1
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Gard JE, Brock KE, Elliott ER, Taul AC, Nadolski J, Kim J, McCubbin S, Hecht J, Ronen R, Bierbower SM, Alcorn JP, Dharanipragada N, Hall TF, Hamlet AB, Iqbal Z, Johnson SR, Joshi JK, McComis SJ, Neeley RE, Racheneur AW, Satish D, Simpson TR, Walp JL, Murray C, Wright JE, Cooper RL. Investigation regarding the physiological effects of cobalt on physiological functions in Drosophila, crayfish, and crab: Behavioral, cardiac, neural, and synaptic properties. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2025; 292:110165. [PMID: 40020956 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2025.110165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2025] [Accepted: 02/24/2025] [Indexed: 03/03/2025]
Abstract
Cobalt, a metallic element found naturally in the earth's crust, is essential to survival. It is the active center of cobalamins such as vitamin B12 and is also a micronutrient for bacteria, algae, and fungi. The effects of cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2), the inorganic form of cobalt, are dependent on the dosage. High dosage or chronic exposure to CoCl2 can have negative effects, such as carcinogenic properties, intoxication, and "beer drinker's cardiomyopathy." This investigation was designed to test the effects of acute, high-concentration in cobalt exposure on physiological functions in Drosophila, crayfish, and crab, particularly in terms of behavioral, cardiac, neural, and synaptic properties. When exposed to 1 mM of CoCl2, decreased neural transmission was observed at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) of both crayfish and Drosophila larvae. Within the crayfish proprioceptive organ, no conclusive changes in activity were observed due to the high variability among individuals, but activity was observed to increase in the crab proprioceptive organ after 10 min immersion the CoCl2. In larval Drosophila, heart rate decreased to near-cessation, though the in-situ preparations were able to recover regular heart rates after sufficient saline rinsing. Systemic injections of CoCl2 into crayfish hemolymph produced no significant effects on heart rate or tail flip response. In larval Drosophila that consumed food tainted with CoCl2, no effects were observed on behavior, mouth hook movements, or body wall movements; however, this led to adults bearing a slightly decreased lifespan, which indicates that 1 mM CoCl2 has differing effects by tissue and organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaycie E Gard
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Kaitlyn E Brock
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | | | - Alaina C Taul
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Jeremy Nadolski
- Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL 60532, USA.
| | - Jiwoo Kim
- Model Laboratory School, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475, USA
| | - Shelby McCubbin
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA.
| | - Jordon Hecht
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
| | - Remy Ronen
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
| | - Sonya M Bierbower
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA.
| | - Jayden P Alcorn
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | | | - Tessa F Hall
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Ashley B Hamlet
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Zohaib Iqbal
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Sarah R Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Jai Kumar Joshi
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Stephen J McComis
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Ryson E Neeley
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Alex W Racheneur
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Diksha Satish
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Tori R Simpson
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Jacob L Walp
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Courtney Murray
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Joni E Wright
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Robin L Cooper
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
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2
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Wang C, Shen J. From metabolism to lifespan trade-offs: polyethylene microplastics induce circadian disruption and sex-specific aging in Drosophila melanogaster. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2025; 295:110214. [PMID: 40300706 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2025.110214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2025] [Revised: 04/02/2025] [Accepted: 04/26/2025] [Indexed: 05/01/2025]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), particularly polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs), are increasingly recognized as contaminants in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. However, the ecological impacts of PE-MPs on terrestrial organisms remain underexplored. This study investigates the physiological and behavioral effects of PE-MPs exposure in the terrestrial model organism Drosophila melanogaster, shedding light on the potential risks posed by PE-MPs in land-based ecosystems. After exposing the fruit flies to different concentrations of PE-MPs for 20 days, we assessed several physiological biomarkers, including spontaneous behavioral activity, starvation resistance, metabolic biomarkers, and lifespan. Our findings indicate that PE-MPs exposure significantly affects fruit fly physiology, with increased spontaneous activity, decreased starvation resistance, and reduced triglyceride (TG) and protein levels (in males), reflecting disruption of metabolic processes. While PE-MPs did not affect female reproductive capacity, they did result in sex-specific impacts on lifespan, with male fruit flies showing a significant reduction in both mean and median lifespan at higher PE-MPs concentrations. These results highlight the need to consider the sex-dependent nature of PE-MPs toxicity when assessing their ecological risks. This study contributes new insights into the potential for PE-MPs to disrupt terrestrial ecosystems and underscores the importance of investigating the effects of microplastics on terrestrial invertebrates, providing a foundation for future ecotoxicological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengpeng Wang
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Sensing and IoT of Wenzhou, Wenzhou Institute of Hangzhou Dianzi University, Wenzhou 325038, China
| | - Jie Shen
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China; Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Sensing and IoT of Wenzhou, Wenzhou Institute of Hangzhou Dianzi University, Wenzhou 325038, China.
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3
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Melde RH, Abraham JM, Ugolini MR, Castle MP, Fjalstad MM, Blumstein DM, Durski SJ, Sharp NP. Sex-specific viability effects of mutations in Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution 2024; 78:1844-1853. [PMID: 39277542 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae134] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
In populations with separate sexes, genetic load due to deleterious mutations may be expressed differently in males and females. Evidence from insect models suggests that selection against mutations is stronger in males. This pattern will reduce deleterious allele frequencies at the expense of males, such that female mean fitness is greater than expected, preserving population persistence in the face of high mutation rates. While previous studies focus on reproductive success, mutation load depends on total selection in each sex, including selection for viability. We might expect minimal sex differences in viability effects in fruit flies, since male and female larvae behave similarly, yet many genes show sex-biased expression in larvae. We measured the sex-specific viability effects of nine "marker" mutations and 123 mutagenized chromosomes. We find that both types of mutations generally reduce viability in both sexes. Among marker mutations we detect instances of sex-biased effects in each direction; mutagenized chromosomes show little sex-specific mutational variance, but recessive lethals show a female bias, including in FlyBase records. We conclude that mutations regularly affect viability in a sex-specific manner, but that the strong pattern of male-biased mutational effects observed previously for reproductive success is not apparent at the pre-reproductive stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Melde
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - JoHanna M Abraham
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Maryn R Ugolini
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Madison P Castle
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Molly M Fjalstad
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Daniela M Blumstein
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Sarah J Durski
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Nathaniel P Sharp
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, United States
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4
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Caurio AC, Boldori JR, Gonçalves LM, Rodrigues CC, Rodrigues NR, Somacal S, Emanuelli T, Roehrs R, Denardin CC, Denardin ELG. Protective effect of Bougainvillea glabra Choisy bract in toxicity induced by Paraquat in Drosophila melanogaster. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 279:109873. [PMID: 38423200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Paraquat (PQ) is a herbicide widely used in agriculture to control weeds. The damage caused to health through intoxication requires studies to combating its damage to health. Bougainvillea glabra Choisy is a plant native to South America and its bracts contain a variety of compounds, including betalains and phenolic compounds, which have been underexplored about their potential applications and benefits for biological studies to neutralize toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant and protective potential of the B. glabra bracts (BBGCE) hydroalcoholic extract against Paraquat-induced toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. BBGCE demonstrated high antioxidant capacity in vitro through the assays of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), free radical ABTS and quantification of phenolic compounds, confirmed through identifying the main compounds. Wild males of D. melanogaster were exposed to Paraquat (1.75 mM) and B. glabra Choisy (1, 10, 50 and 100 μg/mL) in agar medium for 4 days. Flies exposed to Paraquat showed a reduction in survival rate and a significant decrease in climbing capacity and balance test when compared to the control group. Exposure of the flies to Paraquat caused a reduction in acetylcholinesterase activity, an increase in lipid peroxidation and production of reactive species, and a change in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. Co-exposure with BBGCE was able to block toxicity induced by PQ exposure. Our results demonstrate that bract extract has a protective effect against PQ on the head and body of flies, attenuating behavioral deficit, exerting antioxidant effects and blocking oxidative damage in D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Castro Caurio
- Laboratory of Physical Chemical Studies and Natural Products (LEFQPN), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil; Research Group of Biochemistry and Toxicology of Bioactive Compounds (GBToxBio), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Jean Ramos Boldori
- Research Group of Biochemistry and Toxicology of Bioactive Compounds (GBToxBio), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Martha Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Physical Chemical Studies and Natural Products (LEFQPN), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Camille Cadore Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Physical Chemical Studies and Natural Products (LEFQPN), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Nathane Rosa Rodrigues
