1
|
Sokolowski DJ, Vasquez OE, Wilson MD, Sokolowski MB, Anreiter I. Transcriptomic effects of the foraging gene shed light on pathways of pleiotropy and plasticity. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1526:99-113. [PMID: 37350250 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Genes are often pleiotropic and plastic in their expression, features which increase and diversify the functionality of the genome. The foraging (for) gene in Drosophila melanogaster is highly pleiotropic and a long-standing model for studying individual differences in behavior and plasticity from ethological, evolutionary, and genetic perspectives. Its pleiotropy is known to be linked to its complex molecular structure; however, the downstream pathways and interactors remain mostly elusive. To uncover these pathways and interactors and gain a better understanding of how pleiotropy and plasticity are achieved at the molecular level, we explore the effects of different for alleles on gene expression at baseline and in response to 4 h of food deprivation, using RNA sequencing analysis in different Drosophila larval tissues. The results show tissue-specific transcriptomic dynamics influenced by for allelic variation and food deprivation, as well as genotype by treatment interactions. Differentially expressed genes yielded pathways linked to previously described for phenotypes and several potentially novel phenotypes. Together, these findings provide putative genes and pathways through which for might regulate its varied phenotypes in a pleiotropic, plastic, and gene-structure-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dustin J Sokolowski
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oscar E Vasquez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program in Child and Brain Development, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ina Anreiter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Prelic S, Getahun MN, Kaltofen S, Hansson BS, Wicher D. Modulation of the NO-cGMP pathway has no effect on olfactory responses in the Drosophila antenna. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1180798. [PMID: 37305438 PMCID: PMC10248080 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1180798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is a crucial sensory modality in insects and is underpinned by odor-sensitive sensory neurons expressing odorant receptors that function in the dendrites as odorant-gated ion channels. Along with expression, trafficking, and receptor complexing, the regulation of odorant receptor function is paramount to ensure the extraordinary sensory abilities of insects. However, the full extent of regulation of sensory neuron activity remains to be elucidated. For instance, our understanding of the intracellular effectors that mediate signaling pathways within antennal cells is incomplete within the context of olfaction in vivo. Here, with the use of optical and electrophysiological techniques in live antennal tissue, we investigate whether nitric oxide signaling occurs in the sensory periphery of Drosophila. To answer this, we first query antennal transcriptomic datasets to demonstrate the presence of nitric oxide signaling machinery in antennal tissue. Next, by applying various modulators of the NO-cGMP pathway in open antennal preparations, we show that olfactory responses are unaffected by a wide panel of NO-cGMP pathway inhibitors and activators over short and long timescales. We further examine the action of cAMP and cGMP, cyclic nucleotides previously linked to olfactory processes as intracellular potentiators of receptor functioning, and find that both long-term and short-term applications or microinjections of cGMP have no effect on olfactory responses in vivo as measured by calcium imaging and single sensillum recording. The absence of the effect of cGMP is shown in contrast to cAMP, which elicits increased responses when perfused shortly before olfactory responses in OSNs. Taken together, the apparent absence of nitric oxide signaling in olfactory neurons indicates that this gaseous messenger may play no role as a regulator of olfactory transduction in insects, though may play other physiological roles at the sensory periphery of the antenna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sinisa Prelic
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Merid N. Getahun
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sabine Kaltofen
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Bill S. Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Dieter Wicher
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xu H, Yu Y, Gao Y, Hassan A, Jia B, Huang Q. The cGMP-dependent protein kinase gene can regulate trail-following behaviour and locomotion in the termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:585-592. [PMID: 35506165 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Social behaviours in termites are closely related to the chemical communication between individuals. It is well known that foraging worker termites can use trail pheromones to orient and locomote along trails so as to take food resources back to the nest. However, it is still unclear how termites recognize trail pheromones. Here, we cloned and sequenced the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) gene from the termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder, and then examined the response of termites to trail pheromones after silencing PKG through RNA interference. We found that PKG knockdown impaired termite ability to follow trail pheromones accurately and exhibited irregular behavioural trajectories in response to the trail pheromone in the termite R. chinensis. Our locomotion assays further showed that PKG knockdown significantly increased the turn angle and angular velocity in the termite R. chinensis. These findings help us better understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of foraging communications in termites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huan Xu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yichun Yu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yongyong Gao
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ali Hassan
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bao Jia
