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Sekiguchi M, Reinhard N, Fukuda A, Katoh S, Rieger D, Helfrich-Förster C, Yoshii T. A Detailed Re-Examination of the Period Gene Rescue Experiments Shows That Four to Six Cryptochrome-Positive Posterior Dorsal Clock Neurons (DN 1p) of Drosophila melanogaster Can Control Morning and Evening Activity. J Biol Rhythms 2024; 39:463-483. [PMID: 39082442 DOI: 10.1177/07487304241263130] [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: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Animal circadian clocks play a crucial role in regulating behavioral adaptations to daily environmental changes. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster exhibits 2 prominent peaks of activity in the morning and evening, known as morning (M) and evening (E) peaks. These peaks are controlled by 2 distinct circadian oscillators located in separate groups of clock neurons in the brain. To investigate the clock neurons responsible for the M and E peaks, a cell-specific gene expression system, the GAL4-UAS system, has been commonly employed. In this study, we re-examined the two-oscillator model for the M and E peaks of Drosophila by utilizing more than 50 Gal4 lines in conjunction with the UAS-period16 line, which enables the restoration of the clock function in specific cells in the period (per) null mutant background. Previous studies have indicated that the group of small ventrolateral neurons (s-LNv) is responsible for controlling the M peak, while the other group, consisting of the 5th ventrolateral neuron (5th LNv) and the three cryptochrome (CRY)-positive dorsolateral neurons (LNd), is responsible for the E peak. Furthermore, the group of posterior dorsal neurons 1 (DN1p) is thought to also contain M and E oscillators. In this study, we found that Gal4 lines directed at the same clock neuron groups can lead to different results, underscoring the fact that activity patterns are influenced by many factors. Nevertheless, we were able to confirm previous findings that the entire network of circadian clock neurons controls M and E peaks, with the lateral neurons playing a dominant role. In addition, we demonstrate that 4 to 6 CRY-positive DN1p cells are sufficient to generate M and E peaks in light-dark cycles and complex free-running rhythms in constant darkness. Ultimately, our detailed screening could serve as a catalog to choose the best Gal4 lines that can be used to rescue per in specific clock neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Sekiguchi
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Nils Reinhard
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ayumi Fukuda
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Shun Katoh
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Dirk Rieger
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Charlotte Helfrich-Förster
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Taishi Yoshii
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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2
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Iyer AR, Scholz-Carlson E, Bell E, Biondi G, Richhariya S, Fernandez MP. The Circadian Neuropeptide PDF has Sexually Dimorphic Effects on Activity Rhythms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.31.578273. [PMID: 38352594 PMCID: PMC10862788 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.578273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
The circadian system regulates the timing of multiple molecular, physiological, metabolic, and behavioral phenomena. In Drosophila as in other species, most of the research on how the timekeeping system in the brain controls timing of behavioral outputs has been conducted in males, or sex was not included as a biological variable. The main circadian pacemaker neurons in Drosophila release the neuropeptide Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF), which functions as a key synchronizing factor in the network with complex effects on other clock neurons. Lack of Pdf or its receptor, PdfR, results in most flies displaying arrhythmicity in activity-rest cycles under constant conditions. However, our results show that female circadian rhythms are less affected by mutations in both Pdf and PdfR. Crispr-Cas9 mutagenesis of Pdf specifically in the ventral lateral neurons (LNvs) also has a greater effect on male rhythms. We tested the influence of the M-cells over the circadian network and show that speeding up the molecular clock specifically in the M-cells leads to sexually dimorphic phenotypes, with a more pronounced effect on male rhythmic behavior. Our results suggest that the female circadian system is more resilient to manipulations of the PDF pathway and that circadian timekeeping is more distributed across the clock neuron network in females.
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3
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Neitz AF, Carter BM, Ceriani MF, Ellisman MH, de la Iglesia HO. Suprachiasmatic nucleus VIPergic fibers show a circadian rhythm of expansion and retraction. Curr Biol 2024; 34:4056-4061.e2. [PMID: 39127047 PMCID: PMC11387125 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.051] [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: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
In animals, overt circadian rhythms of physiology and behavior are centrally regulated by a circadian clock located in specific brain regions. In the fruit fly Drosophila and in mammals, these clocks rely on single-cell oscillators, but critical for their function as central circadian pacemakers are network properties that change dynamically throughout the circadian cycle as well as in response to environmental stimuli.1,2,3 In the fly, this plasticity involves circadian rhythms of expansion and retraction of clock neuron fibers.4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14 Whether these drastic structural changes are a universal property of central neuronal pacemakers is unknown. To address this question, we studied neurons of the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that express vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), which are critical for the SCN to function as a central circadian pacemaker. By targeting the expression of the fluorescent protein tdTomato to these neurons and using tissue clearing techniques to visualize all SCN VIPergic neurons and their fibers, we show that, similar to clock neurons in the fly, VIPergic fibers undergo a daily rhythm of expansion and retraction, with maximal branching during the day. This rhythm is circadian, as it persists under constant environmental conditions and is present in both males and females. We propose that circadian structural remodeling of clock neurons represents a key feature of central circadian pacemakers that is likely critical to regulate network properties, the response to environmental stimuli, and the regulation of circadian outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra F Neitz
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1800, USA; Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Bryn M Carter
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1800, USA
| | | | - Mark H Ellisman
- National Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0608, USA
| | - Horacio O de la Iglesia
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1800, USA; Molecular & Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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4
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Liu J, Wang Y, Liu X, Han J, Tian Y. Spatiotemporal changes in Netrin/Dscam1 signaling dictate axonal projection direction in Drosophila small ventral lateral clock neurons. eLife 2024; 13:RP96041. [PMID: 39052321 PMCID: PMC11272162 DOI: 10.7554/elife.96041] [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] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Axon projection is a spatial- and temporal-specific process in which the growth cone receives environmental signals guiding axons to their final destination. However, the mechanisms underlying changes in axonal projection direction without well-defined landmarks remain elusive. Here, we present evidence showcasing the dynamic nature of axonal projections in Drosophila's small ventral lateral clock neurons (s-LNvs). Our findings reveal that these axons undergo an initial vertical projection in the early larval stage, followed by a subsequent transition to a horizontal projection in the early-to-mid third instar larvae. The vertical projection of s-LNv axons correlates with mushroom body calyx expansion, while the s-LNv-expressed Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam1) interacts with Netrins to regulate the horizontal projection. During a specific temporal window, locally newborn dorsal clock neurons secrete Netrins, facilitating the transition of axonal projection direction in s-LNvs. Our study establishes a compelling in vivo model to probe the mechanisms of axonal projection direction switching in the absence of clear landmarks. These findings underscore the significance of dynamic local microenvironments in the complementary regulation of axonal projection direction transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, the Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yuedong Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, the Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xian Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, the Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Junhai Han
- School of Life Science and Technology, the Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Yao Tian
- School of Life Science and Technology, the Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
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5