- Research Group of Biochemistry and Toxicology of Bioactive Compounds (GBToxBio), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Somacal
- Department of Food Technology and Food Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Emanuelli
- Department of Food Technology and Food Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Rafael Roehrs
- Laboratory of Physical Chemical Studies and Natural Products (LEFQPN), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Casagrande Denardin
- Research Group of Biochemistry and Toxicology of Bioactive Compounds (GBToxBio), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil
| | - Elton Luis Gasparotto Denardin
- Laboratory of Physical Chemical Studies and Natural Products (LEFQPN), Federal University of Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
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5
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Yang M, Zinkgraf M, Fitzgerald-Cook C, Harrison BR, Putzier A, Promislow DEL, Wang AM. Using Drosophila to identify naturally occurring genetic modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced toxicity. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad132. [PMID: 37311212 PMCID: PMC10468303 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by 2 pathological proteins, amyloid beta 42 and tau. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases in the population are sporadic and late-onset Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits high levels of heritability. While several genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease have been identified and replicated in independent studies, including the ApoE ε4 allele, the great majority of the heritability of late-onset Alzheimer's disease remains unexplained, likely due to the aggregate effects of a very large number of genes with small effect size, as well as to biases in sample collection and statistical approaches. Here, we present an unbiased forward genetic screen in Drosophila looking for naturally occurring modifiers of amyloid beta 42- and tau-induced ommatidial degeneration. Our results identify 14 significant SNPs, which map to 12 potential genes in 8 unique genomic regions. Our hits that are significant after genome-wide correction identify genes involved in neuronal development, signal transduction, and organismal development. Looking more broadly at suggestive hits (P < 10-5), we see significant enrichment in genes associated with neurogenesis, development, and growth as well as significant enrichment in genes whose orthologs have been identified as significantly or suggestively associated with Alzheimer's disease in human GWAS studies. These latter genes include ones whose orthologs are in close proximity to regions in the human genome that are associated with Alzheimer's disease, but where a causal gene has not been identified. Together, our results illustrate the potential for complementary and convergent evidence provided through multitrait GWAS in Drosophila to supplement and inform human studies, helping to identify the remaining heritability and novel modifiers of complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Matthew Zinkgraf
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Cecilia Fitzgerald-Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Benjamin R Harrison
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexandra Putzier
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Daniel E L Promislow
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Adrienne M Wang
- Department of Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
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6
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Cooper RL, Krall RM. Hyperpolarization Induced by Lipopolysaccharides but Not by Chloroform Is Inhibited by Doxapram, an Inhibitor of Two-P-Domain K + Channel (K2P). Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415787. [PMID: 36555429 PMCID: PMC9779748 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial septicemia is commonly induced by Gram-negative bacteria. The immune response is triggered in part by the secretion of bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS induces the subsequent release of inflammatory cytokines which can result in pathological conditions. There is no known blocker to the receptors of LPS. The Drosophila larval muscle is an amendable model to rapidly screen various compounds that affect membrane potential and synaptic transmission such as LPS. LPS induces a rapid hyperpolarization in the body wall muscles and depolarization of motor neurons. These actions are blocked by the compound doxapram (10 mM), which is known to inhibit a subtype of the two-P-domain K+ channel (K2P channels). However, the K2P channel blocker PK-THPP had no effect on the Drosophila larval muscle at 1 and 10 mM. These channels are activated by chloroform, which also induces a rapid hyperpolarization of these muscles, but the channels are not blocked by doxapram. Likewise, chloroform does not block the depolarization induced by doxapram. LPS blocks the postsynaptic glutamate receptors on Drosophila muscle. Pre-exposure to doxapram reduces the LPS block of these ionotropic glutamate receptors. Given that the larval Drosophila body wall muscles are depolarized by doxapram and hyperpolarized by chloroform, they offer a model to begin pharmacological profiling of the K2P subtype channels with the potential of identifying blockers for the receptors to mitigate the actions of the Gram-negative endotoxin LPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin L. Cooper
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0225, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Rebecca M. Krall
- Department of STEM Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0001, USA
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7
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Senthil Kumar S, Swaminathan A, Abdel-Daim MM, Sheik Mohideen S. A systematic review on the effects of acrylamide and bisphenol A on the development of Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:10703-10713. [PMID: 35753027 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07642-4] [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: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The current global scenario has instigated a steady upsurge of synthetic chemicals usage thereby creating a toxic environment unsuitable for animals and humans. Acrylamide and bisphenol A are some of the most common toxins found in the atmosphere due to their extensive involvement in numerous industrial processes. Acrylamide, an occupational hazard toxin has been known to cause severe nerve damage and peripheral neuronal damage in both animals and humans. General sources of acrylamide exposure are effluents from textile and paper industries, cosmetics, and thermally processed foods rich in starch. Bisphenol A (BPA) is generally found in food packaging materials, dental sealants, and plastic bottles. It is highly temperature-sensitive that can easily leach into the food products or humans on contact. The genotoxic and neurotoxic effects of acrylamide and bisphenol A have been widely researched; however, more attention should be dedicated to understanding the developmental toxicity of these chemicals. The developmental impacts of toxin exposure can be easily understood using Drosophila melanogaster as a model given considering its short life span and genetic homology to humans. In this review, we have discussed the toxic effects of acrylamide and BPA on the developmental process of Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Senthil Kumar
- Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur - 603203, Chengalpattu District, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Abhinaya Swaminathan
- Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur - 603203, Chengalpattu District, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mohamed M Abdel-Daim
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Sahabudeen Sheik Mohideen
- Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur - 603203, Chengalpattu District, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Liu X, Yang J, Gan Z, Wang H, Hu Z, Liu J, Ran D. Effects of Mono-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate on the Neural Transmission of PNs in Drosophila Antennal Lobe. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:1430-1439. [PMID: 34191265 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00386-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to different types of chemicals is hazardous to human health. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) could exert pleiotropic deleterious effects on nervous systems. Mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), as one of the most toxic metabolites of DEHP, may have similar effects on nervous systems. However, no effects of MEHP on neural circuits have been reported. To uncover the regulation of MEHP on neural transmission, the functional changes of neural excitability and synaptic plasticity of projection neurons (PNs) have been assessed. In the current study, we recorded the action potentials (APs), stimulate action potentials (sti-APs), mini excitement postsynaptic current (mEPSC), calcium currents, and sodium currents from PNs of isolated whole brain of Drosophila model utilizing patch clamp recordings. We found that MEHP-300 (at the concentration of 300 μM), but not MHEP-100 (at the concentration of 100 μM), significantly decreased the frequency and amplitude of APs. Besides, the amplitude and anti-amplitude of sti-APs were reduced with the application of MEHP-300. Meanwhile, MEHP-300 reduced the frequency of mEPSC, but not the amplitude. Furthermore, MEHP-300 reduced the peak current densities of sodium and calcium channels. Therefore, our results indicated that MEHP could alter the neural excitability and synaptic plasticity of PNs by inhibiting the ion channels activities, revealing the potential modulation of MEHP on neural transmission of PNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Junqing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Zongjie Gan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuqin Hu
- Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Southwest University Public Health Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Liu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongzhi Ran
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China.
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Empowering Melatonin Therapeutics with Drosophila Models. Diseases 2021; 9:diseases9040067. [PMID: 34698120 PMCID: PMC8544433 DOI: 10.3390/diseases9040067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Melatonin functions as a central regulator of cell and organismal function as well as a neurohormone involved in several processes, e.g., the regulation of the circadian rhythm, sleep, aging, oxidative response, and more. As such, it holds immense pharmacological potential. Receptor-mediated melatonin function mainly occurs through MT1 and MT2, conserved amongst mammals. Other melatonin-binding proteins exist. Non-receptor-mediated activities involve regulating the mitochondrial function and antioxidant cascade, which are frequently affected by normal aging as well as disease. Several pathologies display diseased or dysfunctional mitochondria, suggesting melatonin may be used therapeutically. Drosophila models have extensively been employed to study disease pathogenesis and discover new drugs. Here, we review the multiple functions of melatonin through the lens of functional conservation and model organism research to empower potential melatonin therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative and renal diseases.
