1
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Kendzel MJ, Parlin AF, Guerra PA. Gravisensation and modulation of gravitactic responses by other sensory cues in the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245451. [PMID: 37818736 PMCID: PMC10651108 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Using the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), we studied how animals can use cues from multiple sensory modalities for deriving directional information from their environment to display oriented movement. Our work focused on determining how monarchs use gravity as a cue for oriented movement and determined how cues from other sensory modalities, cues that by themselves also produce oriented movement (visual and magnetic directional cues), might modulate gravisensation. In two tests of gravisensation (movement in a vertical tube; righting behavior), we found that monarchs display negative gravitaxis only (movement opposite to the direction of gravity). Negative gravitaxis can be modulated by either visual (light) or magnetic field cues (inclination angle) that provide directional information. The modulation of gravity-mediated responses, however, depends on the relationship between cues when presented during trials, such as when cues are in accord or in conflict. For example, when light cues that elicit positive phototaxis conflicted with negative gravitaxis (light from below the monarch), monarch gravisensation was unaffected by directional light cues. We also found that the antennae play a role in gravity-mediated movement (righting), as, with antennae removed, monarch movement behavior was no longer the same as when the antennae were intact. Our results demonstrate that monarchs can use and integrate multiple, multimodal cues for oriented movement, but that the use of such cues can be hierarchical (that is, one cue dominant for movement), and the hierarchy of cues, and the responses towards them when found together, depends on the physical relationships between cues during movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J. Kendzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Adam F. Parlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Patrick A. Guerra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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2
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Bassetto M, Reichl T, Kobylkov D, Kattnig DR, Winklhofer M, Hore PJ, Mouritsen H. No evidence for magnetic field effects on the behaviour of Drosophila. Nature 2023; 620:595-599. [PMID: 37558871 PMCID: PMC10432270 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Migratory songbirds have the remarkable ability to extract directional information from the Earth's magnetic field1,2. The exact mechanism of this light-dependent magnetic compass sense, however, is not fully understood. The most promising hypothesis focuses on the quantum spin dynamics of transient radical pairs formed in cryptochrome proteins in the retina3-5. Frustratingly, much of the supporting evidence for this theory is circumstantial, largely because of the extreme challenges posed by genetic modification of wild birds. Drosophila has therefore been recruited as a model organism, and several influential reports of cryptochrome-mediated magnetic field effects on fly behaviour have been widely interpreted as support for a radical pair-based mechanism in birds6-23. Here we report the results of an extensive study testing magnetic field effects on 97,658 flies moving in a two-arm maze and on 10,960 flies performing the spontaneous escape behaviour known as negative geotaxis. Under meticulously controlled conditions and with vast sample sizes, we have been unable to find evidence for magnetically sensitive behaviour in Drosophila. Moreover, after reassessment of the statistical approaches and sample sizes used in the studies that we tried to replicate, we suggest that many-if not all-of the original results were false positives. Our findings therefore cast considerable doubt on the existence of magnetic sensing in Drosophila and thus strongly suggest that night-migratory songbirds remain the organism of choice for elucidating the mechanism of light-dependent magnetoreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bassetto
- Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Reichl
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Dmitry Kobylkov
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Center for Mind/Brain Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Daniel R Kattnig
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael Winklhofer
- AG Sensory Biology of Animals, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - P J Hore
- Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- AG Neurosensory Sciences/Animal Navigation, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
- Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
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3
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Colizzi FS, Veenstra JA, Rezende GL, Helfrich-Förster C, Martínez-Torres D. Pigment-dispersing factor is present in circadian clock neurons of pea aphids and may mediate photoperiodic signalling to insulin-producing cells. Open Biol 2023; 13:230090. [PMID: 37369351 PMCID: PMC10299861 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) plays a pivotal role in the circadian clock of most Ecdysozoa and is additionally involved in the timing of seasonal responses of several photoperiodic species. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is a paradigmatic photoperiodic species with an annual life cycle tightly coupled to the seasonal changes in day length. Nevertheless, PDF could not be identified in A. pisum so far. In the present study, we identified a PDF-coding gene that has undergone significant changes in the otherwise highly conserved insect C-terminal amino acid sequence. A newly generated aphid-specific PDF antibody stained four neurons in each hemisphere of the aphid brain that co-express the clock protein Period and have projections to the pars lateralis that are highly plastic and change their appearance in a daily and seasonal manner, resembling those of the fruit fly PDF neurons. Most intriguingly, the PDF terminals overlap with dendrites of the insulin-like peptide (ILP) positive neurosecretory cells in the pars intercerebralis and with putative terminals of Cryptochrome (CRY) positive clock neurons. Since ILP has been previously shown to be crucial for seasonal adaptations and CRY might serve as a circadian photoreceptor vital for measuring day length, our results suggest that PDF plays a critical role in aphid seasonal timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Sara Colizzi
- Neurobiology and Genetics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jan A. Veenstra
- Université de Bordeaux, INCIA CNRS UMR, 5287 Talence, France
| | - Gustavo L. Rezende
- Universitat de València, Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Cientific, C/ Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch no. 9, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain
| | | | - David Martínez-Torres
- Universitat de València, Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Cientific, C/ Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch no. 9, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain
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4
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Bradlaugh AA, Fedele G, Munro AL, Hansen CN, Hares JM, Patel S, Kyriacou CP, Jones AR, Rosato E, Baines RA. Essential elements of radical pair magnetosensitivity in Drosophila. Nature 2023; 615:111-116. [PMID: 36813962 PMCID: PMC9977682 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05735-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Many animals use Earth's magnetic field (also known as the geomagnetic field) for navigation1. The favoured mechanism for magnetosensitivity involves a blue-light-activated electron-transfer reaction between flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a chain of tryptophan residues within the photoreceptor protein CRYPTOCHROME (CRY). The spin-state of the resultant radical pair, and therefore the concentration of CRY in its active state, is influenced by the geomagnetic field2. However, the canonical CRY-centric radical-pair mechanism does not explain many physiological and behavioural observations2-8. Here, using electrophysiology and behavioural analyses, we assay magnetic-field responses at the single-neuron and organismal levels. We show that the 52 C-terminal amino acid residues of Drosophila melanogaster CRY, lacking the canonical FAD-binding domain and tryptophan chain, are sufficient to facilitate magnetoreception. We also show that increasing intracellular FAD potentiates both blue-light-induced and magnetic-field-dependent effects on the activity mediated by the C terminus. High levels of FAD alone are sufficient to cause blue-light neuronal sensitivity and, notably, the potentiation of this response in the co-presence of a magnetic field. These results reveal the essential components of a primary magnetoreceptor in flies, providing strong evidence that non-canonical (that is, non-CRY-dependent) radical pairs can elicit magnetic-field responses in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Bradlaugh
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Giorgio Fedele
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DiBEST), University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Anna L Munro
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Celia Napier Hansen
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - John M Hares
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- Pelican Healthcare, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sanjai Patel
- Manchester Fly Facility, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Alex R Jones
- Biometrology, Chemical and Biological Sciences Department, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
| | - Richard A Baines
- Division of Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
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5
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Lai SK, Wu KLK, Ma CW, Ng KP, Hu XQ, Tam KW, Yung WH, Wang YT, Wong TP, Shum DKY, Chan YS. Timely insertion of AMPA receptor in developing vestibular circuits is required for manifestation of righting reflexes and effective navigation. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 221:102402. [PMID: 36608782 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Vestibular information processed first by the brainstem vestibular nucleus (VN), and further by cerebellum and thalamus, underlies diverse brain function. These include the righting reflexes and spatial cognitive behaviour. While the cerebellar and thalamic circuits that decode vestibular information are known, the importance of VN neurons and the temporal requirements for their maturation that allow developmental consolidation of the aforementioned circuits remains unclear. We show that timely unsilencing of glutamatergic circuits in the VN by NMDA receptor-mediated insertion of AMPAR receptor type 1 (GluA1) subunits is critical for maturation of VN and successful consolidation of higher circuits that process vestibular information. Delayed unsilencing of NMDA receptor-only synapses of neonatal VN neurons permanently decreased their functional connectivity with inferior olive circuits. This was accompanied by delayed pruning of the inferior olive inputs to Purkinje cells and permanent reduction in their plasticity. These derangements led to deficits in associated vestibular righting reflexes and motor co-ordination during voluntary movement. Vestibular-dependent recruitment of thalamic neurons was similarly reduced, resulting in permanently decreased efficiency of spatial navigation. The findings thus show that well-choreographed maturation of the nascent vestibular circuitry is prerequisite for functional integration of vestibular signals into ascending pathways for diverse vestibular-related behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suk-King Lai
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Kenneth Lap Kei Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Chun-Wai Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Ka-Pak Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Xiao-Qian Hu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Kin-Wai Tam
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Wing-Ho Yung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Yu Tian Wang
- Department of Medicine and Brain Research Centre, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tak Pan Wong
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Daisy Kwok-Yan Shum
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China.
| | - Ying-Shing Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China.