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Hamanaka Y, Hasebe M, Shiga S. Neural mechanism of circadian clock-based photoperiodism in insects and snails. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:601-625. [PMID: 37596422 PMCID: PMC11226556 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01662-6] [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: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The photoperiodic mechanism distinguishes between long and short days, and the circadian clock system is involved in this process. Although the necessity of circadian clock genes for photoperiodic responses has been demonstrated in many species, how the clock system contributes to photoperiodic mechanisms remains unclear. A comprehensive study, including the functional analysis of relevant genes and physiology of their expressing cells, is necessary to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms. Since Drosophila melanogaster exhibits a shallow photoperiodism, photoperiodic mechanisms have been studied in non-model species, starting with brain microsurgery and neuroanatomy, followed by genetic manipulation in some insects. Here, we review and discuss the involvement of the circadian clock in photoperiodic mechanisms in terms of neural networks in insects. We also review recent advances in the neural mechanisms underlying photoperiodic responses in insects and snails, and additionally circadian clock systems in snails, whose involvement in photoperiodism has hardly been addressed yet. Brain neurosecretory cells, insulin-like peptide/diuretic hormone44-expressing pars intercerebralis neurones in the bean bug Riptortus pedestris and caudo-dorsal cell hormone-expressing caudo-dorsal cells in the snail Lymnaea stagnalis, both promote egg laying under long days, and their electrical excitability is attenuated under short and medium days, which reduces oviposition. The photoperiodic responses of the pars intercerebralis neurones are mediated by glutamate under the control of the clock gene period. Thus, we are now able to assess the photoperiodic response by neurosecretory cell activity to investigate the upstream mechanisms, that is, the photoperiodic clock and counter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Hamanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan
| | - Masaharu Hasebe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan
| | - Sakiko Shiga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan.
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6
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Hofbauer B, Zandawala M, Reinhard N, Rieger D, Werner C, Evers JF, Wegener C. The neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor signals independently of Bruchpilot-labelled active zones in daily remodelled terminals of Drosophila clock neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:2665-2685. [PMID: 38414155 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16294] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The small ventrolateral neurons (sLNvs) are key components of the central clock in the Drosophila brain. They signal via the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) to align the molecular clockwork of different central clock neurons and to modulate downstream circuits. The dorsal terminals of the sLNvs undergo daily morphological changes that affect presynaptic sites organised by the active zone protein Bruchpilot (BRP), a homolog of mammalian ELKS proteins. However, the role of these presynaptic sites for PDF release is ill-defined. Here, we combined expansion microscopy with labelling of active zones by endogenously tagged BRP to examine the spatial correlation between PDF-containing dense-core vesicles and BRP-labelled active zones. We found that the number of BRP-labelled puncta in the sLNv terminals was similar while their density differed between Zeitgeber time (ZT) 2 and 14. The relative distance between BRP- and PDF-labelled puncta was increased in the morning, around the reported time of PDF release. Spontaneous dense-core vesicle release profiles of sLNvs in a publicly available ssTEM dataset (FAFB) consistently lacked spatial correlation to BRP-organised active zones. RNAi-mediated downregulation of brp and other active zone proteins expressed by the sLNvs did not affect PDF-dependent locomotor rhythmicity. In contrast, down-regulation of genes encoding proteins of the canonical vesicle release machinery, the dense-core vesicle-related protein CADPS, as well as PDF impaired locomotor rhythmicity. Taken together, our study suggests that PDF release from the sLNvs is independent of BRP-organised active zones, while BRP may be redistributed to active zones in a time-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Hofbauer
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Nils Reinhard
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Rieger
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Werner
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jan Felix Evers
- Centre for organismal studies COS, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Cairn GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Wegener
- Biocenter, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Neurobiology and Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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7
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Stilgoe A, Favre-Bulle IA, Watson ML, Gomez-Godinez V, Berns MW, Preece D, Rubinsztein-Dunlop H. Shining Light in Mechanobiology: Optical Tweezers, Scissors, and Beyond. ACS PHOTONICS 2024; 11:917-940. [PMID: 38523746 PMCID: PMC10958612 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.4c00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Mechanobiology helps us to decipher cell and tissue functions by looking at changes in their mechanical properties that contribute to development, cell differentiation, physiology, and disease. Mechanobiology sits at the interface of biology, physics and engineering. One of the key technologies that enables characterization of properties of cells and tissue is microscopy. Combining microscopy with other quantitative measurement techniques such as optical tweezers and scissors, gives a very powerful tool for unraveling the intricacies of mechanobiology enabling measurement of forces, torques and displacements at play. We review the field of some light based studies of mechanobiology and optical detection of signal transduction ranging from optical micromanipulation-optical tweezers and scissors, advanced fluorescence techniques and optogenentics. In the current perspective paper, we concentrate our efforts on elucidating interesting measurements of forces, torques, positions, viscoelastic properties, and optogenetics inside and outside a cell attained when using structured light in combination with optical tweezers and scissors. We give perspective on the field concentrating on the use of structured light in imaging in combination with tweezers and scissors pointing out how novel developments in quantum imaging in combination with tweezers and scissors can bring to this fast growing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander
B. Stilgoe
- School of
Mathematics and Physics, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- ARC
CoE for Engineered Quantum Systems, The
University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- ARC
CoE in Quantum Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, 4074, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Itia A. Favre-Bulle
- School of
Mathematics and Physics, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- Queensland
Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
| | - Mark L. Watson
- School of
Mathematics and Physics, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- ARC
CoE for Engineered Quantum Systems, The
University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
| | - Veronica Gomez-Godinez
- Institute
of Engineering and Medicine, University
of California San Diego, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Michael W. Berns
- Institute
of Engineering and Medicine, University
of California San Diego, San Diego, California 92093, United States
- Beckman
Laser Institute, University of California
Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, United States
| | - Daryl Preece
- Beckman
Laser Institute, University of California
Irvine, Irvine, California 92612, United States
| | - Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop
- School of
Mathematics and Physics, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- ARC
CoE for Engineered Quantum Systems, The
University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4074, Australia
- ARC
CoE in Quantum Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, 4074, Brisbane, Australia
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8
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Li W, Tiedt S, Lawrence JH, Harrington ME, Musiek ES, Lo EH. Circadian Biology and the Neurovascular Unit. Circ Res 2024; 134:748-769. [PMID: 38484026 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.323514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian physiology and cellular function are subject to significant oscillations over the course of every 24-hour day. It is likely that these daily rhythms will affect function as well as mechanisms of disease in the central nervous system. In this review, we attempt to survey and synthesize emerging studies that investigate how circadian biology may influence the neurovascular unit. We examine how circadian clocks may operate in neural, glial, and vascular compartments, review how circadian mechanisms regulate cell-cell signaling, assess interactions with aging and vascular comorbidities, and finally ask whether and how circadian effects and disruptions in rhythms may influence the risk and progression of pathophysiology in cerebrovascular disease. Overcoming identified challenges and leveraging opportunities for future research might support the development of novel circadian-based treatments for stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlu Li
- Neuroprotection Research Laboratories, Departments of Radiology and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (W.L., E.H.L.)