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10
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Karim MR. A Method to Quantify Drosophila Behavioral Activities Induced by GABA A Agonist Muscimol. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e3982. [PMID: 34124286 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3982] [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: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscimol is a psychoactive isoxazole derived from the mushroom Amanita muscaria. As a potent GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol suppresses the activity of the central nervous system, reduces anxiety and induces sleep. We investigated the effects of muscimol on Drosophila behavior. Drosophila behavioral assays are powerful tools that are used to assess neural functions by focusing on specific changes in selected behavior, with the hypothesis that this behavioral change is due to alteration of the underlying neural function of interest. In this study, we developed a comparatively simple and cost-effective method for feeding adult flies muscimol, a pharmacologically active compound, and for quantifying the phenotypes of "resting" and "grooming+walking". This protocol may provide researchers with a convenient method to characterize small molecule-induced behavioral output in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rezaul Karim
- Division of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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11
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Nguyen U, Tinsley B, Sen Y, Stein J, Palacios Y, Ceballos A, Welch C, Nzenkue K, Penn A, Murphy L, Leodones K, Casiquin J, Ivory I, Ghenta K, Danziger K, Widman E, Newman J, Triplehorn M, Hindi Z, Mulligan K. Exposure to bisphenol A differentially impacts neurodevelopment and behavior in Drosophila melanogaster from distinct genetic backgrounds. Neurotoxicology 2020; 82:146-157. [PMID: 33309840 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous environmental chemical that has been linked to behavioral differences in children and shown to impact critical neurodevelopmental processes in animal models. Though data is emerging, we still have an incomplete picture of how BPA disrupts neurodevelopment; in particular, how its impacts may vary across different genetic backgrounds. Given the genetic tractability of Drosophila melanogaster, they present a valuable model to address this question. Fruit flies are increasingly being used for assessment of neurotoxicants because of their relatively simple brain structure and variety of measurable behaviors. Here we investigated the neurodevelopmental impacts of BPA across two genetic strains of Drosophila-w1118 (control) and the Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) model-by examining both behavioral and neuronal phenotypes. We show that BPA induces hyperactivity in larvae, increases repetitive grooming behavior in adults, reduces courtship behavior, impairs axon guidance in the mushroom body, and disrupts neural stem cell development in the w1118 genetic strain. Remarkably, for every behavioral and neuronal phenotype examined, the impact of BPA in FXS flies was either insignificant or contrasted with the phenotypes observed in the w1118 strain. This data indicates that the neurodevelopmental impacts of BPA can vary widely depending on genetic background and suggests BPA may elicit a gene-environment interaction with Drosophila fragile X mental retardation 1 (dFmr1)-the ortholog of human FMR1, which causes Fragile X Syndrome and is associated with autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - B Tinsley
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - Y Sen
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - J Stein
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - Y Palacios
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - A Ceballos
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - C Welch
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - K Nzenkue
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - A Penn
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - L Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - K Leodones
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - J Casiquin
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - I Ivory
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - K Ghenta
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - K Danziger
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - E Widman
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - J Newman
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - M Triplehorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - Z Hindi
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States
| | - K Mulligan
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95819, United States.
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12
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Li Q, Zheng L, Yang F, Li H, Li J, Cheng D. Effects of regular exercise on sleep and activity status in aging and Clk RNAi Drosophila melanogaster. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2019.1566990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qiufang Li
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
| | - Lan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
| | - Hanzhe Li
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
| | - Jinxiu Li
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
| | - Dan Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise Rehabilitation of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha City, China
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13
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Zhou S, Morgante F, Geisz MS, Ma J, Anholt RRH, Mackay TFC. Systems genetics of the Drosophila metabolome. Genome Res 2020; 30:392-405. [PMID: 31694867 PMCID: PMC7111526 DOI: 10.1101/gr.243030.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
How effects of DNA sequence variants are transmitted through intermediate endophenotypes to modulate organismal traits remains a central question in quantitative genetics. This problem can be addressed through a systems approach in a population in which genetic polymorphisms, gene expression traits, metabolites, and complex phenotypes can be evaluated on the same genotypes. Here, we focused on the metabolome, which represents the most proximal link between genetic variation and organismal phenotype, and quantified metabolite levels in 40 lines of the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel. We identified sex-specific modules of genetically correlated metabolites and constructed networks that integrate DNA sequence variation and variation in gene expression with variation in metabolites and organismal traits, including starvation stress resistance and male aggression. Finally, we asked to what extent SNPs and metabolites can predict trait phenotypes and generated trait- and sex-specific prediction models that provide novel insights about the metabolomic underpinnings of complex phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Zhou
- Program in Genetics, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Fabio Morgante
- Program in Genetics, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Matthew S Geisz
- Program in Genetics, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Junwu Ma
- Key Laboratory for Animal Biotechnology of Jiangxi Province and the Ministry of Agriculture of China, JiangXi Agricultural University, JiangXi, China
| | - Robert R H Anholt
- Program in Genetics, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Trudy F C Mackay
- Program in Genetics, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology and Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
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14
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Lei Y, Zhou Y, Lü L, He Y. Rhythms in Foraging Behavior and Expression Patterns of the Foraging Gene in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in relation to Photoperiod. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:2923-2930. [PMID: 31237954 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The foraging gene (for) is associated with foraging and other associated behaviors in social insect species. Photoperiod is known to entrain the rhythmic biological functions of ants; however, how photoperiod might influence the intensity and duration of foraging, and the expression of for, remains unexplored. This study determined the correlation between rhythm in foraging behavior and expression of the foraging gene (Sifor) mRNA in red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Foragers were exposed to three photoperiod conditions (12:12 [L:D], 24:0 [L:D], and 0:24 [L:D]) in the laboratory and foraging activities were recorded using a video-computer recording system. Sifor expression in the foragers was tested using real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Results revealed that foraging activity rhythm and Sifor expression profile were unimodal under all three photoperiod conditions. Levels of foraging activity were associated with photoperiodic modification, a stable phase difference between the onset of activity and the onset of gene expression was discovered. Light-dark transients stimulated foraging activity in 12:12 (L:D). There were significant daily oscillations (amplitude of 0.21 ± 0.08 for 12:12 [L:D], 0.12 ± 0.02 for 24:0 [L:D], and 0.09 ± 0.01 for 0:24 [L:D]) in the expression of Sifor. A positive relationship (r = 0.5903, P < 0.01) was found between the expression level of Sifor and foraging activity, which indicated that Sifor is linked to some extent to foraging behavior. Our results demonstrated that foragers could adjust the rhythms in foraging behavior according to light-dark cycle and suggested that Sifor may play an important role in the response of S. invicta to photoperiod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyuan Lei
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yangyang Zhou
- College of Agriculture, South China Agriculture University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Lihua Lü
- Plant Protection Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yurong He
- College of Agriculture, South China Agriculture University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
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15
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Chauhan V, Chauhan A. Traumatic injury in female Drosophila melanogaster affects the development and induces behavioral abnormalities in the offspring. Behav Brain Funct 2019; 15:11. [PMID: 31653253 PMCID: PMC6815055 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic injury (TI) during pregnancy increases the risk for developing neurological disorders in the infants. These disorders are a major concern for the well-being of children born after TI during pregnancy. TI during pregnancy may result in preterm labor and delivery, abruptio placentae, and/or fetomaternal hemorrhage. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) is a widely used model to study brain and behavioral disorders in humans. In this study, we analyzed the effects of TI to female fruit flies on the development timing of larvae, social interaction and the behavior of offspring flies. TI to the female flies was found to affect the development of larvae and the behavior of offspring flies. There was a significant increase in the length of larvae delivered by traumatically injured maternal flies as compared to larvae from control maternal flies (without TI). The pupae formation from larvae, and the metamorphosis of pupae to the first generation of flies were faster in the TI group than the control group. Negative geotaxis and distance of the fly to its nearest neighbor are parameters of behavioral assessment in fruit flies. Negative geotaxis significantly decreased in the first generation of both male (p = 0.0021) and female (p = 0.0426) flies. The distance between the first generation of flies to its nearest neighbor was shorter in both male and female offspring flies in the TI group as compared to control group flies. These results indicate that TI to the female flies affected the development of larvae and resulted in early delivery, impaired social interaction and behavioral alterations in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ved Chauhan
- Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
| | - Abha Chauhan
- Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA
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16