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6
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Kyriacou CP, Rosato E. Genetic analysis of cryptochrome in insect magnetosensitivity. Front Physiol 2022; 13:928416. [PMID: 36035470 PMCID: PMC9399412 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.928416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The earth’s magnetic field plays an important role in the spectacular migrations and navigational abilities of many higher animals, particularly birds. However, these organisms are not amenable to genetic analysis, unlike the model fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, which can respond to magnetic fields under laboratory conditions. We therefore review the field of insect magnetosensitivity focusing on the role of the Cryptochromes (CRYs) that were first identified in Arabidopsis and Drosophila as key molecular components of circadian photo-entrainment pathways. Physico-chemical studies suggest that photo-activation of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) bound to CRY generates a FADo− Trpo+ radical pair as electrons skip along a chain of specific Trp residues and that the quantum spin chemistry of these radicals is sensitive to magnetic fields. The manipulation of CRY in several insect species has been performed using gene editing, replacement/rescue and knockdown methods. The effects of these various mutations on magnetosensitivity have revealed a number of surprises that are discussed in the light of recent developments from both in vivo and in vitro studies.
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7
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Pegoraro M, Sayegh Rezek E, Fishman B, Tauber E. Nucleotide Variation in Drosophila cryptochrome Is Linked to Circadian Clock Function: An Association Analysis. Front Physiol 2022; 13:781380. [PMID: 35250608 PMCID: PMC8892179 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.781380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptochrome (CRY) is a conserved protein associated with the circadian clock in a broad range of organisms, including plants, insects, and mammals. In Drosophila, cry is a pleiotropic gene that encodes a blue light-dedicated circadian photoreceptor, as well as an electromagnetic field sensor and a geotaxis behavior regulator. We have generated a panel of nearly-isogenic strains that originated from various wild populations and which carry different natural alleles of cry. Sequencing of these alleles revealed substantial polymorphism, the functional role of which was elusive. To link this natural molecular diversity to gene function, we relied on association mapping. Such analysis revealed two major haplogroups consisting of six linked nucleotides associated with circadian phase (haplotypes All1/All2). We also generated a maximum-likelihood gene-tree that uncovered an additional pair of haplogroups (B1/B2). Behavioral analysis of the different haplotypes indicated significant effect on circadian phase and period, as well on the amount of activity and sleep. The data also suggested substantial epistasis between the All and B haplogroups. Intriguingly, circadian photosensitivity, assessed by light-pulse experiments, did not differ between the genotypes. Using CRISPR-mediated transgenic flies, we verified the effect of B1/B2 polymorphism on circadian phase. The transgenic flies also exhibited substantially different levels of cry transcription. We, moreover, analyzed the geographical distribution of the B1/B2 haplotypes, focusing on a 12 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism that differentiates the two haplotypes. Analysis of cry sequences in wild populations across Europe revealed a geographical cline of B1/B2 indel frequency, which correlated with seasonal bioclimatic variables. This spatial distribution of cry polymorphism reinforces the functional importance of these haplotypes in the circadian system and local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Pegoraro
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Sayegh Rezek
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bettina Fishman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Genetics and Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Eran Tauber,
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8
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Behnke JA, Ye C, Setty A, Moberg KH, Zheng JQ. Repetitive mild head trauma induces activity mediated lifelong brain deficits in a novel Drosophila model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9738. [PMID: 33958652 PMCID: PMC8102574 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89121-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mild head trauma, including concussion, can lead to chronic brain dysfunction and degeneration but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a novel head impact system to investigate the long-term effects of mild head trauma on brain structure and function, as well as the underlying mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster. We find that Drosophila subjected to repetitive head impacts develop long-term deficits, including impaired startle-induced climbing, progressive brain degeneration, and shortened lifespan, all of which are substantially exacerbated in female flies. Interestingly, head impacts elicit an elevation in neuronal activity and its acute suppression abrogates the detrimental effects in female flies. Together, our findings validate Drosophila as a suitable model system for investigating the long-term effects of mild head trauma, suggest an increased vulnerability to brain injury in female flies, and indicate that early altered neuronal excitability may be a key mechanism linking mild brain trauma to chronic degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Aayush Setty
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Kenneth H Moberg
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - James Q Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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9
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Burbano-L. DA, Porfiri M. Modeling multi-sensory feedback control of zebrafish in a flow. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008644. [PMID: 33481795 PMCID: PMC7857640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how animals navigate complex environments is a fundamental challenge in biology and a source of inspiration for the design of autonomous systems in engineering. Animal orientation and navigation is a complex process that integrates multiple senses, whose function and contribution are yet to be fully clarified. Here, we propose a data-driven mathematical model of adult zebrafish engaging in counter-flow swimming, an innate behavior known as rheotaxis. Zebrafish locomotion in a two-dimensional fluid flow is described within the finite-dipole model, which consists of a pair of vortices separated by a constant distance. The strength of these vortices is adjusted in real time by the fish to afford orientation and navigation control, in response to of the multi-sensory input from vision, lateral line, and touch. Model parameters for the resulting stochastic differential equations are calibrated through a series of experiments, in which zebrafish swam in a water channel under different illumination conditions. The accuracy of the model is validated through the study of a series of measures of rheotactic behavior, contrasting results of real and in-silico experiments. Our results point at a critical role of hydromechanical feedback during rheotaxis, in the form of a gradient-following strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Burbano-L.
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
- Center for Urban Sciences and Progress, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
- * E-mail:
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10
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Xu P, Ze LJ, Kang WN, Wu JJ, Jin L, Anjum AA, Li GQ. Functional divergence of white genes in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata revealed by RNA interference. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:466-476. [PMID: 32654258 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata is a serious pest of Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae in many Asian countries. RNA interference (RNAi) can effectively reduce transcript abundance in this beetle, offering opportunities to explore the biological function of specific genes. The white gene encodes a half-type ATP-binding cassette transporter that plays an essential role in tryptophan, guanine and uric acid transport across membranes. Mutations that disrupt the function of white are known to cause eye pigmentation phenotypes in many insect species. Here, we found evidence for five white gene paralogues present in H. vigintioctopunctata transcriptome datasets sequenced from a range of developmental stages. We individually knocked down each of the five white genes through the injection of corresponding double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) to the fourth-instar larvae to determine whether functional divergence has occurred. We found that injecting 1 μg dswhite3 caused compound eye colour of pupae and adults to develop as red/brown and brown, respectively, compared with black eyes in control beetles. Injection of 2 μg dswhite3 increased RNAi efficacy and produced a clearer eye colour phenotype. At both doses, the ocular diaphragm (a ring of black pigment surrounding each eye) did not change in the white3 RNAi hypomorphs. Moreover, our data revealed that injection of dswhite2 at the fourth-instar larval stage impaired the climbing ability of both male and female adults. Our results confirmed, for the first time, functional divergence of duplicated white genes in an insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Xu
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - L-J Ze
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - W-N Kang
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - J-J Wu
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - L Jin
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - A A Anjum
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - G-Q Li
- Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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11
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Assessing the potential of lignin nanoparticles as drug carrier: Synthesis, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 152:786-802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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12
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Serway CN, Dunkelberger BS, Del Padre D, Nolan NWC, Georges S, Freer S, Andres AJ, de Belle JS. Importin-α2 mediates brain development, learning and memory consolidation in Drosophila. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:69-82. [PMID: 31965871 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2019.1709184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal development and memory consolidation are conserved processes that rely on nuclear-cytoplasmic transport of signaling molecules to regulate gene activity and initiate cascades of downstream cellular events. Surprisingly, few reports address and validate this widely accepted perspective. Here we show that Importin-α2 (Imp-α2), a soluble nuclear transporter that shuttles cargoes between the cytoplasm and nucleus, is vital for brain development, learning and persistent memory in Drosophila melanogaster. Mutations in importin-α2 (imp-α2, known as Pendulin or Pen and homologous with human KPNA2) are alleles of mushroom body miniature B (mbmB), a gene known to regulate aspects of brain development and influence adult behavior in flies. Mushroom bodies (MBs), paired associative centers in the brain, are smaller than normal due to defective proliferation of specific intrinsic Kenyon cell (KC) neurons in mbmB mutants. Extant KCs projecting to the MB β-lobe terminate abnormally on the contralateral side of the brain. mbmB adults have impaired olfactory learning but normal memory decay in most respects, except that protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM) is abolished. This observation supports an alternative mechanism of persistent memory in which mutually exclusive protein-synthesis-dependent and -independent forms rely on opposing cellular mechanisms or circuits. We propose a testable model of Imp-α2 and nuclear transport roles in brain development and conditioned behavior. Based on our molecular characterization, we suggest that mbmB is hereafter referred to as imp-α2mbmB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine N Serway
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Brian S Dunkelberger
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Las Vegas High School, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Denise Del Padre
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Nicole W C Nolan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Stephanie Georges
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Stephanie Freer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Research Square Inc, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Andrew J Andres
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - J Steven de Belle