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
| | - Steffen Tiedt
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany (S.T.)
| | - Jennifer H Lawrence
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (J.H.L., E.S.M.)
| | - Mary E Harrington
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, MA (M.E.H.)
| | - Erik S Musiek
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (J.H.L., E.S.M.)
| | - Eng H Lo
- Neuroprotection Research Laboratories, Departments of Radiology and Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (W.L., E.H.L.)
- Consortium International pour la Recherche Circadienne sur l'AVC, Munich, Germany (W.L., S.T., J.H.L., M.E.H., E.S.M., E.H.L.)
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9
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Akpoghiran O, Afonso DJS, Zhang Y, Koh K. TARANIS Interacts with VRILLE and PDP1 to Modulate the Circadian Transcriptional Feedback Mechanism in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0922232023. [PMID: 38296648 PMCID: PMC10860567 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0922-23.2023] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The molecular clock that generates daily rhythms of behavior and physiology consists of interlocked transcription-translation feedback loops. In Drosophila, the primary feedback loop involving the CLOCK-CYCLE transcriptional activators and the PERIOD-TIMELESS transcriptional repressors is interlocked with a secondary loop involving VRILLE (VRI) and PAR DOMAIN PROTEIN 1 (PDP1), a repressor and activator of Clock transcription, respectively. Whereas extensive studies have found numerous transcriptional, translational, and posttranslational modulators of the primary loop, relatively little is known about the secondary loop. In this study, using male and female flies as well as cultured cells, we demonstrate that TARANIS (TARA), a Drosophila homolog of the TRIP-Br/SERTAD family of transcriptional coregulators, functions with VRI and PDP1 to modulate the circadian period and rhythm strength. Knocking down tara reduces rhythm amplitude and can shorten the period length, while overexpressing TARA lengthens the circadian period. Additionally, tara mutants exhibit reduced rhythmicity and lower expression of the PDF neuropeptide. We find that TARA can form a physical complex with VRI and PDP1, enhancing their repressor and activator functions, respectively. The conserved SERTA domain of TARA is required to regulate the transcriptional activity of VRI and PDP1, and its deletion leads to reduced locomotor rhythmicity. Consistent with TARA's role in enhancing VRI and PDP1 activity, overexpressing tara has a similar effect on the circadian period and rhythm strength as simultaneously overexpressing vri and Pdp1 Together, our results suggest that TARA modulates circadian behavior by enhancing the transcriptional activity of VRI and PDP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oghenerukevwe Akpoghiran
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, Pennsylvania
| | - Dinis J S Afonso
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, Pennsylvania
| | - Yanan Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, Pennsylvania
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia 19107, Pennsylvania
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10
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Akpoghiran O, Afonso DJ, Zhang Y, Koh K. TARANIS interacts with VRILLE and PDP1 to modulate the circadian transcriptional feedback mechanism in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.541420. [PMID: 38076905 PMCID: PMC10705542 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.541420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
The molecular clock that generates daily rhythms of behavior and physiology consists of interlocked transcription-translation feedback loops. In Drosophila, the primary feedback loop involving the CLOCK-CYCLE transcriptional activators and the PERIOD-TIMELESS transcriptional repressors is interlocked with a secondary loop involving VRILLE (VRI) and PAR DOMAIN PROTEIN 1 (PDP1), a repressor and activator of Clock transcription, respectively. Whereas extensive studies have found numerous transcriptional, translational, and post-translational modulators of the primary loop, relatively little is known about the secondary loop. In this study, using male and female flies as well as cultured cells, we demonstrate that TARANIS (TARA), a Drosophila homolog of the TRIP-Br/SERTAD family of transcriptional coregulators, functions with VRI and PDP1 to modulate the circadian period and rhythm strength. Knocking down tara reduces rhythm amplitude and can shorten the period length, while overexpressing TARA lengthens the circadian period. Additionally, tara mutants exhibit reduced rhythmicity and lower expression of the PDF neuropeptide. We find that TARA can form a physical complex with VRI and PDP1, enhancing their repressor and activator functions, respectively. The conserved SERTA domain of TARA is required to regulate the transcriptional activity of VRI and PDP1, and its deletion leads to reduced locomotor rhythmicity. Consistent with TARA's role in enhancing VRI and PDP1 activity, overexpressing tara has a similar effect on the circadian period and rhythm strength as simultaneously overexpressing vri and Pdp1. Together, our results suggest that TARA modulates circadian behavior by enhancing the transcriptional activity of VRI and PDP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oghenerukevwe Akpoghiran
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. 19107
| | - Dinis J.S. Afonso
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. 19107
| | - Yanan Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. 19107
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- Department of Neuroscience, the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, and Synaptic Biology Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. 19107
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11
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Qiu J, Dai T, Luo C, Cui W, Liu K, Li J, Sima Y, Xu S. Circadian clock regulates developmental time through ecdysone and juvenile hormones in Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 36815346 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The circadian clock plays an integral role in hormone biosynthesis and secretion. However, how the circadian clock precisely coordinates hormonal homeostasis to maintain normal animal development remains unclear. Here, we show that knocking out the core clock gene Cryptochrome 1 (Cry1) significantly delays the developmental time in Bombyx mori. This study focuses on the ecdysone and juvenile hormone signalling pathways of fifth instar larvae with the longest developmental time delay. We found that the mutant reduced prothoracicotropic hormone synthesis in the brain, and could not produce sufficient ecdysone in the prothoracic gland, resulting in a delayed peak of 20-hydroxyecdysone titre in the hemolymph of fifth instar larvae, prolonging developmental time. Moreover, further investigation revealed that the mutant enhanced juvenile hormone biosynthesis and signalling pathway and that this higher juvenile hormone titre also resulted in prolonged developmental time in fifth instar larvae. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms by which the circadian clock regulates animal development by maintaining hormonal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Qiu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Taiming Dai
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Cheng Luo
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wenzhao Cui
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kai Liu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jianglan Li
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yanghu Sima
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Shiqing Xu
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology & Ecology (IABE), Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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12
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Delventhal R, Barber AF. Sensory integration: Time and temperature regulate fly siesta. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R1020-R1022. [PMID: 36220091 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Temperatures outside the preferred range require flies to acutely adjust their behavior. A new study finds that heat-sensing neurons provide input to fly circadian clock neurons to extend the daytime siesta, allowing flies to sleep through excessive daytime heat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Delventhal