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Nanning Institute of Termite Control, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiuying Huang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vesterberg A, Rizkalla R, Fitzpatrick MJ. Environmental influences on for-mediated oviposition decisions in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:262-273. [PMID: 34259125 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1950713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Deciding whether or not to lay an egg on a given substrate is an important task undertaken by females of many arthropods. It involves perceiving the environment (e.g. quality of the substrate, temperature, and humidity), formulating a decision, and then conducting the appropriate behaviours to oviposit. This oviposition site selection (OSS) provides a useful system for studying simple decision-making. OSS in fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, is influenced by both genetic and environmental variation. Naturally occurring allelic variation in the foraging gene (for) is known to affect OSS. Given a choice of high- and low-nutrient oviposition substrates, groups of rovers (forR) are known to lay significantly more of their eggs on low-nutrient sites than sitters (fors) and sitter mutants (fors2). Here we ask three questions: (1) Is the role of for in OSS affected by the availability of alternate oviposition sites? (2) Is the role of for in OSS sensitive to the density of ovipositing females? and (3) Does the gustatory sensation of yeast play a role in for-mediated variation in OSS? We find a role of choice and female density in rover/sitter differences in OSS, as well as a role of for in response to glycerol, an indicator of yeast. The role of for in OSS decision-making is complex and multi-faceted and should prove fertile ground for further research into the factors affecting decision-making behaviours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anders Vesterberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada.,Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rudy Rizkalla
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mark J Fitzpatrick
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada.,Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Reiss AP, Rankin CH. Gaining an understanding of behavioral genetics through studies of foraging in Drosophila and learning in C. elegans. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:119-131. [PMID: 34151727 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1928113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The pursuit of understanding behavior has led to investigations of how genes, the environment, and the nervous system all work together to produce and influence behavior, giving rise to a field of research known as behavioral neurogenetics. This review focuses on the research journeys of two pioneers of aspects of behavioral neurogenetic research: Dr. Marla Sokolowski and Dr. Catharine Rankin as examples of how different approaches have been used to understand relationships between genes and behavior. Marla Sokolowski's research is centered around the discovery and analysis of foraging, a gene responsible for the natural behavioral polymorphism of Drosophila melanogaster larvae foraging behavior. Catharine Rankin's work began with demonstrating the ability to learn in Caenorhabditis elegans and then setting out to investigate the mechanisms underlying the "simplest" form of learning, habituation. Using these simple invertebrate organisms both investigators were able to perform in-depth dissections of behavior at genetic and molecular levels. By exploring their research and highlighting their findings we present ways their work has furthered our understanding of behavior and contributed to the field of behavioral neurogenetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron P Reiss
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Catharine H Rankin
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
The Drosophila melanogaster foraging (for) gene is a well-established example of a gene with major effects on behavior and natural variation. This gene is best known for underlying the behavioral strategies of rover and sitter foraging larvae, having been mapped and named for this phenotype. Nevertheless, in the last three decades an extensive array of studies describing for's role as a modifier of behavior in a wide range of phenotypes, in both Drosophila and other organisms, has emerged. Furthermore, recent work reveals new insights into the genetic and molecular underpinnings of how for affects these phenotypes. In this article, we discuss the history of the for gene and its role in natural variation in behavior, plasticity, and behavioral pleiotropy, with special attention to recent findings on the molecular structure and transcriptional regulation of this gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ina Anreiter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada;
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kelly SP, Dawson-Scully K. Natural polymorphism in protein kinase G modulates functional senescence in D rosophila melanogaster. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.199364. [PMID: 30910834 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.199364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is a well-characterized model for neurological disorders and is widely used to investigate the biology of aging, stress tolerance and pleiotropy. The foraging (for) gene encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), which has been implicated in several behavioral phenotypes including feeding, sleep, learning and memory, and environmental stress tolerance. We used the well-established Drosophila activity monitor (DAM) to investigate the effects of the conserved NO/cGMP/PKG signaling pathway on functional senescence. Our results show that the polymorphic for gene confers protection during low oxygen stress at the expense of longevity and a decline in locomotor activity with age in D. melanogaster, which suggests a novel role for the PKG pathway in healthy aging and senescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie P Kelly
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Ken Dawson-Scully
- Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Developmental biology is a fascinating branch of science which helps us to understand the mechanism of development, thus the findings are used in various therapeutic approach. Drosophila melanogaster served as a model to find the key molecules that initiate and regulate the mechanism of development. Various genes, transcription factors, and signaling pathways helping in development are identified in Drosophila. Many toxic compounds, which can affect the development, are also recognized using Drosophila model. These compounds, which can affect the development, are named as a teratogen. Many teratogens identified using Drosophila may also act as a teratogen for a human being since 75% of conservation exist between the disease genes present in Drosophila and human. There are certain teratogens, which do not cause developmental defect if exposed during pregnancy, however; behavioral defect appears in later part of development. Such compounds are named as a behavioral teratogen. Thus, it is worthy to identify the potential behavioral teratogen using Drosophila model. Drosophila behavior is well studied in various developmental stages. This chapter describes various methods which can be employed to test behavioral teratogenesis in Drosophila.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monalisa Mishra
- Neural Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India.