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.,Department of Psychological Sciences, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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13
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Nojima T, Chauvel I, Houot B, Bousquet F, Farine JP, Everaerts C, Yamamoto D, Ferveur JF. The desaturase1 gene affects reproduction before, during and after copulation in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2019; 33:96-115. [PMID: 30724684 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2018.1559843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Desaturase1 (desat1) is one of the few genes known to be involved in the two complementary aspects of sensory communication - signal emission and signal reception - in Drosophila melanogaster. In particular, desat1 is necessary for the biosynthesis of major cuticular pheromones in both males and females. It is also involved in the male ability to discriminate sex pheromones. Each of these two sensory communication aspects depends on distinct desat1 putative regulatory regions. Here, we used (i) mutant alleles resulting from the insertion/excision of a transposable genomic element inserted in a desat1 regulatory region, and (ii) transgenics made with desat1 regulatory regions used to target desat1 RNAi. These genetic variants were used to study several reproduction-related phenotypes. In particular, we compared the fecundity of various mutant and transgenic desat1 females with regard to the developmental fate of their progeny. We also compared the mating performance in pairs of flies with altered desat1 expression in various desat1-expressing tissues together with their inability to disengage at the end of copulation. Moreover, we investigated the developmental origin of altered sex pheromone discrimination in male flies. We attempted to map some of the tissues involved in these reproduction-related phenotypes. Given that desat1 is expressed in many brain neurons and in non-neuronal tissues required for varied aspects of reproduction, our data suggest that the regulation of this gene has evolved to allow the optimal reproduction and a successful adaptation to varied environments in this cosmopolitan species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Nojima
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France.,b Graduate School of Life Sciences , Tohoku University , Sendai , Japan.,c Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour , University of Oxford , Oxford , United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle Chauvel
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France
| | - Benjamin Houot
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France.,d Division of Chemical Ecology, Department of Plant Protection Biology , Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences , Alnarp , Sweden
| | - François Bousquet
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France
| | - Jean-Pierre Farine
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France
| | - Claude Everaerts
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France
| | - Daisuke Yamamoto
- b Graduate School of Life Sciences , Tohoku University , Sendai , Japan.,e Neuro-Network Evolution Project, Advanced ICT Research Institute , National Institute of Information and Communications Technology , Nishi-Ku , Japan Kobe
| | - Jean-François Ferveur
- a Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation , Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté , Dijon , France
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14
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Bhattarai UR, Li F, Katuwal Bhattarai M, Masoudi A, Wang D. Phototransduction and circadian entrainment are the key pathways in the signaling mechanism for the baculovirus induced tree-top disease in the lepidopteran larvae. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17528. [PMID: 30510155 PMCID: PMC6277413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35885-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The tree-top disease is an altered behavioral state, displayed by baculovirus-infected lepidopteran larvae, and characterized by climbing to an elevated position before death. The detailed molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenal behavior change has not been reported yet. Our study focused on the transcriptomic changes in the host larvae due to baculovirus infection from pre-symptomatic to tree-top disease stage. Enrichment map visualization of the gene sets grouped based on the functional annotation similarity revealed 34 enriched pathways in signaling mechanism cluster during LdMNPV induced tree-top disease in third instar Lymantria dispar asiatica larvae. Directed light bioassay demonstrated the positively phototactic larvae during tree-top disease and the gene expression analysis showed altered rhythmicity of the host’s core circadian genes (per and tim) during the course of infection emphasizing the role of Circadian entrainment and Phototransduction pathways in the process, which also showed maximum interactions (>50% shared genes with 24 and 23 pathways respectively) among other signaling pathways in the enrichment map. Our study provided valuable insights into different pathways and genes, their coordinated response and molecular regulation during baculovirus infection and also improved our understanding regarding signaling mechanisms in LdMNPV induced tree-top disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upendra Raj Bhattarai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Fengjiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Mandira Katuwal Bhattarai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Abolfazl Masoudi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Dun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China.
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15
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Calcagno V, Mitoyen C, Audiot P, Ponsard S, Gao G, Lu Z, Wang Z, He K, Bourguet D. Parallel evolution of behaviour during independent host-shifts following maize introduction into Asia and Europe. Evol Appl 2017; 10:881-889. [PMID: 29151879 PMCID: PMC5680425 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Maize was introduced into opposite sides of Eurasia 500 years ago, in Western Europe and in Asia. This caused two host-shifts in the phytophagous genus Ostrinia; O. nubilalis (the European corn borer; ECB) and O. furnacalis (the Asian corn borer; ACB) are now major pests of maize worldwide. They originated independently from Dicot-feeding ancestors, similar to O. scapulalis (the Adzuki bean borer; ABB). Unlike other host-plants, maize is yearly harvested, and harvesting practices impose severe mortality on larvae found above the cut-off line. Positive geotaxis in the ECB has been proposed as a behavioural adaptation to harvesting practices, allowing larvae to move below the cut-off line and thus escape harvest mortality. Here, we test whether the same behavioural adaptation evolved independently in Europe and in Asia. We sampled eight genetically differentiated ECB, ACB and ABB populations in France and China and monitored geotaxis through the entire larval development in artificial stacks mimicking maize stems. We find that all ECB and ACB populations show a similar tendency to move down during the latest larval stages, a behaviour not observed in any European or Asian ABB population. The behaviour is robustly expressed regardless of larval density, development mode or environmental conditions. Our results indicate that maize introduction triggered parallel behavioural adaptations in Europe and Asia, harvest selection presumably being the main driver.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clémentine Mitoyen
- INRAUMR Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (CBGP)Montferrier‐sur‐LezFrance
| | - Philippe Audiot
- INRAUMR Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (CBGP)Montferrier‐sur‐LezFrance
| | - Sergine Ponsard
- UMR5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique)CNRSENFAUniversité Toulouse 3 Paul SabatierToulouseFrance
- CNRSUMR5174 EDBToulouseFrance
| | - Gui‐Zhen Gao
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and GeographyChinese Academy of SciencesUrumqiChina
- College of Forestry and HorticultureXinjiang Agricultural UniversityUrumqiChina
| | - Zhao‐Zhi Lu
- Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and GeographyChinese Academy of SciencesUrumqiChina
| | - Zhen‐Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory for the Biology of the Plant Diseases and Insect PestsInstitute of Plant ProtectionChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Kang‐Lai He
- State Key Laboratory for the Biology of the Plant Diseases and Insect PestsInstitute of Plant ProtectionChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Denis Bourguet
- INRAUMR Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (CBGP)Montferrier‐sur‐LezFrance
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16
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Eom HJ, Liu Y, Kwak GS, Heo M, Song KS, Chung YD, Chon TS, Choi J. Inhalation toxicity of indoor air pollutants in Drosophila melanogaster using integrated transcriptomics and computational behavior analyses. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28621308 PMCID: PMC5472918 DOI: 10.1038/srep46473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted an inhalation toxicity test on the alternative animal model, Drosophila melanogaster, to investigate potential hazards of indoor air pollution. The inhalation toxicity of toluene and formaldehyde was investigated using comprehensive transcriptomics and computational behavior analyses. The ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) based on microarray data suggests the involvement of pathways related to immune response, stress response, and metabolism in formaldehyde and toluene exposure based on hub molecules. We conducted a toxicity test using mutants of the representative genes in these pathways to explore the toxicological consequences of alterations of these pathways. Furthermore, extensive computational behavior analysis showed that exposure to either toluene or formaldehyde reduced most of the behavioral parameters of both wild-type and mutants. Interestingly, behavioral alteration caused by toluene or formaldehyde exposure was most severe in the p38b mutant, suggesting that the defects in the p38 pathway underlie behavioral alteration. Overall, the results indicate that exposure to toluene and formaldehyde via inhalation causes severe toxicity in Drosophila, by inducing significant alterations in gene expression and behavior, suggesting that Drosophila can be used as a potential alternative model in inhalation toxicity screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Jeong Eom
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Siripdaero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504, Korea
| | - Yuedan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Air Pollution Control of Guangdong Province, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, the Ministry of Environment Protection of PRC, Guangzhou 510065, China
| | - Gyu-Suk Kwak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busandaehak-ro 63 beon-gil, Geumjeoung-gu, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Muyoung Heo
- Department of Physics, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro 63 beon-gil, Geumjeoung-gu, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Kyung Seuk Song
- Toxicity Evaluation Center, Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL), 8, Gaetbeol-ro 145beon-gil, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21999, Korea
| | - Yun Doo Chung
- Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, 163 Siripdaero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504, Korea
| | - Tae-Soo Chon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busandaehak-ro 63 beon-gil, Geumjeoung-gu, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Jinhee Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Siripdaero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504, Korea
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17
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Liao S, Broughton S, Nässel DR. Behavioral Senescence and Aging-Related Changes in Motor Neurons and Brain Neuromodulator Levels Are Ameliorated by Lifespan-Extending Reproductive Dormancy in Drosophila. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:111. [PMID: 28503133 PMCID: PMC5408790 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The lifespan of Drosophilamelanogaster can be extended substantially by inducing reproductive dormancy (also known as diapause) by lowered temperature and short days. This increase of longevity is accompanied by lowered metabolism and increased stress tolerance. We ask here whether behavioral senescence is ameliorated during adult dormancy. To study this we kept flies for seven or more weeks in normal rearing conditions or in diapause conditions and compared to 1-week-old flies in different behavioral assays of sleep, negative geotaxis and exploratory walking. We found that the senescence of geotaxis and locomotor behavior seen under normal rearing conditions was negligible in flies kept in dormancy. The normal senescence of rhythmic activity and sleep patterns during the daytime was also reduced by adult dormancy. Investigating the morphology of specific neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), we found that changes normally seen with aging do not take place in dormant flies. To monitor age-associated changes in neuronal circuits regulating activity rhythms, sleep and walking behavior we applied antisera to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), serotonin and several neuropeptides to examine changes in expression levels and neuron morphology. In most neuron types the levels of stored neuromodulators decreased during normal aging, but not in diapause treated flies. No signs of neurodegeneration were seen in either condition. Our data suggest that age-related changes in motor neurons could be the cause of part of the behavioral senescence and that this is ameliorated by reproductive diapause. Earlier studies established a link between age-associated decreases in neuromodulator levels and behavioral decline that could be rescued by overexpression of neuromodulator. Thus, it is likely that the retained levels of neuromodulators in dormant flies alleviate behavioral senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sifang Liao