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, 555 North Sheridan Road, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
| | - Annika F Barber
- Waksman Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 190 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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13
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Crespo-Flores SL, Barber AF. The Drosophila circadian clock circuit is a nonhierarchical network of peptidergic oscillators. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100944. [PMID: 35709899 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The relatively simple Drosophila circadian clock circuit consists of 150 clock neurons that coordinate rhythmic behavior and physiology, which are generally classified based on neuroanatomical location. Transcriptional and connectomic studies have identified novel subdivisions of these clock neuron populations, and identified neuropeptides not previously known to be expressed in the fly clock circuit. An additional feature of fly clock neurons is daily axonal remodeling, first noted in small ventrolateral neurons, but more recently also found in additional clock neuron groups. These findings raise new questions about the functional roles of clock neuron subpopulations and daily remodeling of network architecture in regulating circadian behavior and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio L Crespo-Flores
- Waksman Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, USA
| | - Annika F Barber
- Waksman Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, USA.
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14
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Shafer OT, Gutierrez GJ, Li K, Mildenhall A, Spira D, Marty J, Lazar AA, Fernandez MDLP. ---Connectomic analysis of the Drosophila lateral neuron clock cells reveals the synaptic basis of functional pacemaker classes. eLife 2022; 11:79139. [PMID: 35766361 PMCID: PMC9365390 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian clock orchestrates daily changes in physiology and behavior to ensure internal temporal order and optimal timing across the day. In animals, a central brain clock coordinates circadian rhythms throughout the body and is characterized by a remarkable robustness that depends on synaptic connections between constituent neurons. The clock neuron network of Drosophila, which shares network motifs with clock networks in the mammalian brain yet is built of many fewer neurons, offers a powerful model for understanding the network properties of circadian timekeeping. Here, we report an assessment of synaptic connectivity within a clock network, focusing on the critical lateral neuron (LN) clock neuron classes within the Janelia hemibrain dataset. Our results reveal that previously identified anatomical and functional subclasses of LNs represent distinct connectomic types. Moreover, we identify a small number of non-clock cell subtypes representing highly synaptically coupled nodes within the clock neuron network. This suggests that neurons lacking molecular timekeeping likely play integral roles within the circadian timekeeping network. To our knowledge, this represents the first comprehensive connectomic analysis of a circadian neuronal network. Most organisms on Earth possess an internal timekeeping system which ensures that bodily processes such as sleep, wakefulness or digestion take place at the right time. These precise daily rhythms are kept in check by a master clock in the brain. There, thousands of neurons – some of which carrying an internal ‘molecular clock’ – connect to each other through structures known as synapses. Exactly how the resulting network is organised to support circadian timekeeping remains unclear. To explore this question, Shafer, Gutierrez et al. focused on fruit flies, as recent efforts have systematically mapped every neuron and synaptic connection in the brain of this model organism. Analysing available data from the hemibrain connectome project at Janelia revealed that that the neurons with the most important timekeeping roles were in fact forming the fewest synapses within the network. In addition, neurons without internal molecular clocks mediated strong synaptic connections between those that did, suggesting that ‘clockless’ cells still play an integral role in circadian timekeeping. With this research, Shafer, Gutierrez et al. provide unexpected insights into the organisation of the master body clock. Better understanding the networks that underpin circadian rhythms will help to grasp how and why these are disrupted in obesity, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orie T Shafer
- Advanced Science Research Center, City University of New York, New York, United States
| | - Gabrielle J Gutierrez
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, United States
| | - Kimberly Li
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York, United States
| | - Amber Mildenhall
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York, United States
| | - Daphna Spira
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York City, United States
| | - Jonathan Marty
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, United States
| | - Aurel A Lazar
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, United States
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15
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Persons JL, Abhilash L, Lopatkin AJ, Roelofs A, Bell EV, Fernandez MP, Shafer OT. PHASE: An Open-Source Program for the Analysis of Drosophila Phase, Activity, and Sleep Under Entrainment. J Biol Rhythms 2022; 37:455-467. [PMID: 35727044 PMCID: PMC10362883 DOI: 10.1177/07487304221093114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The problem of entrainment is central to circadian biology. In this regard, Drosophila has been an important model system. Owing to the simplicity of its nervous system and the availability of powerful genetic tools, the system has shed significant light on the molecular and neural underpinnings of entrainment. However, much remains to be learned regarding the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying this important phenomenon. Under cyclic light/dark conditions, Drosophila melanogaster displays crepuscular patterns of locomotor activity with one peak anticipating dawn and the other anticipating dusk. These peaks are characterized through an estimation of their phase relative to the environmental light cycle and the extent of their anticipation of light transitions. In Drosophila chronobiology, estimations of phases are often subjective, and anticipation indices vary significantly between studies. Though there is increasing interest in building flexible analysis tools in the field, none incorporates objective measures of Drosophila activity peaks in combination with the analysis of fly activity/sleep in the same program. To this end, we have developed PHASE, a MATLAB-based program that is simple and easy to use and (i) supports the visualization and analysis of activity and sleep under entrainment, (ii) allows analysis of both activity and sleep parameters within user-defined windows within a diurnal cycle, (iii) uses a smoothing filter for the objective identification of peaks of activity (and therefore can be used to quantitatively characterize them), and (iv) offers a series of analyses for the assessment of behavioral anticipation of environmental transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Persons
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - L Abhilash
- Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, NY
| | - A J Lopatkin
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY.,Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - A Roelofs
- Technology Services, College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - E V Bell
- Department of Neuroscience & Behavior, Barnard College, New York, NY
| | - Maria P Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience & Behavior, Barnard College, New York, NY
| | - Orie T Shafer
- Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, NY
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16