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Luo Y, Yang J, Wang H, Gan Z, Ran D. Cellular Mechanism Underlying rTMS Treatment for the Neural Plasticity of Nervous System in Drosophila Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184625. [PMID: 31540425 PMCID: PMC6770261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is used as a research tool and clinical treatment for the non-clinical and clinical populations, to modulate brain plasticity. In the case of neurologic and psychiatric disease, there is significant evidence to suggest that rTMS plays an important role in the functional recovery after neurological dysfunction. However, the causal role for rTMS in the recovery of nervous dysfunction remains unclear. The purpose of the present study is to detect the regulation of rTMS on the excitatory neuronal transmission and specify the mode of action of rTMS on the neural plasticity using Drosophila whole brain. Therefore, we identified the effects of rTMS on the neural plasticity of central neural system (CNS) by detecting the electrophysiology properties of projection neurons (PNs) from adult Drosophila brain after rTMS. Using patch clamp recordings, we recorded the mini excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) of PNs after rTMS at varying frequencies (1 Hz and 100 Hz) and intensities (1%, 10%, 50%, and 100%). Then, the chronic electrophysiology recordings, including mEPSC, spontaneous action potential (sAP), and calcium channel currents from PNs after rTMS at low frequency (1 Hz), with low intensity (1%) were detected and the properties of the recordings were analyzed. Finally, the frequency and decay time of mEPSC, the resting potential and frequency of sAP, and the current density and rise time of calcium channel currents were significantly changed by rTMS. Our work reveals that rTMS can be used as a tool to regulate the presynaptic function of neural circuit, by modulating the calcium channel in a frequency-, intensity- and time-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Junqing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Zongjie Gan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
- Chongqing Research Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Donzhi Ran
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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17
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Mayumi K, Danielle B, Lisa L, Alexanda F, Nathan C, Boyang Q, Ahmad ST, Bernard P. The Drosophila apterous 56f mutation impairs circadian locomotor activity. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2019; 50:375-388. [PMID: 31011241 PMCID: PMC6474370 DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2018.1447353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
We investigated effects of apterous mutation ap56f on circadian locomotor activity, eclosion rhythms, and transcript levels of period and timeless in Drosophila. We investigated circadian locomotor activity and eclosion rhythms in ap 56fand wild-type flies, their F1 and F2 offspring, and wingless vestigial mutants and show that ap 56f disrupts circadian locomotor rhythms in a genetically recessive manner, that is not caused by the absence of wings. The ap blt strain also showed impaired circadian activity rhythms, providing independent evidence for a significant role of apterous in circadian locomotor rhythm expression. The ap 56f mutation did not disrupt a circadian eclosion rhythm or rhythmic expression of the period and timeless clock genes, indicating that apterous is not essential for circadian clock function, but is necessary for coupling locomotor activity to a circadian clock. Timeless transcription was reduced in ap 56f flies in 12:12 LD, suggesting that apterous may modulate core clock gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohiyama Mayumi
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 917-715-7270
| | - Bonser Danielle
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 518-223-2790
| | - Leung Lisa
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 617-910-7669
| | - Fall Alexanda
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 845-803-3591
| | - Canada Nathan
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 770-359-7123
| | - Qu Boyang
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME USA, , 207-616-6117
| | - S Tariq Ahmad
- Biology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME USA, , 207-859-5722
| | - Possidente Bernard
- Biology Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY USA, , 518-580-5082
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18
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Oza VH, Aicher JK, Reed LK. Random Forest Analysis of Untargeted Metabolomics Data Suggests Increased Use of Omega Fatty Acid Oxidation Pathway in Drosophila Melanogaster Larvae Fed a Medium Chain Fatty Acid Rich High-Fat Diet. Metabolites 2018; 9:metabo9010005. [PMID: 30602659 PMCID: PMC6359074 DOI: 10.3390/metabo9010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a complex disease, shaped by both genetic and environmental factors such as diet. In this study, we use untargeted metabolomics and Drosophila melanogaster to model how diet and genotype shape the metabolome of obese phenotypes. We used 16 distinct outbred genotypes of Drosophila larvae raised on normal (ND) and high-fat (HFD) diets, to produce three distinct phenotypic classes; genotypes that stored more triglycerides on a ND relative to the HFD, genotypes that stored more triglycerides on a HFD relative to ND, and genotypes that showed no change in triglyceride storage on either of the two diets. Using untargeted metabolomics we characterized 350 metabolites: 270 with definitive chemical IDs and 80 that were chemically unidentified. Using random forests, we determined metabolites that were important in discriminating between the HFD and ND larvae as well as between the triglyceride phenotypic classes. We found that flies fed on a HFD showed evidence of an increased use of omega fatty acid oxidation pathway, an alternative to the more commonly used beta fatty acid oxidation pathway. Additionally, we observed no correlation between the triglyceride storage phenotype and free fatty acid levels (laurate, caprate, caprylate, caproate), indicating that the distinct metabolic profile of fatty acids in high-fat diet fed Drosophila larvae does not propagate into triglyceride storage differences. However, dipeptides did show moderate differences between the phenotypic classes. We fit Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) of the metabolic profiles for HFD and ND flies to characterize changes in metabolic network structure between the two diets, finding the HFD to have a greater number of edges indicating that metabolome varies more across samples on a HFD. Taken together, these results show that, in the context of obesity, metabolomic profiles under distinct dietary conditions may not be reliable predictors of phenotypic outcomes in a genetically diverse population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal H Oza
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - Joseph K Aicher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
| | - Laura K Reed
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.
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19
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Ran D, Xie B, Gan Z, Sun X, Gu H, Yang J. Melatonin attenuates hLRRK2-induced long-term memory deficit in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Biomed Rep 2018; 9:221-226. [PMID: 30271597 DOI: 10.3892/br.2018.1125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease (PD), the role of human leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (hLRRK2) in the efficacy of PD treatment is a focus of study. Our previous study demonstrated that mushroom body (MB) expression of hLRRK2 in Drosophila could recapitulate the clinical feature of sleep disturbances observed in PD patients, and melatonin (MT) treatment could attenuate the hLRRK2-induced sleep disorders and synaptic dysfunction, suggesting the therapeutic potential of MT in PD patients carrying hLRRK2 mutations; however, no further study into the impacts on memory deficit was conducted. Therefore, in the current paper, the study of the effects of MT on hLRRK2 flies was continued, to determine its potential role in the improvement of memory deficit in PD. To achieve this, the Drosophila learning and memory phases, including short- and long-term memory, were recorded; furthermore, the effect of MT on calcium channel activity during neurotransmission was detected using electrophysiology patch clamp recordings. It was demonstrated that MT treatment reversed hLRRK2-induced long-term memory deficits in Drosophila; furthermore, MT reduced MB calcium channel activities. These findings suggest that MT may exerts therapeutic effects on the long-term memory of PD patients via calcium channel modulation, thus providing indication of its potential to maintain cognitive function in PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongzhi Ran
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Baogang Xie
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Zongjie Gan
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Xicui Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21042, USA
| | - Huaiyu Gu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, P.R. China
| | - Junqing Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Chongqing Medical University, The Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
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20
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Wang Y, Moussian B, Schaeffeler E, Schwab M, Nies AT. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as an innovative preclinical ADME model for solute carrier membrane transporters, with consequences for pharmacology and drug therapy. Drug Discov Today 2018; 23:1746-1760. [PMID: 29890226 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Solute carrier membrane transporters (SLCs) control cell exposure to small-molecule drugs, thereby contributing to drug efficacy and failure and/or adverse effects. Moreover, SLCs are genetically linked to various diseases. Hence, in-depth knowledge of SLC function is fundamental for a better understanding of disease pathophysiology and the drug development process. Given that the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) expresses SLCs, such as for the excretion of endogenous and toxic compounds by the hindgut and Malpighian tubules, equivalent to human intestine and kidney, this system appears to be a promising preclinical model to use to study human SLCs. Here, we systematically compare current knowledge of SLCs in Drosophila and humans and describe the Drosophila model as an innovative tool for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Wang
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; Animal Genetics, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernard Moussian
- Animal Genetics, University of Tübingen, Germany; Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, Nice, France; Applied Zoology, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Elke Schaeffeler
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Anne T Nies
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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21
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Bianchini MC, Portela JLR, Puntel RL, Ávila DS. Cellular Responses in Drosophila melanogaster Following Teratogen Exposure. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1797:243-276. [PMID: 29896697 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7883-0_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies focusing on the teratogenicity of a series of new chemicals that are produced in a daily basis represent an important focus in toxicological/pharmaceutical research, particularly due to the risks arising from occupational exposure of the subjects. However, the complex mating procedures, scheduling of treatments, requirements for trained personnel, and elevated costs of traditional teratological assays with mammals hamper this type of assessments. Accordingly, the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model for teratological studies has received considerable attention. Here some general protocols about Drosophila exposure-at different stages of their life cycle-to any chemical with putative teratological activity are presented. Importantly, some details about D. melanogaster embryonic, larval, pupal, or adult endpoints, that can be used to assess teratogenicity using flies as a model organism, are presented.
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22
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Perinatal exposure to low-dose imidacloprid causes ADHD-like symptoms: Evidences from an invertebrate model study. Food Chem Toxicol 2017; 110:402-407. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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23
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Dissecting genetic architecture of startle response in Drosophila melanogaster using multi-omics information. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12367. [PMID: 28959013 PMCID: PMC5620086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11676-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Startle behavior is important for survival, and abnormal startle responses are related to several neurological diseases. Drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful system to investigate the genetic underpinnings of variation in startle behavior. Since mechanically induced, startle responses and environmental conditions can be readily quantified and precisely controlled. The 156 wild-derived fully sequenced lines of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) were used to identify SNPs and transcripts associated with variation in startle behavior. The results validated highly significant effects of 33 quantitative trait SNPs (QTSs) and 81 quantitative trait transcripts (QTTs) directly associated with phenotypic variation of startle response. We also detected QTT variation controlled by 20 QTSs (tQTSs) and 73 transcripts (tQTTs). Association mapping based on genomic and transcriptomic data enabled us to construct a complex genetic network that underlies variation in startle behavior. Based on principles of evolutionary conservation, human orthologous genes could be superimposed on this network. This study provided both genetic and biological insights into the variation of startle response behavior of Drosophila melanogaster, and highlighted the importance of genetic network to understand the genetic architecture of complex traits.