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
| | - Susan Broughton
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster UniversityLancaster, UK
| | - Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm UniversityStockholm, Sweden
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18
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Garlapow ME, Everett LJ, Zhou S, Gearhart AW, Fay KA, Huang W, Morozova TV, Arya GH, Turlapati L, St Armour G, Hussain YN, McAdams SE, Fochler S, Mackay TFC. Genetic and Genomic Response to Selection for Food Consumption in Drosophila melanogaster. Behav Genet 2016; 47:227-243. [PMID: 27704301 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9819-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Food consumption is an essential component of animal fitness; however, excessive food intake in humans increases risk for many diseases. The roles of neuroendocrine feedback loops, food sensing modalities, and physiological state in regulating food intake are well understood, but not the genetic basis underlying variation in food consumption. Here, we applied ten generations of artificial selection for high and low food consumption in replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster. The phenotypic response to selection was highly asymmetric, with significant responses only for increased food consumption and minimal correlated responses in body mass and composition. We assessed the molecular correlates of selection responses by DNA and RNA sequencing of the selection lines. The high and low selection lines had variants with significantly divergent allele frequencies within or near 2081 genes and 3526 differentially expressed genes in one or both sexes. A total of 519 genes were both genetically divergent and differentially expressed between the divergent selection lines. We performed functional analyses of the effects of RNAi suppression of gene expression and induced mutations for 27 of these candidate genes that have human orthologs and the strongest statistical support, and confirmed that 25 (93 %) affected the mean and/or variance of food consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Garlapow
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Logan J Everett
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Initiative for Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Shanshan Zhou
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Initiative for Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Alexander W Gearhart
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Kairsten A Fay
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Wen Huang
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,Initiative for Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Tatiana V Morozova
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Gunjan H Arya
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Lavanya Turlapati
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Genevieve St Armour
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Yasmeen N Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Sarah E McAdams
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA
| | - Sophia Fochler
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.,School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Trudy F C Mackay
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA. .,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA. .,Initiative for Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7614, USA.
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19
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Zhang Y, Wang XX, Jing X, Tian HG, Liu TX. Winged Pea Aphids Can Modify Phototaxis in Different Development Stages to Assist Their Host Distribution. Front Physiol 2016; 7:307. [PMID: 27531980 PMCID: PMC4969297 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), shows wing polyphenism (winged and wingless morphs) in its life cycle. The winged morph is adapted for dispersal; its two developmental adult stages (for dispersal and reproduction) are based on its breeding periods. The two morphs show different phototactic behavior and the winged can change its preference to light according to the developmental stages. To determine the mechanism and ecological functions of phototaxis for A. pisum, we first investigated the phototaxis of the two aphid morphs at different stages and analyzed the phototactic response to lights of different wavelengths; the correlation between alate fecundity and their phototactic behaviors were then studied. Finally, we focused on the possible functions of phototaxis in aphid host location and distribution in combination with gravitaxis behaviors. Negative phototaxis was found for breeding winged adults but all the other stages of both winged and wingless morphs showed positive phototaxis. The reactions of the aphids to different wavelengths were also different. Nymph production in winged adults showed negative correlation to phototaxis. The dopamine pathway was possibly involved in these behavior modifications. We speculated that winged adults can use light for dispersal in the early dispersal stage and for position holding in the breeding stage. Based on our results, we assume that light signals are important for aphid dispersal and distribution, and are also essential for the pea aphids to cope with environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
| | - Xing-Xing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
| | - Xiangfeng Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
| | - Hong-Gang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
| | - Tong-Xian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F UniversityYangling, China
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20
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Circadian and Geotactic Behaviors: Genetic Pleiotropy in Drosophila Melanogaster. J Circadian Rhythms 2016; 14:5. [PMID: 30210553 PMCID: PMC5356207 DOI: 10.5334/jcr.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Data presented in this paper test the hypotheses that Hirsch’s positive geotaxis (Lo) and negative geotaxis (Hi5) strains of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) differ in length of the free-running circadian activity period (tau) as well as adult geotaxis. Several genes have been shown to alter geotaxis in Drosophila. Two of these genes, cryptochrome (cry) and Pigment-dispersing-factor (Pdf) are integral to the function of biological clocks. Pdf plays a crucial role in maintaining free-running circadian periods. The cry gene alters blue-light (<420 nm) phototransduction which affects biological clocks, spatial orientation and taxis relative to gravity, magnetic fields, solar, lunar, and celestial radiation in several species. The cry gene is involved in phase resetting (entrainment) of the circadian clock by blue light (<420 nm). Geotaxis involves spatial orientation, so it might be expected that geotaxis is linked genetically with other forms of spatial orientation. The association between geotaxis and biological clocks is less intuitive. The data and the literature presented here show that genes, physiology and behavioural aspects of geotaxis, biological clocks, magnetosensitivity and other types of spatial orientation, are complex, intriguing and interrelated.
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21
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Mat AM, Perrigault M, Massabuau JC, Tran D. Role and expression of cry1 in the adductor muscle of the oyster Crassostrea gigas during daily and tidal valve activity rhythms. Chronobiol Int 2016; 33:949-63. [PMID: 27246263 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2016.1181645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cryptochromes are flavin- and pterin-containing photoreceptors of the cryptochrome/photolyase family. They play critical roles in organisms, among are which light-dependent and light-independent roles in biological rhythms. The present work aimed at describing a cryptochrome gene in the oyster Crassostrea gigas by (i) a characterization and phylogenetic analysis and (ii) by studying its expression in the relationship to rhythmic valve behavior in different entrainment regimes. Cryptochrome expression was focused on the adductor muscle of the oyster, the effector of the valve behavior. The results suggest involvement of Cgcry1 in oyster rhythmicity as a sensor of environmental zeitgebers, associated with circadian rhythms and potentially to tidal activity. The characterized gene belongs to type 1 cryptochrome/insect-type cry. Additionally, Cgcry1 presented a daily oscillation under L:D entrainment, which disappeared in constant darkness. Transcript expression of Cgcry1 also oscillated at tidal frequency under tidal entrainment and in constant darkness. Finally, exposure of tidally entrained oysters to saxitoxin (STX)-producing alga Alexandrium minutum induced a dose effect response in oysters by first altering Cgcry1 expression and then the behavior of oysters with increasing concentrations of toxins. This study initiates the characterization of the molecular clock in the oyster C. gigas and its interactions with environmental zeitgebers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey M Mat
- a University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 , Arcachon , France
| | | | - Jean-Charles Massabuau
- a University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 , Arcachon , France.,b CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 , Arcachon , France
| | - Damien Tran
- a University of Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805 , Arcachon , France.,b CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805 , Arcachon , France
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22
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Bae JE, Bang S, Min S, Lee SH, Kwon SH, Lee Y, Lee YH, Chung J, Chae KS. Positive geotactic behaviors induced by geomagnetic field in Drosophila. Mol Brain 2016; 9:55. [PMID: 27192976 PMCID: PMC4870802 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0235-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Appropriate vertical movement is critical for the survival of flying animals. Although negative geotaxis (moving away from Earth) driven by gravity has been extensively studied, much less is understood concerning a static regulatory mechanism for inducing positive geotaxis (moving toward Earth). Results Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, we showed that geomagnetic field (GMF) induces positive geotaxis and antagonizes negative gravitaxis. Remarkably, GMF acts as a sensory cue for an appetite-driven associative learning behavior through the GMF-induced positive geotaxis. This GMF-induced positive geotaxis requires the three geotaxis genes, such as cry, pyx and pdf, and the corresponding neurons residing in Johnston’s organ of the fly’s antennae. Conclusions These findings provide a novel concept with the neurogenetic basis on the regulation of vertical movement by GMF in the flying animals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-016-0235-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Eun Bae
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu, 41566, Korea.,Department of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sunhoe Bang
- National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Energy Homeostasis Regulation, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics and School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea
| | - Soohong Min
- National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Energy Homeostasis Regulation, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics and School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea
| | - Sang-Hyup Lee
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu, 41566, Korea
| | - Soon-Hwan Kwon
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu, 41566, Korea
| | - Youngseok Lee
- Department of Bio and Fermentation Convergence Technology, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong-Ho Lee
- Brain and Cognition Measurement Laboratory, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Jongkyeong Chung
- National Creative Research Initiatives Center for Energy Homeostasis Regulation, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics and School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-742, Korea.