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Duhart JC, Mosca TJ. Genetic regulation of central synapse formation and organization in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2022; 221:6597078. [PMID: 35652253 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A goal of modern neuroscience involves understanding how connections in the brain form and function. Such a knowledge is essential to inform how defects in the exquisite complexity of nervous system growth influence neurological disease. Studies of the nervous system in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster enabled the discovery of a wealth of molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying development of synapses-the specialized cell-to-cell connections that comprise the essential substrate for information flow and processing in the nervous system. For years, the major driver of knowledge was the neuromuscular junction due to its ease of examination. Analogous studies in the central nervous system lagged due to a lack of genetic accessibility of specific neuron classes, synaptic labels compatible with cell-type-specific access, and high resolution, quantitative imaging strategies. However, understanding how central synapses form remains a prerequisite to understanding brain development. In the last decade, a host of new tools and techniques extended genetic studies of synapse organization into central circuits to enhance our understanding of synapse formation, organization, and maturation. In this review, we consider the current state-of-the-field. We first discuss the tools, technologies, and strategies developed to visualize and quantify synapses in vivo in genetically identifiable neurons of the Drosophila central nervous system. Second, we explore how these tools enabled a clearer understanding of synaptic development and organization in the fly brain and the underlying molecular mechanisms of synapse formation. These studies establish the fly as a powerful in vivo genetic model that offers novel insights into neural development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Duhart
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J Mosca
- Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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17
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Chen SC, Tang X, Goda T, Umezaki Y, Riley AC, Sekiguchi M, Yoshii T, Hamada FN. Dorsal clock networks drive temperature preference rhythms in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110668. [PMID: 35417715 PMCID: PMC9109596 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display a body temperature rhythm (BTR). Little is known about the mechanisms by which a rhythmic pattern of BTR is regulated and how body temperature is set at different times of the day. As small ectotherms, Drosophila exhibit a daily temperature preference rhythm (TPR), which generates BTR. Here, we demonstrate dorsal clock networks that play essential roles in TPR. Dorsal neurons 2 (DN2s) are the main clock for TPR. We find that DN2s and posterior DN1s (DN1ps) contact and the extent of contacts increases during the day and that the silencing of DN2s or DN1ps leads to a lower temperature preference. The data suggest that temporal control of the microcircuit from DN2s to DN1ps contributes to TPR regulation. We also identify anterior DN1s (DN1as) as another important clock for TPR. Thus, we show that the DN networks predominantly control TPR and determine both a rhythmic pattern and preferred temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyh-Chi Chen
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Xin Tang
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Tadahiro Goda
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yujiro Umezaki
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Abigail C Riley
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Manabu Sekiguchi
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Taishi Yoshii
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Fumika N Hamada
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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18
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Iyengar AS, Kulkarni R, Sheeba V. Under warm ambient conditions, Drosophila melanogaster suppresses nighttime activity via the neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12802. [PMID: 35285135 PMCID: PMC9744560 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Rhythmic locomotor behaviour of flies is controlled by an endogenous time-keeping mechanism, the circadian clock, and is influenced by environmental temperatures. Flies inherently prefer cool temperatures around 25°C, and under such conditions, time their locomotor activity to occur at dawn and dusk. Under relatively warmer conditions such as 30°C, flies shift their activity into the night, advancing their morning activity bout into the early morning, before lights-ON, and delaying their evening activity into early night. The molecular basis for such temperature-dependent behavioural modulation has been associated with core circadian clock genes, but the neuronal basis is not yet clear. Under relatively cool temperatures such as 25°C, the role of the circadian pacemaker ventrolateral neurons (LNvs), along with a major neuropeptide secreted by them, pigment dispersing factor (PDF), has been showed in regulating various aspects of locomotor activity rhythms. However, the role of the LNvs and PDF in warm temperature-mediated behavioural modulation has not been explored. We show here that flies lacking proper PDF signalling or the LNvs altogether, cannot suppress their locomotor activity resulting in loss of sleep during the middle of the night, and thus describe a novel role for PDF signalling and the LNvs in behavioural modulation under warm ambient conditions. In a rapidly warming world, such behavioural plasticity may enable organisms to respond to harsh temperatures in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwariya Srikala Iyengar
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics LaboratoryNeuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific ResearchBangaloreIndia
| | - Rutvij Kulkarni
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics LaboratoryNeuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific ResearchBangaloreIndia
| | - Vasu Sheeba
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics LaboratoryNeuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific ResearchBangaloreIndia
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19
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Yildirim E, Curtis R, Hwangbo DS. Roles of peripheral clocks: lessons from the fly. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:263-293. [PMID: 34862983 PMCID: PMC8844272 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
To adapt to and anticipate rhythmic changes in the environment such as daily light-dark and temperature cycles, internal timekeeping mechanisms called biological clocks evolved in a diverse set of organisms, from unicellular bacteria to humans. These biological clocks play critical roles in organisms' fitness and survival by temporally aligning physiological and behavioral processes to the external cues. The central clock is located in a small subset of neurons in the brain and drives daily activity rhythms, whereas most peripheral tissues harbor their own clock systems, which generate metabolic and physiological rhythms. Since the discovery of Drosophila melanogaster clock mutants in the early 1970s, the fruit fly has become an extensively studied model organism to investigate the mechanism and functions of circadian clocks. In this review, we primarily focus on D. melanogaster to survey key discoveries and progresses made over the past two decades in our understanding of peripheral clocks. We discuss physiological roles and molecular mechanisms of peripheral clocks in several different peripheral tissues of the fly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel Curtis
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Dae-Sung Hwangbo
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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20
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Perception of Daily Time: Insights from the Fruit Flies. INSECTS 2021; 13:insects13010003. [PMID: 35055846 PMCID: PMC8780729 DOI: 10.3390/insects13010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We create mental maps of the space that surrounds us; our brains also compute time—in particular, the time of day. Visual, thermal, social, and other cues tune the clock-like timekeeper. Consequently, the internal clock synchronizes with the external day-night cycles. In fact, daylength itself varies, causing the change of seasons and forcing our brain clock to accommodate layers of plasticity. However, the core of the clock, i.e., its molecular underpinnings, are highly resistant to perturbations, while the way animals adapt to the daily and annual time shows tremendous biological diversity. How can this be achieved? In this review, we will focus on 75 pairs of clock neurons in the Drosophila brain to understand how a small neural network perceives and responds to the time of the day, and the time of the year.