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Chauhan V, Srikumar S, Aamer S, Pandareesh MD, Chauhan A. Methylmercury Exposure Induces Sexual Dysfunction in Male and Female Drosophila Melanogaster. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14101108. [PMID: 28946640 PMCID: PMC5664609 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14101108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mercury, an environmental health hazard, is a neurotoxic heavy metal. In this study, the effect of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure was analyzed on sexual behavior in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), because neurons play a vital role in sexual functions. The virgin male and female flies were fed a diet mixed with different concentrations of MeHg (28.25, 56.5, 113, 226, and 339 µM) for four days, and the effect of MeHg on copulation of these flies was studied. While male and female control flies (no MeHg) and flies fed with lower concentrations of MeHg (28.25, 56.5 µM) copulated in a normal manner, male and female flies exposed to higher concentrations of MeHg (113, 226, and 339 µM) did not copulate. When male flies exposed to higher concentrations of MeHg were allowed to copulate with control female flies, only male flies fed with 113 µM MeHg were able to copulate. On the other hand, when female flies exposed to higher concentrations of MeHg were allowed to copulate with control male flies, none of the flies could copulate. After introduction of male and female flies in the copulation chamber, duration of wing flapping by male flies decreased in a MeHg-concentration-dependent manner from 101 ± 24 seconds (control) to 100.7 ± 18, 96 ±12, 59 ± 44, 31 ± 15, and 3.7 ± 2.7 seconds at 28.25, 56.5, 113, 226, and 339 µM MeHg, respectively. On the other hand, grooming in male and female flies increased in a MeHg-concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggest that MeHg exposure causes sexual dysfunction in male and female Drosophila melanogaster. Further studies showed that MeHg exposure increased oxidative stress and decreased triglyceride levels in a concentration–dependent manner in both male and female flies, suggesting that MeHg-induced oxidative stress and decreased triglyceride levels may partly contribute to sexual dysfunction in fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ved Chauhan
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
| | - Syian Srikumar
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
| | - Sarah Aamer
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
| | - Mirazkar D Pandareesh
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
| | - Abha Chauhan
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
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Peterson EK, Wilson DT, Possidente B, McDaniel P, Morley EJ, Possidente D, Hollocher KT, Ruden DM, Hirsch HVB. Accumulation, elimination, sequestration, and genetic variation of lead (Pb 2+) loads within and between generations of Drosophila melanogaster. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 181:368-375. [PMID: 28458212 PMCID: PMC5533183 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.04.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We examined accumulation, sequestration, elimination, and genetic variation for lead (Pb) loads within and between generations of Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were reared in control or leaded medium at various doses and tested for their Pb loads at different stages of development (larvae, eclosion, newly-eclosed adults, and mature adults). Pb loads were tested using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). We found that D. melanogaster readily accumulated Pb throughout their lifespan and the levels of accumulation increased with Pb exposure in the medium. Wandering third-instar larvae accumulated more Pb than mature adults; this phenomenon may be due to elimination of Pb in the pupal cases during eclosion and/or depuration in adults post-eclosion. The accumulated Pb in mature adults was not transferred to F1 mature adult offspring. Using a set of recombinant inbred strains, we identified a quantitative trait locus for adult Pb loads and found that genetic variation accounted for 34% of the variance in Pb load. We concluded that D. melanogaster is a useful model organism for evaluating changes in Pb loads during development, as well as between generations. Furthermore, we found that genetic factors can influence Pb loads; this provides an essential foundation for evaluating phenotypic variation induced by the toxic effects of Pb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Peterson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
| | - Diane T Wilson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Phillip McDaniel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Eric J Morley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Debra Possidente
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Kurt T Hollocher
- Department of Geology, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Helmut V B Hirsch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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Genetic Mechanisms Leading to Sex Differences Across Common Diseases and Anthropometric Traits. Genetics 2016; 205:979-992. [PMID: 27974502 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.193623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Common diseases often show sex differences in prevalence, onset, symptomology, treatment, or prognosis. Although studies have been performed to evaluate sex differences at specific SNP associations, this work aims to comprehensively survey a number of complex heritable diseases and anthropometric traits. Potential genetically encoded sex differences we investigated include differential genetic liability thresholds or distributions, gene-sex interaction at autosomal loci, major contribution of the X-chromosome, or gene-environment interactions reflected in genes responsive to androgens or estrogens. Finally, we tested the overlap between sex-differential association with anthropometric traits and disease risk. We utilized complementary approaches of assessing GWAS association enrichment and SNP-based heritability estimation to explore explicit sex differences, as well as enrichment in sex-implicated functional categories. We do not find consistent increased genetic load in the lower-prevalence sex, or a disproportionate role for the X-chromosome in disease risk, despite sex-heterogeneity on the X for several traits. We find that all anthropometric traits show less than complete correlation between the genetic contribution to males and females, and find a convincing example of autosome-wide genome-sex interaction in multiple sclerosis (P = 1 × 10-9). We also find some evidence for hormone-responsive gene enrichment, and striking evidence of the contribution of sex-differential anthropometric associations to common disease risk, implying that general mechanisms of sexual dimorphism determining secondary sex characteristics have shared effects on disease risk.
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Carbone MA, Yamamoto A, Huang W, Lyman RA, Meadors TB, Yamamoto R, Anholt RRH, Mackay TFC. Genetic architecture of natural variation in visual senescence in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E6620-E6629. [PMID: 27791033 PMCID: PMC5087026 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1613833113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Senescence, i.e., functional decline with age, is a major determinant of health span in a rapidly aging population, but the genetic basis of interindividual variation in senescence remains largely unknown. Visual decline and age-related eye disorders are common manifestations of senescence, but disentangling age-dependent visual decline in human populations is challenging due to inability to control genetic background and variation in histories of environmental exposures. We assessed the genetic basis of natural variation in visual senescence by measuring age-dependent decline in phototaxis using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model system. We quantified phototaxis at 1, 2, and 4 wk of age in the sequenced, inbred lines of the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) and found an average decline in phototaxis with age. We observed significant genetic variation for phototaxis at each age and significant genetic variation in senescence of phototaxis that is only partly correlated with phototaxis. Genome-wide association analyses in the DGRP and a DGRP-derived outbred, advanced intercross population identified candidate genes and genetic networks associated with eye and nervous system development and function, including seven genes with human orthologs previously associated with eye diseases. Ninety percent of candidate genes were functionally validated with targeted RNAi-mediated suppression of gene expression. Absence of candidate genes previously implicated with longevity indicates physiological systems may undergo senescence independent of organismal life span. Furthermore, we show that genes that shape early developmental processes also contribute to senescence, demonstrating that senescence is part of a genetic continuum that acts throughout the life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Anna Carbone
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Akihiko Yamamoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Wen Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Initiative in Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Rachel A Lyman
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Tess Brune Meadors
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Ryoan Yamamoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Robert R H Anholt
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Initiative in Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Trudy F C Mackay
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695; Initiative in Biological Complexity, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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Kim WH, Shen H, Jung DW, Williams DR. Some leopards can change their spots: potential repositioning of stem cell reprogramming compounds as anti-cancer agents. Cell Biol Toxicol 2016; 32:157-68. [DOI: 10.1007/s10565-016-9333-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Niehoff AC, Schulz J, Soltwisch J, Meyer S, Kettling H, Sperling M, Jeibmann A, Dreisewerd K, Francesconi KA, Schwerdtle T, Karst U. Imaging by Elemental and Molecular Mass Spectrometry Reveals the Uptake of an Arsenolipid in the Brain of Drosophila melanogaster. Anal Chem 2016; 88:5258-63. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b00333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Christin Niehoff
- Institute
of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse
30, 48149 Münster, Germany
- NRW
Graduate School of Chemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Schulz
- Institute
of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Soltwisch
- Institute
for Hygiene, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Strasse 41, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Sören Meyer
- NRW
Graduate School of Chemistry, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Institute
of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Hans Kettling
- Institute
for Hygiene, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Strasse 41, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Interdisciplinary
Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Münster Medical School, Domagkstrasse
3, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Michael Sperling
- Institute
of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse
30, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Astrid Jeibmann
- Institute
of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Klaus Dreisewerd
- Institute
for Hygiene, University of Münster, Robert-Koch-Strasse 41, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Interdisciplinary
Center for Clinical Research (IZKF), Münster Medical School, Domagkstrasse
3, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Kevin A. Francesconi
- Institute
of Chemistry−Analytical Chemistry, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Tanja Schwerdtle
- Institute
of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Uwe Karst
- Institute
of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse
30, 48149 Münster, Germany
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30
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Chauhan V, Chauhan A. Effects of methylmercury and alcohol exposure in Drosophila melanogaster: Potential risks in neurodevelopmental disorders. Int J Dev Neurosci 2016; 51:36-41. [PMID: 27151262 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive evidence suggests the role of oxidative stress in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we investigated whether methylmercury (MeHg) and/or alcohol exposure has deleterious effects in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies). A diet containing different concentrations of MeHg in Drosophila induced free radical generation and increased lipid peroxidation (markers of oxidative stress) in a dose-dependent manner. This effect of MeHg on oxidative stress was enhanced by further exposure to alcohol. It was observed that alcohol alone could also induce free radical generation in flies. After alcohol exposure, MeHg did not affect the immobilization of flies, but it increased the recovery time in a concentration-dependent manner. MeHg significantly inhibited the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in a dose-dependent manner. Linear regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between ADH activity and recovery time upon alcohol exposure in the flies fed a diet with MeHg. This relationship between ADH activity and recovery time after alcohol exposure was confirmed by adding 4-methyl pyrazole (an inhibitor of ADH) to the diet for the flies. These results suggest that consumption of alcohol by pregnant mothers who are exposed to MeHg may lead to increased oxidative stress and to increased length of time for alcohol clearance, which may have a direct impact on the development of the fetus, thereby increasing the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ved Chauhan
- NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA.