| | - Kwon-Seok Chae
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehakro, Bukgu, Daegu, 41566, Korea. .,Department of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea. .,Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
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23
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Impaired climbing and flight behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster following carbon dioxide anaesthesia. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15298. [PMID: 26477397 PMCID: PMC4609961 DOI: 10.1038/srep15298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Laboratories that study Drosophila melanogaster or other insects commonly use carbon dioxide (CO2) anaesthesia for sorting or other work. Unfortunately, the use of CO2 has potential unwanted physiological effects, including altered respiratory and muscle physiology, which impact motor function behaviours. The effects of CO2 at different levels and exposure times were examined on the subsequent recovery of motor function as assessed by climbing and flight assays. With as little as a five minute exposure to 100% CO2, D. melanogaster exhibited climbing deficits up to 24 hours after exposure. Any exposure length over five minutes produced climbing deficits that lasted for days. Flight behaviour was also impaired following CO2 exposure. Overall, there was a positive correlation between CO2 exposure length and recovery time for both behaviours. Furthermore, exposure to as little as 65% CO2 affected the motor capability of D. melanogaster. These negative effects are due to both a CO2-specific mechanism and an anoxic effect. These results indicate a heretofore unconsidered impact of CO2 anaesthesia on subsequent behavioural tests revealing the importance of monitoring and accounting for CO2 exposure when performing physiological or behavioural studies in insects.
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24
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Madabattula ST, Strautman JC, Bysice AM, O'Sullivan JA, Androschuk A, Rosenfelt C, Doucet K, Rouleau G, Bolduc F. Quantitative Analysis of Climbing Defects in a Drosophila Model of Neurodegenerative Disorders. J Vis Exp 2015:e52741. [PMID: 26132637 DOI: 10.3791/52741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Locomotive defects resulting from neurodegenerative disorders can be a late onset symptom of disease, following years of subclinical degeneration, and thus current therapeutic treatment strategies are not curative. Through the use of whole exome sequencing, an increasing number of genes have been identified to play a role in human locomotion. Despite identifying these genes, it is not known how these genes are crucial to normal locomotive functioning. Therefore, a reliable assay, which utilizes model organisms to elucidate the role of these genes in order to identify novel targets of therapeutic interest, is needed more than ever. We have designed a sensitized version of the negative geotaxis assay that allows for the detection of milder defects earlier and has the ability to evaluate these defects over time. The assay is performed in a glass graduated cylinder, which is sealed with a wax barrier film. By increasing the threshold distance to be climbed to 17.5 cm and increasing the experiment duration to 2 min we have observed a greater sensitivity in detecting mild mobility dysfunctions. The assay is cost effective and does not require extensive training to obtain highly reproducible results. This makes it an excellent technique for screening candidate drugs in Drosophila mutants with locomotion defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kacy Doucet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta
| | - Guy Rouleau
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University
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25
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Thimgan MS, Seugnet L, Turk J, Shaw PJ. Identification of genes associated with resilience/vulnerability to sleep deprivation and starvation in Drosophila. Sleep 2015; 38:801-14. [PMID: 25409104 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.4680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVES Flies mutant for the canonical clock protein cycle (cyc(01)) exhibit a sleep rebound that is ∼10 times larger than wild-type flies and die after only 10 h of sleep deprivation. Surprisingly, when starved, cyc(01) mutants can remain awake for 28 h without demonstrating negative outcomes. Thus, we hypothesized that identifying transcripts that are differentially regulated between waking induced by sleep deprivation and waking induced by starvation would identify genes that underlie the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation and/or protect flies from the negative consequences of waking. DESIGN We used partial complementary DNA microarrays to identify transcripts that are differentially expressed between cyc(01) mutants that had been sleep deprived or starved for 7 h. We then used genetics to determine whether disrupting genes involved in lipid metabolism would exhibit alterations in their response to sleep deprivation. SETTING Laboratory. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS Drosophila melanogaster. INTERVENTIONS Sleep deprivation and starvation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS We identified 84 genes with transcript levels that were differentially modulated by 7 h of sleep deprivation and starvation in cyc(01) mutants and were confirmed in independent samples using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Several of these genes were predicted to be lipid metabolism genes, including bubblegum, cueball, and CG4500, which based on our data we have renamed heimdall (hll). Using lipidomics we confirmed that knockdown of hll using RNA interference significantly decreased lipid stores. Importantly, genetically modifying bubblegum, cueball, or hll resulted in sleep rebound alterations following sleep deprivation compared to genetic background controls. CONCLUSIONS We have identified a set of genes that may confer resilience/vulnerability to sleep deprivation and demonstrate that genes involved in lipid metabolism modulate sleep homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Thimgan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.,Missouri University of Science and Technology, Department of Biological Sciences, Rolla, MO
| | - Laurent Seugnet
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.,Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Integrated Physiology of Arousal Systems Team, Lyon, France
| | - John Turk
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Paul J Shaw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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26
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Mayer G, Hering L, Stosch JM, Stevenson PA, Dircksen H. Evolution of pigment-dispersing factor neuropeptides in panarthropoda: Insights from onychophora (velvet worms) and tardigrada (water bears). J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:1865-85. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Mayer
- Animal Evolution and Development; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig; D-04103 Leipzig Germany
- Department of Zoology; Institute of Biology, University of Kassel; D-34132 Kassel Germany
| | - Lars Hering
- Animal Evolution and Development; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig; D-04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Juliane M. Stosch
- Animal Evolution and Development; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig; D-04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Paul A. Stevenson
- Physiology of Animals and Behavior; Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig; D-04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Heinrich Dircksen
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; S-10691 Stockholm Sweden
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27
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The FlyCatwalk: a high-throughput feature-based sorting system for artificial selection in Drosophila. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2015; 5:317-27. [PMID: 25556112 PMCID: PMC4349086 DOI: 10.1534/g3.114.013664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Experimental evolution is a powerful tool for investigating complex traits. Artificial selection can be applied for a specific trait and the resulting phenotypically divergent populations pool-sequenced to identify alleles that occur at substantially different frequencies in the extreme populations. To maximize the proportion of loci that are causal to the phenotype among all enriched loci, population size and number of replicates need to be high. These requirements have, in fact, limited evolution studies in higher organisms, where the time investment required for phenotyping is often prohibitive for large-scale studies. Animal size is a highly multigenic trait that remains poorly understood, and an experimental evolution approach may thus aid in gaining new insights into the genetic basis of this trait. To this end, we developed the FlyCatwalk, a fully automated, high-throughput system to sort live fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) based on morphometric traits. With the FlyCatwalk, we can detect gender and quantify body and wing morphology parameters at a four-old higher throughput compared with manual processing. The phenotyping results acquired using the FlyCatwalk correlate well with those obtained using the standard manual procedure. We demonstrate that an automated, high-throughput, feature-based sorting system is able to avoid previous limitations in population size and replicate numbers. Our approach can likewise be applied for a variety of traits and experimental settings that require high-throughput phenotyping.