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21
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The E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor Tango10 links the core circadian clock to neuropeptide and behavioral rhythms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110767118. [PMID: 34799448 PMCID: PMC8617488 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110767118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian transcriptional timekeepers in pacemaker neurons drive profound daily rhythms in sleep and wake. Here we reveal a molecular pathway that links core transcriptional oscillators to neuronal and behavioral rhythms. Using two independent genetic screens, we identified mutants of Transport and Golgi organization 10 (Tango10) with poor behavioral rhythmicity. Tango10 expression in pacemaker neurons expressing the neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) is required for robust rhythms. Loss of Tango10 results in elevated PDF accumulation in nerve terminals even in mutants lacking a functional core clock. TANGO10 protein itself is rhythmically expressed in PDF terminals. Mass spectrometry of TANGO10 complexes reveals interactions with the E3 ubiquitin ligase CULLIN 3 (CUL3). CUL3 depletion phenocopies Tango10 mutant effects on PDF even in the absence of the core clock gene timeless Patch clamp electrophysiology in Tango10 mutant neurons demonstrates elevated spontaneous firing potentially due to reduced voltage-gated Shaker-like potassium currents. We propose that Tango10/Cul3 transduces molecular oscillations from the core clock to neuropeptide release important for behavioral rhythms.
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22
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Zhang MY, Lear BC, Allada R. The microtubule associated protein tau suppresses the axonal distribution of PDF neuropeptide and mitochondria in circadian clock neurons. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:1141-1150. [PMID: 34750631 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Disrupted circadian rhythms is a prominent feature of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Yet mechanisms linking Tau to rhythmic behavior remain unclear. Here we find that expression of a phosphomimetic human Tau mutant (TauE14) in Drosophila circadian pacemaker neurons disrupts free-running rhythmicity. While cell number and oscillations of the core clock protein PERIOD are unaffected in the small LNv (sLNv) neurons important for free running rhythms, we observe a near complete loss of the major LNv neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF) in the dorsal axonal projections of the sLNvs. This was accompanied by a ~ 50% reduction in the area of the dorsal terminals and a modest decrease in cell body PDF levels. Expression of wild-type Tau also reduced axonal PDF levels but to a lesser extent than TauE14. TauE14 also induces a complete loss of mitochondria from these sLNv projections. However, mitochondria were increased in sLNv cell bodies in TauE14 flies. These results suggest that TauE14 disrupts axonal transport of neuropeptides and mitochondria in circadian pacemaker neurons, providing a mechanism by which Tau can disrupt circadian behavior prior to cell loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Y Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Bridget C Lear
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Ravi Allada
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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23
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Nettnin EA, Sallese TR, Nasseri A, Saurabh S, Cavanaugh DJ. Dorsal clock neurons in Drosophila sculpt locomotor outputs but are dispensable for circadian activity rhythms. iScience 2021; 24:103001. [PMID: 34505011 PMCID: PMC8413890 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian system is comprised three components: a network of core clock cells in the brain that keeps time, input pathways that entrain clock cells to the environment, and output pathways that use this information to ensure appropriate timing of physiological and behavioral processes throughout the day. Core clock cells can be divided into molecularly distinct populations that likely make unique functional contributions. Here we clarify the role of the dorsal neuron 1 (DN1) population of clock neurons in the transmission of circadian information by the Drosophila core clock network. Using an intersectional genetic approach that allowed us to selectively and comprehensively target DN1 cells, we show that suppressing DN1 neuronal activity alters the magnitude of daily activity and sleep without affecting overt rhythmicity. This suggests that DN1 cells are dispensable for both the generation of circadian information and the propagation of this information across output circuits. Intersectional genetic approach targets DN1 cells comprehensively and selectively DN1p silencing alters distribution and amount of activity and sleep across the day DN1p cell firing is neither necessary nor sufficient for circadian activity rhythms DN1a silencing subtly alters total activity and sleep but leaves rhythmicity intact
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella A Nettnin
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL 60660, USA
| | - Thomas R Sallese
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL 60660, USA
| | - Anita Nasseri
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL 60660, USA
| | - Sumit Saurabh
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL 60660, USA
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24
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Abstract
Circadian clocks are biochemical time-keeping machines that synchronize animal behavior and physiology with planetary rhythms. In Drosophila, the core components of the clock comprise a transcription/translation feedback loop and are expressed in seven neuronal clusters in the brain. Although it is increasingly evident that the clocks in each of the neuronal clusters are regulated differently, how these clocks communicate with each other across the circadian neuronal network is less clear. Here, we review the latest evidence that describes the physical connectivity of the circadian neuronal network . Using small ventral lateral neurons as a starting point, we summarize how one clock may communicate with another, highlighting the signaling pathways that are both upstream and downstream of these clocks. We propose that additional efforts are required to understand how temporal information generated in each circadian neuron is integrated across a neuronal circuit to regulate rhythmic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myra Ahmad
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Wanhe Li
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deniz Top
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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25
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Jaumouillé E, Koch R, Nagoshi E. Uncovering the Roles of Clocks and Neural Transmission in the Resilience of Drosophila Circadian Network. Front Physiol 2021; 12:663339. [PMID: 34122135 PMCID: PMC8188733 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.663339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of circadian locomotor rhythms in Drosophila melanogaster gave evidence to the preceding theoretical predictions on circadian rhythms. The molecular oscillator in flies, as in virtually all organisms, operates using transcriptional-translational feedback loops together with intricate post-transcriptional processes. Approximately150 pacemaker neurons, each equipped with a molecular oscillator, form a circuit that functions as the central pacemaker for locomotor rhythms. Input and output pathways to and from the pacemaker circuit are dissected to the level of individual neurons. Pacemaker neurons consist of functionally diverse subclasses, including those designated as the Morning/Master (M)-oscillator essential for driving free-running locomotor rhythms in constant darkness and the Evening (E)-oscillator that drives evening activity. However, accumulating evidence challenges this dual-oscillator model for the circadian circuit organization and propose the view that multiple oscillators are coordinated through network interactions. Here we attempt to provide further evidence to the revised model of the circadian network. We demonstrate that the disruption of molecular clocks or neural output of the M-oscillator during adulthood dampens free-running behavior surprisingly slowly, whereas the disruption of both functions results in an immediate arrhythmia. Therefore, clocks and neural communication of the M-oscillator act additively to sustain rhythmic locomotor output. This phenomenon also suggests that M-oscillator can be a pacemaker or a downstream path that passively receives rhythmic inputs from another pacemaker and convey output signals. Our results support the distributed network model and highlight the remarkable resilience of the Drosophila circadian pacemaker circuit, which can alter its topology to maintain locomotor rhythms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emi Nagoshi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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26
