13):2696-710. doi: 10.1002/cne.23989. Epub 2016 Mar 29.PMID: 26917114
An Examination of Dynamic Gene Expression Changes in the Mouse Brain During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Ray S, Tzeng RY, DiCarlo LM, Bundy JL, Vied C, Tyson G, Nowakowski R, Arbeitman MN.G3 (Bethesda). 2015 Nov 23;6(1):221-33. doi: 10.1534/g3.115.020982.PMID: 26596646 Free PMC article.
Male-specific Fruitless isoforms have different regulatory roles conferred by distinct zinc finger DNA binding domains. Dalton JE, Fear JM, Knott S, Baker BS, McIntyre LM, Arbeitman MN.BMC Genomics. 2013 Sep 27;14:659. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-659.PMID: 24074028 Free PMC article.
A Versatile Method for Cell-Specific Profiling of Translated mRNAs in Drosophila. Thomas A, Lee PJ, Dalton JE, Nomie KJ, Stoica L, Costa-Mattioli M, Chang P, Nuzhdin S, Arbeitman MN, Dierick HA. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e40276. Epub 2012 Jul 6.
Evolution of sex-specific traits through changes in HOX-dependent doublesex expression. Tanaka K, Barmina O, Sanders LE, Arbeitman MN, Kopp A. PLoS Biol. 2011 Aug;9(8):e1001131. Epub 2011 Aug 23.
Somatic sex-specific transcriptome differences in Drosophila revealed by whole transcriptome sequencing. Chang PL, Dunham JP, Nuzhdin SV, Arbeitman MN. BMC Genomics. 2011 Jul 14;12:364.
The genetic basis of rapidly evolving male genital morphology in Drosophila. Masly JP, Dalton JE, Srivastava S, Chen L, Arbeitman MN. Genetics. 2011 Sep;189(1):357-74. Epub 2011 Jul 12.
Everything you always wanted to know about sex ... in flies. Arbeitman MN, Kopp A, Siegal ML, Van Doren M. Sex Dev. 2010;4(6):315-20. Epub 2010 Oct 8.
Dynamic, mating-induced gene expression changes in female head and brain tissues of Drosophilamelanogaster. Dalton JE, Kacheria TS, Knott SR, Lebo MS, Nishitani A, Sanders LE, Stirling EJ, Winbush A, Arbeitman MN.
Neurogenetics: short-circuiting sexually dimorphic behaviors. Arbeitman M, Winbush A. Curr Biol. 2010 Sep 28;20(18):R804-6.
Ecdysone receptor acts in fruitless- expressing neurons to mediate drosophila courtship behaviors. Dalton JE, Lebo MS, Sanders LE, Sun F, Arbeitman MN.
Somatic, germline and sex hierarchy regulated gene expression during Drosophila metamorphosis. Lebo MS, Sanders LE, Sun F, Arbeitman MN. BMC Genomics. 2009 Feb 13;10:80.
Doublesex establishes sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila central nervous system in an isoform-dependent manner by directing cell number. Sanders LE, Arbeitman MN. Dev Biol. 2008 Aug 15;320(2):378-90. Epub 2008 May 29.
Genomic and functional studies of Drosophila sex hierarchy regulated gene expression in adult head and nervous system tissues. Goldman TD, Arbeitman MN. PLoS Genet. 2007 Nov;3(11):e216.