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28
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Fedele G, Edwards MD, Bhutani S, Hares JM, Murbach M, Green EW, Dissel S, Hastings MH, Rosato E, Kyriacou CP. Genetic analysis of circadian responses to low frequency electromagnetic fields in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004804. [PMID: 25473952 PMCID: PMC4256086 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The blue-light sensitive photoreceptor cryptochrome (CRY) may act as a magneto-receptor through formation of radical pairs involving a triad of tryptophans. Previous genetic analyses of behavioral responses of Drosophila to electromagnetic fields using conditioning, circadian and geotaxis assays have lent some support to the radical pair model (RPM). Here, we describe a new method that generates consistent and reliable circadian responses to electromagnetic fields that differ substantially from those already reported. We used the Schuderer apparatus to isolate Drosophila from local environmental variables, and observe extremely low frequency (3 to 50 Hz) field-induced changes in two locomotor phenotypes, circadian period and activity levels. These field-induced phenotypes are CRY- and blue-light dependent, and are correlated with enhanced CRY stability. Mutational analysis of the terminal tryptophan of the triad hypothesised to be indispensable to the electron transfer required by the RPM reveals that this residue is not necessary for field responses. We observe that deletion of the CRY C-terminus dramatically attenuates the EMF-induced period changes, whereas the N-terminus underlies the hyperactivity. Most strikingly, an isolated CRY C-terminus that does not encode the Tryptophan triad nor the FAD binding domain is nevertheless able to mediate a modest EMF-induced period change. Finally, we observe that hCRY2, but not hCRY1, transformants can detect EMFs, suggesting that hCRY2 is blue light-responsive. In contrast, when we examined circadian molecular cycles in wild-type mouse suprachiasmatic nuclei slices under blue light, there was no field effect. Our results are therefore not consistent with the classical Trp triad-mediated RPM and suggest that CRYs act as blue-light/EMF sensors depending on trans-acting factors that are present in particular cellular environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Fedele
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Mathew D. Edwards
- Division of Neurobiology, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Supriya Bhutani
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Hares
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Murbach
- IT'IS Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edward W. Green
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Stephane Dissel
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Michael H. Hastings
- Division of Neurobiology, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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29
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Bou Dib P, Gnägi B, Daly F, Sabado V, Tas D, Glauser DA, Meister P, Nagoshi E. A conserved role for p48 homologs in protecting dopaminergic neurons from oxidative stress. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004718. [PMID: 25340742 PMCID: PMC4207665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Both environmental and genetic factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of PD. Although several genes linked to rare familial PD have been identified, endogenous risk factors for sporadic PD, which account for the majority of PD cases, remain largely unknown. Genome-wide association studies have identified many single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with sporadic PD in neurodevelopmental genes including the transcription factor p48/ptf1a. Here we investigate whether p48 plays a role in the survival of DA neurons in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that a Drosophila p48 homolog, 48-related-2 (Fer2), is expressed in and required for the development and survival of DA neurons in the protocerebral anterior medial (PAM) cluster. Loss of Fer2 expression in adulthood causes progressive PAM neuron degeneration in aging flies along with mitochondrial dysfunction and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to the progressive locomotor deficits. The oxidative stress challenge upregulates Fer2 expression and exacerbates the PAM neuron degeneration in Fer2 loss-of-function mutants. hlh-13, the worm homolog of p48, is also expressed in DA neurons. Unlike the fly counterpart, hlh-13 loss-of-function does not impair development or survival of DA neurons under normal growth conditions. Yet, similar to Fer2, hlh-13 expression is upregulated upon an acute oxidative challenge and is required for the survival of DA neurons under oxidative stress in adult worms. Taken together, our results indicate that p48 homologs share a role in protecting DA neurons from oxidative stress and degeneration, and suggest that loss-of-function of p48 homologs in flies and worms provides novel tools to study gene-environmental interactions affecting DA neuron survival. Parkinson's disease is a common movement disorder with no known cure. Its characteristic motor symptoms are primarily caused by the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Although studies have shown that various environmental and genetic factors both contribute to the development of the disease, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we use powerful invertebrate model organisms, fruit flies and nematode worms, and identify a new gene required for the survival of dopaminergic neurons. We show that homologs of the p48/ptf1-a gene in both flies and worms are expressed in dopaminergic neurons and mutations in p48 increase the susceptibility of dopaminergic neuron death when animals are under oxidative stress. Importantly, genetic variations in p48 in humans have been detected in the sporadic Parkinson's disease patients, indicating the possibility that similar mechanism might play a role in the death of dopaminergic neurons in humans. Oxidative stress has been regarded as a major pathogenic factor for Parkinson's disease. Our results add evidence to the link between oxidative stress and neurodegeneration, and suggest that p48 mutant flies and worms can be used to study mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Bou Dib
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bettina Gnägi
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Daly
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Virginie Sabado
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Damla Tas
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique A. Glauser
- Department of Biology/Zoology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Peter Meister
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Emi Nagoshi
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- * E-mail:
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30
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Iga M, Nakaoka T, Suzuki Y, Kataoka H. Pigment dispersing factor regulates ecdysone biosynthesis via bombyx neuropeptide G protein coupled receptor-B2 in the prothoracic glands of Bombyx mori. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103239. [PMID: 25072638 PMCID: PMC4114559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecdysone is the key hormone regulating insect growth and development. Ecdysone synthesis occurs in the prothoracic glands (PGs) and is regulated by several neuropeptides. Four prothoracicotropic and three prothoracicostatic factors have been identified to date, suggesting that ecdysone biosynthesis is intricately regulated. Here, we demonstrate that the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) stimulates ecdysone biosynthesis and that this novel signaling pathway partially overlaps with the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) signaling pathway. We performed transcriptome analysis and focused on receptors predominantly expressed in the PGs. From this screen, we identified a candidate orphan G protein coupled receptor (GPCR), Bombyx neuropeptide GPCR-B2 (BNGR-B2). BNGR-B2 was predominantly expressed in ecdysteroidogenic tissues, and the expression pattern in the PGs corresponded to the ecdysteroid titer in the hemolymph. Furthermore, we identified PDF as a ligand for BNGR-B2. PDF stimulated ecdysone biosynthesis in the PGs, but the stimulation was only observed in the PGs during a specific larval stage. PDF did not affect the transcript level of known ecdysone biosynthetic enzymes, and inhibiting transcription did not suppress ecdysone biosynthesis, suggesting that the effects of PDF might be mediated by translational regulation and/or post-translational modification. In addition, the participation of protein kinase A (PKA), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), target of rapamycin (TOR) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein (4E-BP) in the PDF signaling pathway was discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Iga
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
- * E-mail: (MI); (HK)
| | - Takayoshi Nakaoka
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kataoka
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
- * E-mail: (MI); (HK)
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31
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Fedele G, Green EW, Rosato E, Kyriacou CP. An electromagnetic field disrupts negative geotaxis in Drosophila via a CRY-dependent pathway. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4391. [PMID: 25019586 PMCID: PMC4104433 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Many higher animals have evolved the ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field, particularly for orientation. Drosophila melanogaster also respond to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), although the reported effects are quite modest. Here we report that negative geotaxis in flies, scored as climbing, is disrupted by a static EMF, and this is mediated by cryptochrome (CRY), the blue-light circadian photoreceptor. CRYs may sense EMFs via formation of radical pairs of electrons requiring photoactivation of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) bound near a triad of Trp residues, but mutation of the terminal Trp in the triad maintains EMF responsiveness in climbing. In contrast, deletion of the CRY C terminus disrupts EMF responses, indicating that it plays an important signalling role. CRY expression in a subset of clock neurons, or the photoreceptors, or the antennae, is sufficient to mediate negative geotaxis and EMF sensitivity. Climbing therefore provides a robust and reliable phenotype for studying EMF responses in Drosophila. The earth’s electromagnetic field has a modest effect on the behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. Here, Fedele et al. use an assessment of climbing behaviour to describe how the blue-light circadian photoreceptor cryptochrome mediates a negative movement response to gravity in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Fedele
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Edward W Green
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
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32
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Shafer OT, Yao Z. Pigment-Dispersing Factor Signaling and Circadian Rhythms in Insect Locomotor Activity. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2014; 1:73-80. [PMID: 25386391 PMCID: PMC4224320 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Though expressed in relatively few neurons in insect nervous systems, pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) plays many roles in the control of behavior and physiology. PDF's role in circadian timekeeping is its best-understood function and the focus of this review. Here we recount the isolation and characterization of insect PDFs, review the evidence that PDF acts as a circadian clock output factor, and discuss emerging models of how PDF functions within circadian clock neuron network of Drosophila, the species in which this peptide's circadian roles are best understood.