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Westwick RR, Rittschof CC. Insects Provide Unique Systems to Investigate How Early-Life Experience Alters the Brain and Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:660464. [PMID: 33967715 PMCID: PMC8097038 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.660464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life experiences have strong and long-lasting consequences for behavior in a surprising diversity of animals. Determining which environmental inputs cause behavioral change, how this information becomes neurobiologically encoded, and the functional consequences of these changes remain fundamental puzzles relevant to diverse fields from evolutionary biology to the health sciences. Here we explore how insects provide unique opportunities for comparative study of developmental behavioral plasticity. Insects have sophisticated behavior and cognitive abilities, and they are frequently studied in their natural environments, which provides an ecological and adaptive perspective that is often more limited in lab-based vertebrate models. A range of cues, from relatively simple cues like temperature to complex social information, influence insect behavior. This variety provides experimentally tractable opportunities to study diverse neural plasticity mechanisms. Insects also have a wide range of neurodevelopmental trajectories while sharing many developmental plasticity mechanisms with vertebrates. In addition, some insects retain only subsets of their juvenile neuronal population in adulthood, narrowing the targets for detailed study of cellular plasticity mechanisms. Insects and vertebrates share many of the same knowledge gaps pertaining to developmental behavioral plasticity. Combined with the extensive study of insect behavior under natural conditions and their experimental tractability, insect systems may be uniquely qualified to address some of the biggest unanswered questions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R Westwick
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Clare C Rittschof
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Tabuchi M, Coates KE, Bautista OB, Zukowski LH. Light/Clock Influences Membrane Potential Dynamics to Regulate Sleep States. Front Neurol 2021; 12:625369. [PMID: 33854471 PMCID: PMC8039321 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.625369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian rhythm is a fundamental process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. This rhythm is regulated by core clock genes that oscillate to create a physiological rhythm of circadian neuronal activity. However, we do not know much about the mechanism by which circadian inputs influence neurons involved in sleep-wake architecture. One possible mechanism involves the photoreceptor cryptochrome (CRY). In Drosophila, CRY is receptive to blue light and resets the circadian rhythm. CRY also influences membrane potential dynamics that regulate neural activity of circadian clock neurons in Drosophila, including the temporal structure in sequences of spikes, by interacting with subunits of the voltage-dependent potassium channel. Moreover, several core clock molecules interact with voltage-dependent/independent channels, channel-binding protein, and subunits of the electrogenic ion pump. These components cooperatively regulate mechanisms that translate circadian photoreception and the timing of clock genes into changes in membrane excitability, such as neural firing activity and polarization sensitivity. In clock neurons expressing CRY, these mechanisms also influence synaptic plasticity. In this review, we propose that membrane potential dynamics created by circadian photoreception and core clock molecules are critical for generating the set point of synaptic plasticity that depend on neural coding. In this way, membrane potential dynamics drive formation of baseline sleep architecture, light-driven arousal, and memory processing. We also discuss the machinery that coordinates membrane excitability in circadian networks found in Drosophila, and we compare this machinery to that found in mammalian systems. Based on this body of work, we propose future studies that can better delineate how neural codes impact molecular/cellular signaling and contribute to sleep, memory processing, and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masashi Tabuchi
- Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
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Monyak RE, Golbari NM, Chan YB, Pranevicius A, Tang G, Fernández MP, Kravitz EA. Masculinized Drosophila females adapt their fighting strategies to their opponent. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.238006. [PMID: 33568440 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.238006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many animal species show aggression to gain mating partners and to protect territories and other resources from competitors. Both male and female fruit flies of the species Drosophila melanogaster exhibit aggression in same-sex pairings, but the strategies used are sexually dimorphic. We have begun to explore the biological basis for the differing aggression strategies, and the cues promoting one form of aggression over the other. Here, we describe a line of genetically masculinized females that switch between male and female aggression patterns based on the sexual identity of their opponents. When these masculinized females are paired with more aggressive opponents, they increase the amount of male-like aggression they use, but do not alter the level of female aggression. This suggests that male aggression may be more highly responsive to behavioral cues than female aggression. Although the masculinized females of this line show opponent-dependent changes in aggression and courtship behavior, locomotor activity and sleep are unaffected. Thus, the driver line used may specifically masculinize neurons involved in social behavior. A discussion of possible different roles of male and female aggression in fruit flies is included here. These results can serve as precursors to future experiments aimed at elucidating the circuitry and triggering cues underlying sexually dimorphic aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Monyak
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nicole M Golbari
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yick-Bun Chan
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ausra Pranevicius
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027, USA
| | - Grace Tang
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027, USA
| | - Maria Paz Fernández
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027, USA
| | - Edward A Kravitz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Kostadinov B, Lee Pettibone H, Bell EV, Zhou X, Pranevicius A, Shafer OT, Fernandez MP. Open-source computational framework for studying Drosophila behavioral phase. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100285. [PMID: 33532734 PMCID: PMC7829270 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This protocol describes a standardized method for analyzing Drosophila behavioral rhythmicity under light dark cycles, temperature ramps, and free running conditions. The protocol constitutes a step-by-step guide from generation of appropriate Drosophila genetic crosses to behavioral experiments. We also provide an open-source computational framework using R for the analysis of the phase of behavior using circular statistics. An extended method for complete use is also provided. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Fernandez et al. (2020). R framework for analysis of Drosophila behavioral phase and circular statistics analysis Visualization of activity, phase of behavior, and rose plots