| | - Abha Chauhan
- NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
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Sun X, Ran D, Zhao X, Huang Y, Long S, Liang F, Guo W, Nucifora FC, Gu H, Lu X, Chen L, Zeng J, Ross CA, Pei Z. Melatonin attenuates hLRRK2-induced sleep disturbances and synaptic dysfunction in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. Mol Med Rep 2016; 13:3936-44. [PMID: 26985725 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2016.4991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep problems are the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), and are more difficult to treat than the motor symptoms. In the current study, the role of human leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (hLRRK2), the most common genetic cause of PD, was investigated with regards to sleep problems, and the therapeutic potential of melatonin in hLRRK2‑associated sleep problems was explored in Drosophila. hLRRK2 was selectively expressed in the mushroom bodies (MBs) in Drosophila and sleep patterns were measured using the Drosophila Activity Monitoring System. MB expression of hLRRK2 resulted in sleep problems, presynaptic dysfunction as evidenced by reduced miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) and excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) frequency, and excessive synaptic plasticity such as increased axon bouton density. Treatment with melatonin at 4 mM significantly attenuated the sleep problems and rescued the reduction in mEPSC and EPSP frequency in the hLRRK2 transgenic flies. The present study demonstrates that MB expression of hLRRK2 in flies recapitulates the clinical features of the sleep disturbances in PD, and that melatonin attenuates hLRRK2-induced sleep disorders and synaptic dysfunction, suggesting the therapeutic potential of melatonin in PD patients carrying LRRK2 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xicui Sun
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Dongzhi Ran
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhao
- Key Laboratory, Liaocheng Hospital, Liaocheng, Shandong 252000, P.R. China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Simei Long
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Fengyin Liang
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Wenyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Frederick C Nucifora
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Huaiyu Gu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Xilin Lu
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Ling Chen
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Jinsheng Zeng
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Christopher A Ross
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Zhong Pei
- Department of Neurology, National Key Clinical Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
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Tabassum N, Tai H, Jung DW, Williams DR. Fishing for Nature's Hits: Establishment of the Zebrafish as a Model for Screening Antidiabetic Natural Products. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2015; 2015:287847. [PMID: 26681965 PMCID: PMC4670909 DOI: 10.1155/2015/287847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus affects millions of people worldwide and significantly impacts their quality of life. Moreover, life threatening diseases, such as myocardial infarction, blindness, and renal disorders, increase the morbidity rate associated with diabetes. Various natural products from medicinal plants have shown potential as antidiabetes agents in cell-based screening systems. However, many of these potential "hits" fail in mammalian tests, due to issues such as poor pharmacokinetics and/or toxic side effects. To address this problem, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model has been developed as a "bridge" to provide an experimentally convenient animal-based screening system to identify drug candidates that are active in vivo. In this review, we discuss the application of zebrafish to drug screening technologies for diabetes research. Specifically, the discovery of natural product-based antidiabetes compounds using zebrafish will be described. For example, it has recently been demonstrated that antidiabetic natural compounds can be identified in zebrafish using activity guided fractionation of crude plant extracts. Moreover, the development of fluorescent-tagged glucose bioprobes has allowed the screening of natural product-based modulators of glucose homeostasis in zebrafish. We hope that the discussion of these advances will illustrate the value and simplicity of establishing zebrafish-based assays for antidiabetic compounds in natural products-based laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Tabassum
- New Drug Targets Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Hongmei Tai
- Department of Endocrinology, Yanji Hospital, Jilin 133000, China
| | - Da-Woon Jung
- New Drug Targets Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
| | - Darren R. Williams
- New Drug Targets Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
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Piegholdt S, Rimbach G, Wagner AE. The phytoestrogen prunetin affects body composition and improves fitness and lifespan in male
Drosophila melanogaster. FASEB J 2015; 30:948-58. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.15-282061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Piegholdt
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food ScienceUniversity of KielKielGermany
| | - Gerald Rimbach
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food ScienceUniversity of KielKielGermany
| | - Anika E. Wagner
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food ScienceUniversity of KielKielGermany
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Appel M, Scholz CJ, Müller T, Dittrich M, König C, Bockstaller M, Oguz T, Khalili A, Antwi-Adjei E, Schauer T, Margulies C, Tanimoto H, Yarali A. Genome-Wide Association Analyses Point to Candidate Genes for Electric Shock Avoidance in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126986. [PMID: 25992709 PMCID: PMC4436303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Electric shock is a common stimulus for nociception-research and the most widely used reinforcement in aversive associative learning experiments. Yet, nothing is known about the mechanisms it recruits at the periphery. To help fill this gap, we undertook a genome-wide association analysis using 38 inbred Drosophila melanogaster strains, which avoided shock to varying extents. We identified 514 genes whose expression levels and/ or sequences co-varied with shock avoidance scores. We independently scrutinized 14 of these genes using mutants, validating the effect of 7 of them on shock avoidance. This emphasizes the value of our candidate gene list as a guide for follow-up research. In addition, by integrating our association results with external protein-protein interaction data we obtained a shock avoidance-associated network of 38 genes. Both this network and the original candidate list contained a substantial number of genes that affect mechanosensory bristles, which are hair-like organs distributed across the fly’s body. These results may point to a potential role for mechanosensory bristles in shock sensation. Thus, we not only provide a first list of candidate genes for shock avoidance, but also point to an interesting new hypothesis on nociceptive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Appel
- Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Claus-Jürgen Scholz
- Laboratory for Microarray Applications, IZKF, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Müller
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Dittrich
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian König
- Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | - Tuba Oguz
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Afshin Khalili
- Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Antwi-Adjei
- Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tamas Schauer
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Butenandt Institute and LMU Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Carla Margulies
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, Butenandt Institute and LMU Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hiromu Tanimoto
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
- Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ayse Yarali
- Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Kaur K, Simon AF, Chauhan V, Chauhan A. Effect of bisphenol A on Drosophila melanogaster behavior – A new model for the studies on neurodevelopmental disorders. Behav Brain Res 2015; 284:77-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Enhanced Locomotor Activity Is Required to Exert Dietary Restriction-Dependent Increase of Stress Resistance in Drosophila. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2015; 2015:813801. [PMID: 26060531 PMCID: PMC4427800 DOI: 10.1155/2015/813801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) is known to be one of the most effective interventions to increase stress resistance, yet the mechanisms remain elusive. One of the most obvious DR-induced changes in phenotype is an increase in locomotor activity. Although it is conceptually perceivable that nutritional scarcity should prompt enhanced foraging behavior to garner additional dietary resources, the significance of enhanced movement activity has not been associated with the DR-dependent increase of stress resistance. In this study, we confirmed that flies raised on DR exhibited enhanced locomotive activity and increased stress resistance. Excision of fly wings minimized the DR-induced increase in locomotive activity, which resulted in attenuation of the DR-dependent increase of stress resistance. The possibility that wing clipping counteracts the DR by coercing flies to have more intake was ruled out since it did not induce any weight gain. Rather it was found that elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is enhanced by DR-induced upregulation of expression of antioxidant genes was significantly reduced by wing clipping. Collectively, our data suggests that DR increased stress resistance by increasing the locomotor activity, which upregulated expression of protective genes including, but not limited to, ROS scavenger system.
