Our previous studies of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the generation of rhythmic movements motor patterns were based on use of a selection of candidate genes in which mutations cause impairments to the motor activity of Drosophila melanogaster. We report here testing of the locomotor behavior of Drosophila strains with decreases in the expression of 12 candidate genes in the nervous system. Target genes were suppressed by synthesizing interfering RNA using the GAL4/UAS system under the control of the elav, nrv2, appl, and tsh gene promoters (drivers). These experiments showed that RNA interference of virtually all the candidate genes was accompanied by changes in one or more locomotor parameters. The nature of the abnormalities occurring under the control the various drivers allowed us to identify those genes whose activity in nervous system cells is required for the normal functioning of the central motor pattern generator for locomotor acts.