| | - Bedanta Kumar Barik
- Neural Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ormerod KG, LePine OK, Abbineni PS, Bridgeman JM, Coorssen JR, Mercier AJ, Tattersall GJ. Drosophila development, physiology, behavior, and lifespan are influenced by altered dietary composition. Fly (Austin) 2017; 11:153-170. [PMID: 28277941 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2017.1304331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet profoundly influences the behavior of animals across many phyla. Despite this, most laboratories using model organisms, such as Drosophila, use multiple, different, commercial or custom-made media for rearing their animals. In addition to measuring growth, fecundity and longevity, we used several behavioral and physiological assays to determine if and how altering food media influence wild-type (Canton S) Drosophila melanogaster, at larval, pupal, and adult stages. Comparing 2 commonly used commercial food media we observed several key developmental and morphological differences. Third-instar larvae and pupae developmental timing, body weight and size, and even lifespan significantly differed between the 2 diets, and some of these differences persisted into adulthood. Diet was also found to produce significantly different thermal preference, locomotory capacity for geotaxis, feeding rates, and lower muscle response to hormonal stimulation. There were no differences, however, in adult thermal preferences, in the number or viability of eggs laid, or in olfactory learning and memory between the diets. We characterized the composition of the 2 diets and found particularly significant differences in cholesterol and (phospho)lipids between them. Notably, diacylglycerol (DAG) concentrations vary substantially between the 2 diets, and may contribute to key phenotypic differences, including lifespan. Overall, the data confirm that 2 different diets can profoundly influence the behavior, physiology, morphology and development of wild-type Drosophila, with greater behavioral and physiologic differences occurring during the larval stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiel G Ormerod
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Olivia K LePine
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Prabhodh S Abbineni
- b Department of Molecular Physiology, and the WSU Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Medicine , Western Sydney University , Penrith , New South Wales , Australia
| | - Justin M Bridgeman
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Jens R Coorssen
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada.,b Department of Molecular Physiology, and the WSU Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Medicine , Western Sydney University , Penrith , New South Wales , Australia.,c Faculty of Graduate Studies, Department of Health Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - A Joffre Mercier
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Glenn J Tattersall
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Philippe AS, Jeanson R, Pasquaretta C, Rebaudo F, Sueur C, Mery F. Genetic variation in aggregation behaviour and interacting phenotypes in Drosophila. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20152967. [PMID: 27009219 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation behaviour is the tendency for animals to group together, which may have important consequences on individual fitness. We used a combination of experimental and simulation approaches to study how genetic variation and social environment interact to influence aggregation dynamics in Drosophila To do this, we used two different natural lines of Drosophila that arise from a polymorphism in the foraging gene (rovers and sitters). We placed groups of flies in a heated arena. Flies could freely move towards one of two small, cooler refuge areas. In groups of the same strain, sitters had a greater tendency to aggregate. The observed behavioural variation was based on only two parameters: the probability of entering a refuge and the likelihood of choosing a refuge based on the number of individuals present. We then directly addressed how different strains interact by mixing rovers and sitters within a group. Aggregation behaviour of each line was strongly affected by the presence of the other strain, without changing the decision rules used by each. Individuals obeying local rules shaped complex group dynamics via a constant feedback loop between the individual and the group. This study could help to identify the circumstances under which particular group compositions may improve individual fitness through underlying aggregation mechanisms under specific environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Philippe
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement and Ecologie, CNRS, IRD, Université. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91198, France
| | - Raphael Jeanson
- Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Cristian Pasquaretta
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg, France Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Francois Rebaudo
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement and Ecologie, CNRS, IRD, Université. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91198, France Instituto de Ecología, Centro de Análisis Espacial, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Cedric Sueur
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Strasbourg, France Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Frederic Mery