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33
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Chen X, Engert F. Navigational strategies underlying phototaxis in larval zebrafish. Front Syst Neurosci 2014; 8:39. [PMID: 24723859 PMCID: PMC3971168 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2014.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the brain transforms sensory input into complex behavior is a fundamental question in systems neuroscience. Using larval zebrafish, we study the temporal component of phototaxis, which is defined as orientation decisions based on comparisons of light intensity at successive moments in time. We developed a novel “Virtual Circle” assay where whole-field illumination is abruptly turned off when the fish swims out of a virtually defined circular border, and turned on again when it returns into the circle. The animal receives no direct spatial cues and experiences only whole-field temporal light changes. Remarkably, the fish spends most of its time within the invisible virtual border. Behavioral analyses of swim bouts in relation to light transitions were used to develop four discrete temporal algorithms that transform the binary visual input (uniform light/uniform darkness) into the observed spatial behavior. In these algorithms, the turning angle is dependent on the behavioral history immediately preceding individual turning events. Computer simulations show that the algorithms recapture most of the swim statistics of real fish. We discovered that turning properties in larval zebrafish are distinctly modulated by temporal step functions in light intensity in combination with the specific motor history preceding these turns. Several aspects of the behavior suggest memory usage of up to 10 swim bouts (~10 sec). Thus, we show that a complex behavior like spatial navigation can emerge from a small number of relatively simple behavioral algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuye Chen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Florian Engert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA
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34
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Abed-Vieillard D, Cortot J, Everaerts C, Ferveur JF. Choice alters Drosophila oviposition site preference on menthol. Biol Open 2014; 3:22-8. [PMID: 24326184 PMCID: PMC3892157 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20136973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Food choice and preference relies on multiple sensory systems that are under the control of genes and sensory experience. Exposure to specific nutrients and nutrient-related molecules can change food preference in vertebrates and invertebrates. For example, larval exposure of several holometabolous insects to menthol can change their adult response to this molecule. However, studies involving Drosophila melanogaster exposure to menthol produced controversial results due maybe to methodological differences. Here, we compared the oviposition-site preference of wild-type D. melanogaster lines freely or forcibly exposed to menthol-rich food. After 12 generations, oviposition-site preference diverged between the two lines. Counterintuitively, menthol 'forced' lines showed a persistent aversion to menthol whereas 'free choice' lines exhibited a decreased aversion to menthol-rich food. This effect was specific to menthol since the 'free choice' lines showed unaltered responses to caffeine and sucrose. This suggests that the genetic factors underlying Drosophila oviposition site preference are more rapidly influenced when flies have a choice between alternative sources compared to flies permanently exposed to the same aversive substance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehbia Abed-Vieillard
- Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l'Alimentation, UMR 6265 CNRS, UMR 1324 INRA, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, 6, Bd Gabriel, F-21000 Dijon, France
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35
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van Houte S, Ros VID, van Oers MM. Walking with insects: molecular mechanisms behind parasitic manipulation of host behaviour. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3458-75. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stineke van Houte
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Vera I. D. Ros
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Monique M. van Oers
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
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36
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Meelkop E, Temmerman L, Janssen T, Suetens N, Beets I, Van Rompay L, Shanmugam N, Husson SJ, Schoofs L. PDF receptor signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans modulates locomotion and egg-laying. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 361:232-40. [PMID: 22579613 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2012.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2012] [Revised: 03/26/2012] [Accepted: 05/02/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In Caenorhabditis elegans, pdfr-1 encodes three receptors of the secretin receptor family. These G protein-coupled receptors are activated by three neuropeptides, pigment dispersing factors 1a, 1b and 2, which are encoded by pdf-1 and pdf-2. We isolated a PDF receptor loss-of-function allele (lst34) by means of a mutagenesis screen and show that the PDF signaling system is involved in locomotion and egg-laying. We demonstrate that the pdfr-1 mutant phenocopies the defective locomotor behavior of the pdf-1 mutant and that pdf-1 and pdf-2 behave antagonistically. All three PDF receptor splice variants are involved in the regulation of locomotor behavior. Cell specific rescue experiments show that this pdf mediated behavior is regulated by neurons rather than body wall muscles. We also show that egg-laying patterns of pdf-1 and pdf-2 mutants are affected, but not those of pdfr-1 mutants, pointing to a novel role for the PDF-system in the regulation of egg-laying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Meelkop
- Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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37
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Greenspan RJ. Biological indeterminacy. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2012; 18:447-452. [PMID: 22752704 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-012-9379-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2008] [Accepted: 05/25/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Reductionist explanations in biology generally assume that biological mechanisms are highly deterministic and basically similar between individuals. A contrasting view has emerged recently that takes into account the degeneracy of biological processes--the ability to arrive at a given endpoint by a variety of available paths, even within the same individual. This perspective casts significant doubt on the prospects for the ability to predict behavior accurately based on brain imaging or genotyping, and on the ability of neuroscience to stipulate ethics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J Greenspan
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Vang LL, Medvedev AV, Adler J. Simple ways to measure behavioral responses of Drosophila to stimuli and use of these methods to characterize a novel mutant. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37495. [PMID: 22649531 PMCID: PMC3359294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The behavioral responses of adult Drosophila fruit flies to a variety of sensory stimuli – light, volatile and non-volatile chemicals, temperature, humidity, gravity, and sound - have been measured by others previously. Some of those assays are rather complex; a review of them is presented in the Discussion. Our objective here has been to find out how to measure the behavior of adult Drosophila fruit flies by methods that are inexpensive and easy to carry out. These new assays have now been used here to characterize a novel mutant that fails to be attracted or repelled by a variety of sensory stimuli even though it is motile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lar L. Vang
- Departments of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Alexei V. Medvedev
- Departments of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - Julius Adler
- Departments of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Tom Mekdara N, Goto JJ, Choudhury S, Jerry Mekdara P, Yingst N, Cao Y, Berg O, Katharina Müller U. A novel lenticular arena to quantify locomotor competence in walking fruit flies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 317:382-94. [PMID: 22605539 DOI: 10.1002/jez.1731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/15/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster has become an important invertebrate model organism in biological and medical research, for mutational and genetic analysis, and in toxicological screening. Many screening assays have been developed that assess the flies' mortality, reproduction, development, morphology, or behavioral competence. In this study, we describe a new assay for locomotor competence. It comprises a circular walking arena with a lenticular floor and a flat cover (the slope of the floor increases gradually from the center to the edge of the arena) plus automated fly tracking and statistical analysis. This simple modification of a flat arena presents a graduated physical challenge, with which we can assess fine gradations of motor ability, since a fly's time average radial distance from the arena center is a direct indicator of its climbing ability. The time averaged distribution of flies as a function of slope, activity levels, and walking speed, yields a fine grained picture of locomotory ability and motivation levels. We demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of this assay (compared with a conventional tap-down test) by observing flies treated with a neurotoxin (BMAA) that acts as a glutamate agonist. The assay proves well suited to detect dose effects and progression effects with higher statistical power than the traditional tap-down, but it has a higher detection limit, making it less sensitive to treatment effects.
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40
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Innate preference in Drosophila melanogaster. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2012; 55:8-14. [PMID: 22314485 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-012-4271-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Accepted: 08/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Innate preference behaviors are fundamental for animal survival. They actually form the basis for many animal complex behaviors. Recent years have seen significant progresses in disclosing the molecular and neural mechanism underlying animal innate preferences, especially in Drosophila. In this review, I will review these studies according to the sensory modalities adopted for preference assaying, such as vision, olfaction, thermal sensation. The behavioral strategies and the theoretic models for the formation of innate preferences are also reviewed and discussed.
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41
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Bendesky A, Bargmann CI. Genetic contributions to behavioural diversity at the gene-environment interface. Nat Rev Genet 2011; 12:809-20. [PMID: 22064512 DOI: 10.1038/nrg3065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent work on behavioural variation within and between species has furthered our understanding of the genetic architecture of behavioural traits, the identities of relevant genes and the ways in which genetic variants affect neuronal circuits to modify behaviour. Here we review our understanding of the genetics of natural behavioural variation in non-human animals and highlight the implications of these findings for human genetics. We suggest that gene-environment interactions are central to natural genetic variation in behaviour and that genes affecting neuromodulatory pathways and sensory processing are preferred sites of naturally occurring mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Bendesky
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
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42
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Bertossa RC. Morphology and behaviour: functional links in development and evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2011; 366:2056-68. [PMID: 21690124 PMCID: PMC3130372 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Development and evolution of animal behaviour and morphology are frequently addressed independently, as reflected in the dichotomy of disciplines dedicated to their study distinguishing object of study (morphology versus behaviour) and perspective (ultimate versus proximate). Although traits are known to develop and evolve semi-independently, they are matched together in development and evolution to produce a unique functional phenotype. Here I highlight similarities shared by both traits, such as the decisive role played by the environment for their ontogeny. Considering the widespread developmental and functional entanglement between both traits, many cases of adaptive evolution are better understood when proximate and ultimate explanations are integrated. A field integrating these perspectives is evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo), which studies the developmental basis of phenotypic diversity. Ultimate aspects in evo-devo studies--which have mostly focused on morphological traits--could become more apparent when behaviour, 'the integrator of form and function', is integrated into the same framework of analysis. Integrating a trait such as behaviour at a different level in the biological hierarchy will help to better understand not only how behavioural diversity is produced, but also how levels are connected to produce functional phenotypes and how these evolve. A possible framework to accommodate and compare form and function at different levels of the biological hierarchy is outlined. At the end, some methodological issues are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinaldo C Bertossa
- Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences & Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands.