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37
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Ajjuri RR, Hall M, Reiter LT, O’Donnell JM. Drosophila. Mov Disord 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-405195-9.00005-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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38
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Rand MD, Montgomery SL, Prince L, Vorojeikina D. Developmental toxicity assays using the Drosophila model. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN TOXICOLOGY 2014; 59:1.12.1-20. [PMID: 24789363 PMCID: PMC4036625 DOI: 10.1002/0471140856.tx0112s59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) has long been a premier model for developmental biologists and geneticists. In toxicology studies, Drosophila has only recently gained broader recognition as a tool to elaborate molecular genetic mechanisms of toxic substances. In this article, two practical applications of Drosophila for developmental toxicity assays are described. The first assay takes advantage of newly developed methods to render the fly embryo accessible to small molecules, toxicants, and drugs. The second assay engages straightforward exposures to developing larvae and easy-to-score outcomes of adult development. With the extensive collections of flies that are publicly available and the ease of creating transgenic flies, these two assays have a unique power for identifying and characterizing molecular mechanisms and cellular pathways specific to the mode of action of a number of toxicants and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Rand
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York
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39
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Meyer S, Schulz J, Jeibmann A, Taleshi MS, Ebert F, Francesconi KA, Schwerdtle T. Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons are toxic in the in vivo model Drosophila melanogaster. Metallomics 2014; 6:2010-4. [DOI: 10.1039/c4mt00249k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Arsenic-containing hydrocarbons cause developmental toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Meyer
- Graduate School of Chemistry
- University of Muenster
- 48149 Muenster, Germany
- Institute of Nutritional Science
- University of Potsdam
| | - J. Schulz
- Institute of Neuropathology
- University Hospital Muenster
- 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - A. Jeibmann
- Institute of Neuropathology
- University Hospital Muenster
- 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - M. S. Taleshi
- Institute of Chemistry – Analytical Chemistry
- University of Graz
- 8010 Graz, Austria
- Department of Marine Chemistry
- Faculty of Marine Science
| | - F. Ebert
- Institute of Nutritional Science
- University of Potsdam
- 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
| | - K. A. Francesconi
- Institute of Chemistry – Analytical Chemistry
- University of Graz
- 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - T. Schwerdtle
- Institute of Nutritional Science
- University of Potsdam
- 14558 Nuthetal, Germany
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40
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Huntington's disease induced cardiac amyloidosis is reversed by modulating protein folding and oxidative stress pathways in the Drosophila heart. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1004024. [PMID: 24367279 PMCID: PMC3868535 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-like inclusions have been associated with Huntington's disease (HD), which is caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats in the Huntingtin protein. HD patients exhibit a high incidence of cardiovascular events, presumably as a result of accumulation of toxic amyloid-like inclusions. We have generated a Drosophila model of cardiac amyloidosis that exhibits accumulation of PolyQ aggregates and oxidative stress in myocardial cells, upon heart-specific expression of Huntingtin protein fragments (Htt-PolyQ) with disease-causing poly-glutamine repeats (PolyQ-46, PolyQ-72, and PolyQ-102). Cardiac expression of GFP-tagged Htt-PolyQs resulted in PolyQ length-dependent functional defects that included increased incidence of arrhythmias and extreme cardiac dilation, accompanied by a significant decrease in contractility. Structural and ultrastructural analysis of the myocardial cells revealed reduced myofibrillar content, myofibrillar disorganization, mitochondrial defects and the presence of PolyQ-GFP positive aggregates. Cardiac-specific expression of disease causing Poly-Q also shortens lifespan of flies dramatically. To further confirm the involvement of oxidative stress or protein unfolding and to understand the mechanism of PolyQ induced cardiomyopathy, we co-expressed expanded PolyQ-72 with the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) or the myosin chaperone UNC-45. Co-expression of SOD suppressed PolyQ-72 induced mitochondrial defects and partially suppressed aggregation as well as myofibrillar disorganization. However, co-expression of UNC-45 dramatically suppressed PolyQ-72 induced aggregation and partially suppressed myofibrillar disorganization. Moreover, co-expression of both UNC-45 and SOD more efficiently suppressed GFP-positive aggregates, myofibrillar disorganization and physiological cardiac defects induced by PolyQ-72 than did either treatment alone. Our results demonstrate that mutant-PolyQ induces aggregates, disrupts the sarcomeric organization of contractile proteins, leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and increases oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes leading to abnormal cardiac function. We conclude that modulation of both protein unfolding and oxidative stress pathways in the Drosophila heart model can ameliorate the detrimental PolyQ effects, thus providing unique insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying amyloid-induced cardiac failure in HD patients. Huntington's disease (HD) is associated with amyloid-like inclusions in the brain and heart, and accumulation of amyloid protein is associated with neurodegeneration and cardiomyopathy. Recent studies suggest that HD patients show increased susceptibility to cardiac failure. However, the mechanisms by which disease-causing poly-glutamine repeats (PolyQ) cause heart dysfunction in these patients are unclear. We have developed a novel Drosophila heart model that exhibits significant GFP-positive aggregates upon HD-causing PolyQ expression in myocardial cells resulting in PolyQ length-dependent physiological defects. Modulation of protein folding and oxidative stress pathways in this system reduced the number of aggregates and reversed the cardiac dysfunction in response to expression of disease-causing PolyQ. The ability to explore PolyQ-associated mechanisms of cardiomyopathy in a genetically tractable whole organism, Drosophila melanogaster, promises to provide novel insights into the relationship between amyloid accumulation and heart dysfunction. Our findings not only impact the understanding of PolyQ-induced cardiomyopathy but also other human cardiac diseases associated with oxidative stress, mitochondrial defects and protein homeostasis.
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41
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Kim MS. Korean Red Ginseng Tonic Extends Lifespan in D. melanogaster. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2013; 21:241-5. [PMID: 24265871 PMCID: PMC3830124 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2013.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Revised: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 05/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is the single most important risk factor that increases susceptibility to many forms of diseases. As such, much effort has been put forward to elucidate the mechanisms behind the processes of aging and to discover novel compounds that retain antiaging activities. Korean red ginseng has been used for a variety of medical purposes in eastern countries for several thousands of years. It has been shown that Korean red ginseng affects a number of biological activities including, but not limited to, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic pathways. However, few studies have been performed to evaluate its anti-aging effects with an in vivo system. Here Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model organism demonstrates that Korean red ginseng tonic extends lifespan, increases resistance to starvation stress and prevents weight gain. This data suggest that Korean red ginseng may regulate organisms' metabolism in favor of extending lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Su Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Inje University, Gimhae 621-749, Republic of Korea
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42
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Lee J, Jung DW, Kim WH, Um JI, Yim SH, Oh WK, Williams DR. Development of a highly visual, simple, and rapid test for the discovery of novel insulin mimetics in living vertebrates. ACS Chem Biol 2013; 8:1803-14. [PMID: 23725454 DOI: 10.1021/cb4000162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a global epidemic with major impacts on human health and society. Drug discovery for diabetes can be facilitated by the development of a rapid, vertebrate-based screen for identifying new insulin mimetic compounds. Our study describes the first development of a zebrafish-based system based on direct monitoring of glucose flux and validated for identifying novel anti-diabetic drugs. Our system utilizes a fluorescent-tagged glucose probe in an experimentally convenient 96-well plate format. To validate our new system, we identified compounds that can induce glucose uptake via activity-guided fractionation of the inner shell from the Japanese Chestnut (Castanea crenata). The best performing compound, UP3.2, was identified as fraxidin and validated as a novel insulin mimetic using a mammalian adipocyte system. Additional screening using sets of saponin- and triazine-based compounds was undertaken to further validate this assay, which led to the discovery of triazine PP-II-A03 as a novel insulin mimetic. Moreover, we demonstrate that our zebrafish-based system allows concomitant toxicological analysis of anti-diabetic drug candidates. Thus, we have developed a rapid and inexpensive vertebrate model that can enhance diabetes drug discovery by preselecting hits from chemical library screens, before testing in relatively expensive rodent assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Won Keun Oh
- Korea Bioactive Natural Material
Bank, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea
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43
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Robinson BG, Khurana S, Atkinson NS. Drosophila larvae as a model to study physiological alcohol dependence. Commun Integr Biol 2013; 6:e23501. [PMID: 23750304 PMCID: PMC3609852 DOI: 10.4161/cib.23501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol addiction is a disease that includes a diverse set of phenotypes. Functional alcohol tolerance is an adaptation to the effects of alcohol that restores neuronal homeostatic balance while the drug is present. When the drug is suddenly withheld, these adaptations unbalance the nervous system and are thought to be the origin of some withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms, which can be a motivating factor for alcoholics to relapse, are taken as evidence of physiological ethanol dependence. Both tolerance and withdrawal symptoms are diagnostic criteria for alcoholism. Recent studies have demonstrated that the larvae of Drosophila show conserved alcohol tolerance and withdrawal phenotypes indicating that Drosophila genetics can now be used in studying this endophenotype of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooks G Robinson
- Section of Neurobiology and Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research; The University of Texas at Austin; Austin, TX USA