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement and Ecologie, CNRS, IRD, Université. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91198, France
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tobback J, Verlinden H, Vuerinckx K, Vleugels R, Vanden Broeck J, Huybrechts R. Developmental- and food-dependent foraging transcript levels in the desert locust. INSECT SCIENCE 2013; 20:679-688. [PMID: 23956060 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Drastic changes in the environment during a lifetime require developmental and physiological flexibility to ensure animal survival. Desert locusts, Schistocerca gregaria, live in an extremely changeable environment, which alternates between periods of rainfall and abundant food and periods of drought and starvation. In order to survive, locusts display an extreme form of phenotypic plasticity that allows them to rapidly cope with these changing conditions by converting from a cryptic solitarious phase to a swarming, voracious gregarious phase. To accomplish this, locusts possess different conserved mediators of phenotypic plasticity. Recently, attention has been drawn to the possible roles of protein kinases in this process. In addition to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), also cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), which was shown to be involved in changes of food-related behavior in a variety of insects, has been associated with locust phenotypic plasticity. In this article, we study the transcript levels of the S. gregaria orthologue of the foraging gene that encodes a PKG in different food-related, developmental and crowding conditions. Transcript levels of the S. gregaria foraging orthologue are highest in different parts of the gut and differ between isolated and crowd-reared locusts. They change when the availability of food is altered, display a distinct pattern with higher levels after a moult and decrease with age during postembryonic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Tobback
- Department of Biology, K.U.Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
He C, O’Halloran DM. Nuclear PKG localization is regulated by Go alpha and is necessary in the AWB neurons to mediate avoidance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neurosci Lett 2013; 553:35-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Revised: 08/03/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
13
|
Lavagnino NJ, Arya GH, Korovaichuk A, Fanara JJ. Genetic architecture of olfactory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster: differences and similarities across development. Behav Genet 2013; 43:348-59. [PMID: 23563598 PMCID: PMC3691330 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-013-9592-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In the holometabolous insect Drosophila melanogaster, genetic, physiological and anatomical aspects of olfaction are well known in the adult stage, while larval stages olfactory behavior has received some attention it has been less studied than its adult counterpart. Most of these studies focus on olfactory receptor (Or) genes that produce peripheral odor recognition. In this paper, through a loss-of-function screen using P-element inserted lines and also by means of expression analyses of larval olfaction candidate genes, we extended the uncovering of the genetic underpinnings of D. melanogaster larval olfactory behavior by demonstrating that larval olfactory behavior is, in addition to Or genes, orchestrated by numerous genes with diverse functions. Also, our results point out that the genetic architecture of olfactory behavior in D. melanogaster presents a dynamic and changing organization across environments and ontogeny.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N J Lavagnino
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
We studied complete dose-response curves for 53 odorants in the third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. All odorants, except one, elicited an attraction response. Some odorants also elicited a decrease from their peak response at higher concentrations. This concentration-dependent decrease in olfactory response could be due to either desensitization or repulsion, 2 possibilities that we cannot distinguish in our current assay. We observed high variations in factors like slopes, thresholds, and peaks of responses that, in agreement with previous studies, suggest that the responses of different receptors are quite different for the similar change in concentration of various ligands. We also observed that lower attraction thresholds predicted higher peak amplitude. This suggests that if odor responses encompassed wider concentration range than can be covered by the dynamic range of a single receptor, then responses tend to be high in magnitude.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sukant Khurana