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyan Kostadinov
- Mathematics Department, NYC College of Technology, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | - Hannah Lee Pettibone
- Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Evardra Valerie Bell
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Xiaona Zhou
- Mathematics Department, NYC College of Technology, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | - Ausra Pranevicius
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Orie Thomas Shafer
- Advanced Science Research Center, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Maria Paz Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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Song BJ, Sharp SJ, Rogulja D. Daily rewiring of a neural circuit generates a predictive model of environmental light. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/13/eabe4284. [PMID: 33762336 PMCID: PMC7990339 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral responsiveness to external stimulation is shaped by context. We studied how sensory information can be contextualized, by examining light-evoked locomotor responsiveness of Drosophila relative to time of day. We found that light elicits an acute increase in locomotion (startle) that is modulated in a time-of-day-dependent manner: Startle is potentiated during the nighttime, when light is unexpected, but is suppressed during the daytime. The internal daytime-nighttime context is generated by two interconnected and functionally opposing populations of circadian neurons-LNvs generating the daytime state and DN1as generating the nighttime state. Switching between the two states requires daily remodeling of LNv and DN1a axons such that the maximum presynaptic area in one population coincides with the minimum in the other. We propose that a dynamic model of environmental light resides in the shifting connectivities of the LNv-DN1a circuit, which helps animals evaluate ongoing conditions and choose a behavioral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan J Song
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Slater J Sharp
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dragana Rogulja
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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George R, Stanewsky R. Peripheral Sensory Organs Contribute to Temperature Synchronization of the Circadian Clock in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2021; 12:622545. [PMID: 33603678 PMCID: PMC7884628 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.622545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks are cell-autonomous endogenous oscillators, generated and maintained by self-sustained 24-h rhythms of clock gene expression. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, these daily rhythms of gene expression regulate the activity of approximately 150 clock neurons in the fly brain, which are responsible for driving the daily rest/activity cycles of these insects. Despite their endogenous character, circadian clocks communicate with the environment in order to synchronize their self-sustained molecular oscillations and neuronal activity rhythms (internal time) with the daily changes of light and temperature dictated by the Earth's rotation around its axis (external time). Light and temperature changes are reliable time cues (Zeitgeber) used by many organisms to synchronize their circadian clock to the external time. In Drosophila, both light and temperature fluctuations robustly synchronize the circadian clock in the absence of the other Zeitgeber. The complex mechanisms for synchronization to the daily light-dark cycles are understood with impressive detail. In contrast, our knowledge about how the daily temperature fluctuations synchronize the fly clock is rather limited. Whereas light synchronization relies on peripheral and clock-cell autonomous photoreceptors, temperature input to the clock appears to rely mainly on sensory cells located in the peripheral nervous system of the fly. Recent studies suggest that sensory structures located in body and head appendages are able to detect temperature fluctuations and to signal this information to the brain clock. This review will summarize these studies and their implications about the mechanisms underlying temperature synchronization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ralf Stanewsky
- Institute of Neuro- and Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
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Duhart JM, Herrero A, de la Cruz G, Ispizua JI, Pírez N, Ceriani MF. Circadian Structural Plasticity Drives Remodeling of E Cell Output. Curr Biol 2020; 30:5040-5048.e5. [PMID: 33065014 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.09.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral outputs arise as a result of highly regulated yet flexible communication among neurons. The Drosophila circadian network includes 150 neurons that dictate the temporal organization of locomotor activity; under light-dark (LD) conditions, flies display a robust bimodal pattern. The pigment-dispersing factor (PDF)-positive small ventral lateral neurons (sLNv) have been linked to the generation of the morning activity peak (the "M cells"), whereas the Cryptochrome (CRY)-positive dorsal lateral neurons (LNds) and the PDF-negative sLNv are necessary for the evening activity peak (the "E cells") [1, 2]. While each group directly controls locomotor output pathways [3], an interplay between them along with a third dorsal cluster (the DN1ps) is necessary for the correct timing of each peak and for adjusting behavior to changes in the environment [4-7]. M cells set the phase of roughly half of the circadian neurons (including the E cells) through PDF [5, 8-10]. Here, we show the existence of synaptic input provided by the evening oscillator onto the M cells. Both structural and functional approaches revealed that E-to-M cell connectivity changes across the day, with higher excitatory input taking place before the day-to-night transition. We identified two different neurotransmitters, acetylcholine and glutamate, released by E cells that are relevant for robust circadian output. Indeed, we show that acetylcholine is responsible for the excitatory input from E cells to M cells, which show preferential responsiveness to acetylcholine during the evening. Our findings provide evidence of an excitatory feedback between circadian clusters and unveil an important plastic remodeling of the E cells' synaptic connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Duhart
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina
| | - Anastasia Herrero
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina
| | - Gabriel de la Cruz
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina
| | - Juan I Ispizua
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Pírez
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina
| | - M Fernanda Ceriani
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires 1405-BWE, Argentina.
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Rouyer F, Chatterjee A. Circadian Clocks: Structural Plasticity on the Input Side. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R890-R893. [PMID: 32750352 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Key Drosophila clock neurons remodel their axonal arborization on a daily basis. The current view is that remodelling is part of the control of clock neuron output but new data support a major role in modulating sensory inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Rouyer
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Abhishek Chatterjee
- Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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