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44
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Chandler JA, James PM. Discovery of trypanosomatid parasites in globally distributed Drosophila species. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61937. [PMID: 23658617 PMCID: PMC3639215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial parasites of animals include bacteria, viruses, and various unicellular eukaryotes. Because of the difficulty in studying these microorganisms in both humans and disease vectors, laboratory models are commonly used for experimental analysis of host-parasite interactions. Drosophila is one such model that has made significant contributions to our knowledge of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Despite this, less is known about other potential parasites associated with natural Drosophila populations. Here, we surveyed sixteen Drosophila populations comprising thirteen species from four continents and Hawaii and found that they are associated with an extensive diversity of trypanosomatids (Euglenozoa, Kinetoplastea). Phylogenetic analysis finds that Drosophila-associated trypanosomatids are closely related to taxa that are responsible for various types of leishmaniases and more distantly related to the taxa responsible for human African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease. We suggest that Drosophila may provide a powerful system for studying the interactions between trypanosomatids and their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Angus Chandler
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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45
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Hirsch HVB, Lnenicka G, Possidente D, Possidente B, Garfinkel MD, Wang L, Lu X, Ruden DM. Drosophila melanogaster as a model for lead neurotoxicology and toxicogenomics research. Front Genet 2012; 3:68. [PMID: 22586431 PMCID: PMC3343274 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2012.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2012] [Accepted: 04/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model animal for studying the neurotoxicology of lead. It has been known since ancient Roman times that long-term exposure to low levels of lead results in behavioral abnormalities, such as what is now known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Because lead alters mechanisms that underlie developmental neuronal plasticity, chronic exposure of children, even at blood lead levels below the current CDC community action level (10 μg/dl), can result in reduced cognitive ability, increased likelihood of delinquency, behaviors associated with ADHD, changes in activity level, altered sensory function, delayed onset of sexual maturity in girls, and changes in immune function. In order to better understand how lead affects neuronal plasticity, we will describe recent findings from a Drosophila behavioral genetics laboratory, a Drosophila neurophysiology laboratory, and a Drosophila quantitative genetics laboratory who have joined forces to study the effects of lead on the Drosophila nervous system. Studying the effects of lead on Drosophila nervous system development will give us a better understanding of the mechanisms of Pb neurotoxicity in the developing human nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut V B Hirsch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
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46
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Seggio JA, Possidente B, Ahmad ST. Larval ethanol exposure alters adult circadian free-running locomotor activity rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. Chronobiol Int 2012; 29:75-81. [PMID: 22217104 DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2011.635236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption causes disruptions in a variety of daily rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle. Few studies have explored the effect of alcohol exposure only during developmental stages preceding maturation of the adult circadian clock, and none have examined the effects of alcohol on clock function in Drosophila. This study investigates developmental and behavioral correlates between larval ethanol exposure and the adult circadian clock in Drosophila melanogaster, a well-established model for studying circadian rhythms and effects of ethanol exposure. We reared Drosophila larvae on 0%, 10%, or 20% ethanol-supplemented food and assessed effects upon eclosion and the free-running period of the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity. We observed a dose-dependent effect of ethanol on period, with higher doses resulting in shorter periods. We also identified the third larval instar stage as a critical time for the developmental effects of 10% ethanol on circadian period. These results demonstrate that developmental ethanol exposure causes sustainable shortening of the adult free-running period in Drosophila melanogaster, even after adult exposure to ethanol is terminated, and suggests that the third instar is a sensitive time for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Seggio
- Department of Biology, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02325, USA.
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47
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Gejman PV, Sanders AR, Kendler KS. Genetics of Schizophrenia: New Findings and Challenges. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2011; 12:121-44. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-082410-101459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo V. Gejman
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, and University of Chicago, Evanston, Illinois 60201;
| | - Alan R. Sanders
- Center for Psychiatric Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, and University of Chicago, Evanston, Illinois 60201;
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and Departments of Psychiatry and Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298;
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48
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Kohlhoff KJ, Jahn TR, Lomas DA, Dobson CM, Crowther DC, Vendruscolo M. The iFly tracking system for an automated locomotor and behavioural analysis of Drosophila melanogaster. Integr Biol (Camb) 2011; 3:755-60. [PMID: 21698336 PMCID: PMC5011414 DOI: 10.1039/c0ib00149j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The use of animal models in medical research provides insights into molecular and cellular mechanisms of human disease, and helps identify and test novel therapeutic strategies. Drosophila melanogaster--the common fruit fly--is one of the most well-established model organisms, as its study can be performed more readily and with far less expense than for other model animal systems, such as mice, fish, or primates. In the case of fruit flies, standard assays are based on the analysis of longevity and basic locomotor functions. Here we present the iFly tracking system, which enables to increase the amount of quantitative information that can be extracted from these studies, and to reduce significantly the duration and costs associated with them. The iFly system uses a single camera to simultaneously track the trajectories of up to 20 individual flies with about 100 μm spatial and 33 ms temporal resolution. The statistical analysis of fly movements recorded with such accuracy makes it possible to perform a rapid and fully automated quantitative analysis of locomotor changes in response to a range of different stimuli. We anticipate that the iFly method will reduce very considerably the costs and the duration of the testing of genetic and pharmacological interventions in Drosophila models, including an earlier detection of behavioural changes and a large increase in throughput compared to current longevity and locomotor assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai J. Kohlhoff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas R. Jahn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A. Lomas
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Damian C. Crowther
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Cambridge, UK
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49
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The contribution of dominance to the understanding of quantitative genetic variation. Genet Res (Camb) 2011; 93:139-54. [DOI: 10.1017/s0016672310000649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
SummaryKnowledge of the genetic architecture of a quantitative trait is useful to adjust methods for the prediction of genomic breeding values and to discover the extent to which common assumptions in quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping experiments and breeding value estimation are violated. It also affects our ability to predict the long-term response of selection. In this paper, we focus on additive and dominance effects of QTL. We derive formulae that can be used to estimate the number of QTLs that affect a quantitative trait and parameters of the distribution of their additive and dominance effects from variance components, inbreeding depression and results from QTL mapping experiments. It is shown that a lower bound for the number of QTLs depends on the ratio of squared inbreeding depression to dominance variance. That is, high inbreeding depression must be due to a sufficient number of QTLs because otherwise the dominance variance would exceed the true value. Moreover, the second moment of the dominance coefficient depends only on the ratio of dominance variance to additive variance and on the dependency between additive effects and dominance coefficients. This has implications on the relative frequency of overdominant alleles. It is also demonstrated how the expected number of large QTLs determines the shape of the distribution of additive effects. The formulae are applied to milk yield and productive life in Holstein cattle. Possible sources for a potential bias of the results are discussed.
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50
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Abstract
Understanding the genetic architecture of polygenic traits requires investigating how complex networks of interacting molecules mediate the effect of genetic variation on organismal phenotypes. We used a combination of P-element mutagenesis and analysis of natural variation in gene expression to predict transcriptional networks that underlie alcohol sensitivity in Drosophila melanogaster. We identified 139 unique P-element mutations (124 in genes) that affect sensitivity or resistance to alcohol exposure. Further analyses of nine of the lines showed that the P-elements affected expression levels of the tagged genes, and P-element excision resulted in phenotypic reversion. The majority of the mutations were in computationally predicted genes or genes with unexpected effects on alcohol phenotypes. Therefore we sought to understand the biological relationships among 21 of these genes by leveraging genetic correlations among genetically variable transcripts in wild-derived inbred lines to predict coregulated transcriptional networks. A total of 32 "hub" genes were common to two or more networks associated with the focal genes. We used RNAi-mediated inhibition of expression of focal genes and of hub genes connected to them in the network to confirm their effects on alcohol-related phenotypes. We then expanded the computational networks using the hub genes as foci and again validated network predictions. Iteration of this approach allows a stepwise expansion of the network with simultaneous functional validation. Although coregulated transcriptional networks do not provide information about causal relationships among their constituent transcripts, they provide a framework for subsequent functional studies on the genetic basis of alcohol sensitivity.
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