- National Center for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lavagnino N, Serra F, Arbiza L, Dopazo H, Hasson E. Evolutionary Genomics of Genes Involved in Olfactory Behavior in the Drosophila melanogaster Species Group. Evol Bioinform Online 2012; 8:89-104. [PMID: 22346339 PMCID: PMC3273929 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s8484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous comparative genomic studies of genes involved in olfactory behavior in Drosophila focused only on particular gene families such as odorant receptor and/or odorant binding proteins. However, olfactory behavior has a complex genetic architecture that is orchestrated by many interacting genes. In this paper, we present a comparative genomic study of olfactory behavior in Drosophila including an extended set of genes known to affect olfactory behavior. We took advantage of the recent burst of whole genome sequences and the development of powerful statistical tools to analyze genomic data and test evolutionary and functional hypotheses of olfactory genes in the six species of the Drosophila melanogaster species group for which whole genome sequences are available. Our study reveals widespread purifying selection and limited incidence of positive selection on olfactory genes. We show that the pace of evolution of olfactory genes is mostly independent of the life cycle stage, and of the number of life cycle stages, in which they participate in olfaction. However, we detected a relationship between evolutionary rates and the position that the gene products occupy in the olfactory system, genes occupying central positions tend to be more constrained than peripheral genes. Finally, we demonstrate that specialization to one host does not seem to be associated with bursts of adaptive evolution in olfactory genes in D. sechellia and D. erecta, the two specialists species analyzed, but rather different lineages have idiosyncratic evolutionary histories in which both historical and ecological factors have been involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Lavagnino
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Universidad de Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires; Argentina
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Müller L, Hutter S, Stamboliyska R, Saminadin-Peter SS, Stephan W, Parsch J. Population transcriptomics of Drosophila melanogaster females. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:81. [PMID: 21276238 PMCID: PMC3040150 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Accepted: 01/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Variation at the level of gene expression is abundant in natural populations and is thought to contribute to the adaptive divergence of populations and species. Gene expression also differs considerably between males and females. Here we report a microarray analysis of gene expression variation among females of 16 Drosophila melanogaster strains derived from natural populations, including eight strains from the putative ancestral range in sub-Saharan Africa and eight strains from Europe. Gene expression variation among males of the same strains was reported previously. RESULTS We detected relatively low levels of expression polymorphism within populations, but much higher expression divergence between populations. A total of 569 genes showed a significant expression difference between the African and European populations at a false discovery rate of 5%. Genes with significant over-expression in Europe included the insecticide resistance gene Cyp6g1, as well as genes involved in proteolysis and olfaction. Genes with functions in carbohydrate metabolism and vision were significantly over-expressed in the African population. There was little overlap between genes expressed differently between populations in females and males. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that adaptive changes in gene expression have accompanied the out-of-Africa migration of D. melanogaster. Comparison of female and male expression data indicates that the vast majority of genes differing in expression between populations do so in only one sex and suggests that most regulatory adaptation has been sex-specific.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Müller
- Department of Biology II, University of Munich (LMU), 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tobback J, Mommaerts V, Vandersmissen HP, Smagghe G, Huybrechts R. Age- and task-dependent foraging gene expression in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 76:30-42. [PMID: 21136525 DOI: 10.1002/arch.20401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In eusocial insects, the division of labor within a colony, based on either age or size, is correlated with a differential foraging (for) gene expression and PKG activity. This article presents in the first part a study on the for gene, encoding a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Cloning of the open reading frame allowed phylogenetic tracing, which showed conservation of PKGs among social insects. Our results confirm the proposed role for PKGs in division of labor. Btfor gene expression is significantly higher in the larger foragers compared with the smaller sized nurses. More importantly, we discovered an age-related decrease in Btfor expression in both nursing and foraging bumblebees. We therefore speculate that the presence of BtFOR is required for correct adaptation to new external stimuli and rapid learning for foraging. In a second series of experiments, worker bumblebees of B. terrestris were treated with two insecticides imidacloprid and kinoprene, which have shown to cause impaired foraging behavior. Compared with controls, only the latter treatment resulted in a decreased Btfor expression, which concurs with a stimulation of ovarian growth and a shift in labor toward nest-related tasks. The data are discussed in relation to Btfor expression in the complex physiological event of foraging and side-effects by pesticides.
