A5025379806- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Escherichia coli research studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Pharmacological Effects and Assays
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Congenital heart defects research
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
University of Montana
2012-2025
Center for Environmental Health
2025
Harvard University
2004-2010
University of Iowa
1996-2000
The reproductive and defensive behaviors that are initiated in response to specific sensory cues can provide insight into how choices made between different social behaviors. We manipulated both the activity sex of a subset neurons found significant changes male behavior. Results from aggression assays indicate neuromodulator octopamine (OCT) is necessary for Drosophila males coordinate cue information presented by second respond with appropriate behavior: rather than courtship. In...
Chemosensory pheromonal information regulates aggression and reproduction in many species, but how signals are transduced to reliably produce behavior is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that the detected by Gr32a-expressing chemosensory neurons enhance male filtered through octopamine (OA, invertebrate equivalent of norepinephrine) neurons. Using behavioral assays, find males lacking both Gr32a gustatory receptors exhibit parallel delays onset reductions aggression. Physiological...
Little is known about how the odor specificities of olfactory neurons are generated, a process essential to coding. We have found that neuronal identity relies on abnormal chemosensory jump 6 (acj6) gene, originally identified by defect in behavior. Physiological analysis individual shows acj6 mutants, subset acquires different odorant response profile. Certain other do not respond any tested odors acj6. Molecular it encodes POU-domain transcription factor expressed neurons. Our data suggest...
Situations requiring rapid decision-making in response to dynamic environmental demands occur repeatedly natural environments. Neuromodulation can offer important flexibility the output of neural networks coping with changing conditions, but contribution individual neuromodulatory neurons social behavior remains relatively unknown. Here we manipulate Drosophila octopaminergic system and assay changes adult male courtship aggression paradigms. When functional state OA circuits is enhanced,...
Neuromodulators such as monoamines are often expressed in neurons that also release at least one fast-acting neurotransmitter. The of a combination transmitters provides both "classical" and "modulatory" signals could produce diverse and/or complementary effects associated circuits. Here, we establish the majority Drosophila octopamine (OA) glutamatergic identify individual contributions each neurotransmitter on sex-specific behaviors. Males without OA display low levels aggression high...
In both vertebrates and invertebrates, members of the LIM-homeodomain (LIM-HD) family transcription factors act in combinatorial codes to specify motoneuron subclass identities. developing Drosophila embryo, LIM-HD Islet (Tailup) Lim3, set subclasses that innervate ventral muscle targets. However, as several express this code alone cannot explain how these groups are further differentiated. To identify additional may refine code, we have analyzed expression POU genes embryonic nerve cord. We...
ABSTRACT Organogenesis of the Drosophila tracheal system involves extensive directed cell migrations leading to a stereotypic series interconnected tubules. Although numerous gene products have been shown be essential for morphogenesis, direct functional relationships between participants not previously established. Both breathless gene, encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase homologue, and POU-domain transcription drifter, are expressed in all cells migrations. We...
ABSTRACT Mutations in the Drosophila class IV POU domain gene, abnormal chemosensory jump 6 (acj6), have previously been shown to cause physiological deficits odor sensitivity. However, loss of Acj6 function also has a severe detrimental effect upon coordinated larval and adult movement that cannot be explained by simple odorant detection. In addition olfactory sensory neurons, is expressed distinct subset postmitotic interneurons central nervous system from late embryonic stages. brain,...
Aggression is an innate behavior that has likely evolved in the framework of defending or obtaining resources. This complex social influenced by genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. In many organisms, aggression critical to survival, but ability control suppress distinct contexts also necessary. Invertebrate with their relatively simple nervous systems a multiplicity powerful tools available examine often elaborate behavioral displays, have become increasingly valuable models for...
Proteins containing a methyl‐ CpG ‐binding domain ( MBD ) bind 5mC and convert the methylation pattern information into appropriate functional cellular states. The correct readout of epigenetic marks is particular importance in nervous system where abnormal expression or compromised protein function, can lead to disease developmental disorders. Recent evidence indicates that genome Drosophila melanogaster methylated two proteins, dMBD2 /3 dMBD‐R2 , are present. Are proteins required for...
Aggression is an innate behavior that evolved in the framework of defending or obtaining resources. This complex social influenced by genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. In many organisms, aggression critical to survival but controlling suppressing distinct contexts also has become increasingly important. recent years, invertebrates have useful as model systems for investigating genetic biological basis behavior. part due diverse repertoire behaviors exhibited these organisms....
Reproductive isolation and speciation are driven by the convergence of environmental genetic variation. The integration these variation sources is thought to occur through epigenetic marks including DNA methylation. Proteins containing a methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) bind methylated interpret marks, providing dynamic yet evolutionarily adapted cellular output. Here, we report Drosophila MBD-containing proteins, dMBD-R2 dMBD2/3, contribute reproductive survival behavioral strategies....
Abstract Glutamate is a principal neurotransmitter used extensively by the nervous systems of all vertebrate and invertebrate animals. It primarily an excitatory that has been implicated in system development, as well myriad brain functions from simple transmission information between neurons to more complex aspects function including synaptic plasticity, learning, memory. Identification glutamatergic their sites glutamate release are thus essential for understanding mechanisms neural...
Abstract Within the extracellular matrix, matricellular proteins are dynamically expressed nonstructural that interact with cell surface receptors, growth factors, and proteases, as well structural matrix proteins. The cellular communication network factors family of serve regulatory roles to regulate function defined by their conserved multimodular organization. Here, we characterize expression neuronal requirement for Drosophila factor member. is in nervous system throughout development...
Alterations in the expression of Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) either by mutations or gene duplication leads to a wide spectrum neurodevelopmental disorders including Rett Syndrome and MeCP2 disorder. Common features (RTT), disorder, neuropsychiatric indicate that even moderate changes levels result functional structural cell abnormalities. In this study, we investigated two areas pathophysiology using Drosophila as model system: effects glial gain-of-function activity on circuits...
Abstract Octopamine, the invertebrate analog of norepinephrine, is known to modulate a large variety behaviors in Drosophila including feeding initiation, locomotion, aggression, and courtship, among many others. Significantly less about identity neurons that receive octopamine input how they mediate octopamine‐regulated behaviors. Here, we characterize adult neuronal expression MiMIC‐converted Trojan‐Gal4 lines for each five receptors. Broad was observed all receptors, yet distinct...
Aggression is an innate behavior that evolved in the framework of defending or obtaining resources. This complex social influenced by genetic, hormonal and environmental factors. In many organisms, aggression critical to survival but controlling suppressing distinct contexts also has become increasingly important. recent years, invertebrates have useful as model systems for investigating genetic biological basis behavior. part due diverse repertoire behaviors exhibited these organisms....
Here, we highlight three different assays that are used to study Drosophila aggression. The advantages and disadvantages of each assay discussed, as examining aspects aggressive behavior presents distinct challenges researchers. This is because aggression not a singular behavioral unit. Rather, the result interactions between individuals; and, such, initiation frequency these impacted by parameters including method loading flies into observation chamber, size animals' previous social...
Among the first cells to differentiate in Drosophila ventral nerve cord, mesectodermal (midline) lineage gives rise a discrete set of neurons and glia previously demonstrated play an important role organization developing nervous system. The relative simplicity midline has allowed elucidation many aspects initial commitment subsequent differentiation. Based upon its expression pattern loss-of-function phenotype, we have proposed key for POU-domain transcription factor, drifter (dfr),...