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43
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Friedenberg SG, Zhu L, Zhang Z, Foels WVDB, Schweitzer PA, Wang W, Fisher PJ, Dykes NL, Corey E, Vernier-Singer M, Jung SW, Sheng X, Hunter LS, McDonough SP, Lust G, Bliss SP, Krotscheck U, Gunn TM, Todhunter RJ. Evaluation of a fibrillin 2 gene haplotype associated with hip dysplasia and incipient osteoarthritis in dogs. Am J Vet Res 2011; 72:530-40. [PMID: 21453155 DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.72.4.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether a mutation in the fibrillin 2 gene (FBN2) is associated with canine hip dysplasia (CHD) and osteoarthritis in dogs. ANIMALS 1,551 dogs. Procedures-Hip conformation was measured radiographically. The FBN2 was sequenced from genomic DNA of 21 Labrador Retrievers and 2 Greyhounds, and a haplotype in intron 30 of FBN2 was sequenced in 90 additional Labrador Retrievers and 143 dogs of 6 other breeds. Steady-state values of FBN2 mRNA and control genes were measured in hip joint tissues of fourteen 8-month-old Labrador Retriever-Greyhound crossbreeds. RESULTS The Labrador Retrievers homozygous for a 10-bp deletion haplotype in intron 30 of FBN2 had significantly worse CHD as measured via higher distraction index and extended-hip joint radiograph score and a lower Norberg angle and dorsolateral subluxation score. Among 143 dogs of 6 other breeds, those homozygous for the same deletion haplotype also had significantly worse radiographic CHD. Among the 14 crossbred dogs, as the dorsolateral subluxation score decreased, the capsular FBN2 mRNA increased significantly. Those dogs with incipient hip joint osteoarthritis had significantly increased capsular FBN2 mRNA, compared with those dogs without osteoarthritis. Dogs homozygous for the FBN2 deletion haplotype had significantly less FBN2 mRNA in their femoral head articular cartilage. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The FBN2 deletion haplotype was associated with CHD. Capsular gene expression of FBN2 was confounded by incipient secondary osteoarthritis in dysplastic hip joints. Genes influencing complex traits in dogs can be identified by genome-wide screening, fine mapping, and candidate gene screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven G Friedenberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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Molecular correlates of social dominance: a novel role for ependymin in aggression. PLoS One 2011; 6:e18181. [PMID: 21483679 PMCID: PMC3071721 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Theoretical and empirical studies have sought to explain the formation and maintenance of social relationships within groups. The resulting dominance hierarchies have significant fitness and survival consequences dependent upon social status. We hypothesised that each position or rank within a group has a distinctive brain gene expression profile that correlates with behavioural phenotype. Furthermore, transitions in rank position should determine which genes shift in expression concurrent with the new dominance status. We used a custom cDNA microarray to profile brain transcript expression in a model species, the rainbow trout, which forms tractable linear hierarchies. Dominant, subdominant and submissive individuals had distinctive transcript profiles with 110 gene probes identified using conservative statistical analyses. By removing the dominant, we characterised the changes in transcript expression in sub-dominant individuals that became dominant demonstrating that the molecular transition occurred within 48 hours. A strong, novel candidate gene, ependymin, which was highly expressed in both the transcript and protein in subdominants relative to dominants, was tested further. Using antibody injection to inactivate ependymin in pairs of dominant and subdominant zebrafish, the subdominant fish exhibited a substantial increase in aggression in parallel with an enhanced competitive ability. This is the first study to characterise the molecular signatures of dominance status within groups and the first to implicate ependymin in control of aggressive behaviour. It also provides evidence for indirect genetic effect models in which genotype/phenotype of an individual is influenced by conspecific interactions within a group. The variation in the molecular profile of each individual within a group may offer a new explanation of intraspecific variation in gene expression within undefined groups of animals and provides new candidates for empirical study.
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Abstract
As bluntly summarized by a psychologist over a century ago, everyone knows what attention is [James (1890). The Principles of Psychology]. Attention describes our capacity to focus perception on one or a group of related stimuli while filtering out irrelevant stimuli. The ease we have in recognizing this astounding capacity in ourselves is matched by a surprising difficulty in identifying it in others, and this is especially the case for measuring attention in other animals. Identifying and measuring attention-like processes in simple animals such as flies requires, to some extent, even more rigor than asking the same question for our closer animal relatives, such as apes and monkeys. This is because flies have completely different brains than humans do, so to study attention in these creatures one must rely purely on operational or behavioral measures rather than comparative neuroanatomy. There is a long history of using sophisticated behavioral paradigms to study visual responses in Drosophila melanogaster, and these studies have often provided early evidence of attention-like processes in flies. More recently, these fly paradigms have been applied to measuring visual attention directly, and the combination of electrophysiology with these preparations has provided insight into how a fly might pay attention. Together with more efficient methods for measuring some aspects of attention, such as stimulus suppression, these approaches should begin to uncover how visual attention might work in a small brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno van Swinderen
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia
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Boyles RS, Lantz KM, Poertner S, Georges SJ, Andres AJ. Presenilin controls CBP levels in the adult Drosophila central nervous system. PLoS One 2010; 5:e14332. [PMID: 21179466 PMCID: PMC3001863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2010] [Accepted: 11/21/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dominant mutations in both human Presenilin (Psn) genes have been correlated with the formation of amyloid plaques and development of familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, a definitive mechanism whereby plaque formation causes the pathology of familial and sporadic forms of AD has remained elusive. Recent discoveries of several substrates for Psn protease activity have sparked alternative hypotheses for the pathophysiology underlying AD. CBP (CREB-binding protein) is a haplo-insufficient transcriptional co-activator with histone acetly-transferase (HAT) activity that has been proposed to be a downstream target of Psn signaling. Individuals with altered CBP have cognitive deficits that have been linked to several neurological disorders. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using a transgenic RNA-interference strategy to selectively silence CBP, Psn, and Notch in adult Drosophila, we provide evidence for the first time that Psn is required for normal CBP levels and for maintaining specific global acetylations at lysine 8 of histone 4 (H4K8ac) in the central nervous system (CNS). In addition, flies conditionally compromised for the adult-expression of CBP display an altered geotaxis behavior that may reflect a neurological defect. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our data support a model in which Psn regulates CBP levels in the adult fly brain in a manner that is independent of Notch signaling. Although we do not understand the molecular mechanism underlying the association between Psn and CBP, our results underscore the need to learn more about the basic relationship between Psn-regulated substrates and essential functions of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy S. Boyles
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Lantz
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Steven Poertner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Stephanie J. Georges
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Andres
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Quantitative trait locus mapping of gravitaxis behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster. Genet Res (Camb) 2010; 92:167-74. [PMID: 20667161 DOI: 10.1017/s0016672310000194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster, like other organisms, move and orient themselves in response to the earth's gravitational force. The ability to sense and respond to gravity is essential for an organism to navigate and thrive in its environment. The genes underlying this behaviour in Drosophila remain elusive. Using 88 recombinant inbred lines, we have identified four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contribute to adult gravitaxis (geotaxis) behaviour in Drosophila. Candidate genes of interest were selected from the QTLs of highest significance based on their function in chordotonal organ formation. Quantitative complementation tests with these candidate genes revealed a role for skittles in adult gravitaxis behaviour in D. melanogaster.
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Meelkop E, Temmerman L, Schoofs L, Janssen T. Signalling through pigment dispersing hormone-like peptides in invertebrates. Prog Neurobiol 2010; 93:125-47. [PMID: 21040756 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2010.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2010] [Revised: 10/19/2010] [Accepted: 10/21/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During recent decades, several research teams engaged in unraveling the molecular structure and the physiological significance of pigment dispersing hormone-like peptides, particularly with respect to colour change and biological rhythms. In this review, we first summarise the entire history of pigment dispersing hormone-like peptide research, thus providing a stepping stone for those who are curious about this growing area of interest. Next, we try to bring order in the plethora of experimental data on the molecular structure of the various peptides and receptors and also discuss immunolocalization, time-related expression and suggested functions in crustaceans, insects and nematodes. In addition, a brief comparison with the vertebrate system is made.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Meelkop
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Zoological Institute, K.U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Mating alters gene expression patterns in Drosophila melanogaster male heads. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:558. [PMID: 20937114 PMCID: PMC3091707 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 10/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Behavior is a complex process resulting from the integration of genetic and environmental information. Drosophila melanogaster rely on multiple sensory modalities for reproductive success, and mating causes physiological changes in both sexes that affect reproductive output or behavior. Some of these effects are likely mediated by changes in gene expression. Courtship and mating alter female transcript profiles, but it is not known how mating affects male gene expression. Results We used Drosophila genome arrays to identify changes in gene expression profiles that occur in mated male heads. Forty-seven genes differed between mated and control heads 2 hrs post mating. Many mating-responsive genes are highly expressed in non-neural head tissues, including an adipose tissue called the fat body. One fat body-enriched gene, female-specific independent of transformer (fit), is a downstream target of the somatic sex-determination hierarchy, a genetic pathway that regulates Drosophila reproductive behaviors as well as expression of some fat-expressed genes; three other mating-responsive loci are also downstream components of this pathway. Another mating-responsive gene expressed in fat, Juvenile hormone esterase (Jhe), is necessary for robust male courtship behavior and mating success. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that mating causes changes in male head gene expression profiles and supports an increasing body of work implicating adipose signaling in behavior modulation. Since several mating-induced genes are sex-determination hierarchy target genes, additional mating-responsive loci may be downstream components of this pathway as well.
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Edward DA, Fricke C, Chapman T. Adaptations to sexual selection and sexual conflict: insights from experimental evolution and artificial selection. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2010; 365:2541-8. [PMID: 20643744 PMCID: PMC2935098 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial selection and experimental evolution document natural selection under controlled conditions. Collectively, these techniques are continuing to provide fresh and important insights into the genetic basis of evolutionary change, and are now being employed to investigate mating behaviour. Here, we focus on how selection techniques can reveal the genetic basis of post-mating adaptations to sexual selection and sexual conflict. Alteration of the operational sex ratio of adult Drosophila over just a few tens of generations can lead to altered ejaculate allocation patterns and the evolution of resistance in females to the costly effects of elevated mating rates. We provide new data to show how male responses to the presence of rivals can evolve. For several traits, the way in which males responded to rivals was opposite in lines selected for male-biased, as opposed to female-biased, adult sex ratio. This shows that the manipulation of the relative intensity of intra- and inter-sexual selection can lead to replicable and repeatable effects on mating systems, and reveals the potential for significant contemporary evolutionary change. Such studies, with important safeguards, have potential utility for understanding sexual selection and sexual conflict across many taxa. We discuss how artificial selection studies combined with genomics will continue to deepen our knowledge of the evolutionary principles first laid down by Darwin 150 years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tracey Chapman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK
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