Collapse
|
18
|
Post-eclosion odor experience modifies olfactory receptor neuron coding in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:9855-60. [PMID: 20448199 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003856107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory responses of Drosophila undergo pronounced changes after eclosion. The flies develop attraction to odors to which they are exposed and aversion to other odors. Behavioral adaptation is correlated with changes in the firing pattern of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). In this article, we present an information-theoretic analysis of the firing pattern of ORNs. Flies reared in a synthetic odorless medium were transferred after eclosion to three different media: (i) a synthetic medium relatively devoid of odor cues, (ii) synthetic medium infused with a single odorant, and (iii) complex cornmeal medium rich in odors. Recordings were made from an identified sensillum (type II), and the Jensen-Shannon divergence (D(JS)) was used to assess quantitatively the differences between ensemble spike responses to different odors. Analysis shows that prolonged exposure to ethyl acetate and several related esters increases sensitivity to these esters but does not improve the ability of the fly to distinguish between them. Flies exposed to cornmeal display varied sensitivity to these odorants and at the same time develop greater capacity to distinguish between odors. Deprivation of odor experience on an odorless synthetic medium leads to a loss of both sensitivity and acuity. Rich olfactory experience thus helps to shape the ORNs response and enhances its discriminative power. The experiments presented here demonstrate an experience-dependent adaptation at the level of the receptor neuron.
Collapse
|
19
|
Lemmen J, Evenden M. Peripheral and behavioral plasticity of pheromone response and its hormonal control in a long-lived moth. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 212:2000-6. [PMID: 19525425 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.030858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive success in many animals depends on the efficient production of and response to sexual signals. In insects, plasticity in sexual communication is predicted in species that experience periods of reproductive inactivity when environmental conditions are unsuitable for reproduction. Here, we study a long-lived moth Caloptilia fraxinella (Ely) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) that is reproductively inactive from eclosion in summer until the following spring. Male sex pheromone responsiveness is plastic and corresponds with female receptivity. Pheromone response plasticity has not been studied in a moth with an extended period of reproductive inactivity. In this study, we ask whether male antennal response and flight behavior are plastic during different stages of reproductive inactivity and whether these responses are regulated by juvenile hormone. Antennal response to the pheromone blend is significantly reduced in reproductively inactive males tested in the summer and autumn as compared with reproductively active males tested in the spring. Reproductively inactive autumn but not summer males show lower antennal responses to individual pheromone components compared with spring males. Treatment with methoprene enhances antennal response of autumn but not summer males to high doses of the pheromone blend. Behavioral response is induced by methoprene treatment in males treated in the autumn but not in the summer. Plasticity of pheromone response in C. fraxinella is regulated, at least in part, by the peripheral nervous system. Antennal and behavioral response to pheromone differed in reproductively active and inactive males and increased with methoprene treatment of inactive males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joelle Lemmen
- Department of Biological Sciences, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2E9.
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Schoofs A, Niederegger S, Spiess R. From behavior to fictive feeding: anatomy, innervation and activation pattern of pharyngeal muscles of Calliphora vicina 3rd instar larvae. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2009; 55:218-230. [PMID: 19100742 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2008.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2008] [Revised: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 11/18/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A description of the muscles and nerves involved in feeding of larval Calliphora vicina is given as a prerequisite to establish fictive feeding patterns recorded from the isolated central nervous system. Feeding Diptera larvae show a repetitive sequence of pro- and retraction of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS), elevation and depression of the mouth hooks and food ingestion. The corresponding pharyngeal muscles are protractors, mouth hook elevators and depressors, the labial retractor and cibarial dilator muscles. These muscles are innervated by the prothoracic accessory nerve (PaN), maxillary nerve (MN) and antennal nerve (AN) as shown electrophysiologically by recording action potentials from the respective nerve that correlate to post-synaptic potentials on the muscles. All three nerves show considerably more complex branching patterns than indicated in the literature. Extracellular recordings from the stumps of PaN, MN and AN connected to an isolated CNS show spontaneous rhythmic motor patterns that reflect the feeding sequence in intact larvae. Variability of the feeding pattern observed in behavioral experiments is also evident from the level of motor output from an isolated CNS. The data obtained from Calliphora will facilitate electrophysiological investigations dealing with the genetic background of feeding behavior in Drosophila larvae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schoofs
- Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Universität Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kaun KR, Sokolowski MB. cGMP-dependent protein kinase: linking foraging to energy homeostasis. Genome 2009; 52:1-7. [DOI: 10.1139/g08-090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Successful foraging is necessary for procurement of nutritional resources essential for an animal’s survival. Maintenance of foraging and food acquisition is dependent on the ability to balance food intake and energy expenditure. This review examines the role of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) as a regulator of foraging behaviour, food acquisition, and energy balance. The role of PKG in food-related behaviours is highly conserved among worms, flies, bees, ants, and mammals. A growing body of literature suggests that PKG plays an integral role in the component behaviours and physiologies underlying foraging behaviour. These include energy acquisition, nutrient absorption, nutrient allocation, nutrient storage, and energy use. New evidence suggests that PKG mediates both neural and physiological mechanisms underlying these processes. This review illustrates how investigating the role of PKG in energy homeostasis in a diversity of organisms can offer a broad perspective on the mechanisms mediating energy balance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karla R. Kaun
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Marla B. Sokolowski
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
The importance of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) to the modulation of behavioural phenotypes has become increasingly clear in recent decades. The effects of PKG on behaviour have been studied in diverse taxa from perspectives as varied as ethology, evolution, genetics and neuropharmacology. The genetic variation of the Drosophila melanogaster gene, foraging (for), has provided a fertile model for examining natural variation in a single major gene influencing behaviour. Concurrent studies in other invertebrates and mammals suggest that PKG is an important signalling molecule with varied influences on behaviour and a large degree of pleiotropy and plasticity. Comparing these cross-taxa effects suggests that there are several potentially overlapping behavioural modalities in which PKG signalling acts to influence behaviours which include feeding, learning, stress and biological rhythms. More in-depth comparative analyses across taxa of the similarities and differences of the influence of PKG on behaviour may provide powerful mechanistic explications of the evolution of behaviour.
Collapse
|
23
|
Hahn DA, Denlinger DL. Meeting the energetic demands of insect diapause: nutrient storage and utilization. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2007; 53:760-73. [PMID: 17532002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2007.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2007] [Revised: 03/29/2007] [Accepted: 03/29/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Insects in diapause characteristically feed very little or not at all, thus they are largely or totally dependent on energy reserves sequestered prior to the entry into diapause. Fats are the dominant reserve used during this period, but non-fat reserves are also important for some species, especially during certain phases of diapause. Metabolic depression, coupled with the low temperatures of winter, facilitates the economic utilization of reserves during the many months typical of most diapauses. Though many insects store additional lipid prior to the entry into diapause, our review of the literature indicates that this is not always the case. We provide evidence that interactions between nutrient storage and metabolism can influence the decision to enter diapause and determine how long to remain in diapause. In addition, the energy reserves expended during diapause have a profound effect on post-diapause fitness. Though the physiological and biochemical mechanisms that regulate nutrient homeostasis prior to and during diapause remain poorly known, we propose several mechanisms that have the potential to contribute to diapause-associated nutrient homeostasis. Potential players include insulin signaling, neuropeptide F, cGMP-kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase, and adipokinetic hormone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Hahn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
|
25
|
Min VA, Condron BG. An assay of behavioral plasticity in Drosophila larvae. J Neurosci Methods 2005; 145:63-72. [PMID: 15922026 PMCID: PMC2882685 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2004.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2004] [Revised: 11/22/2004] [Accepted: 11/22/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Stress, or threats to homeostasis, is a universal part of life. Organisms face changing and challenging situations everyday, and the ability to respond to such stress is essential for survival. When subjected to acute stress, the body responds molecularly and behaviorally in order to recover a steady state. We developed a simple and robust assay of behavioral plasticity for Drosophila larvae in which well-defined behavioral responses and recovery can be observed and quantified. After experiencing different control and bright light treatments, populations of photophobic fly larvae were placed a defined distance from a food source to which they crawled. Half-times (t(1/2)), or times at which half the total number of larvae reached the food, were used to compare different treatments and larval populations. Repeated control treatments with a main experimental strain gave tight, reproducible t(1/2) ranges. Control treatments with the wild type strains Oregon R and Canton S, the "rover" and "sitter" alleles of the forager locus, and eyeless mutants gave comparable results to those of the experimental strain. Exposure to bright light for a defined time period resulted in a reproducible slowing of locomotion. However, given a defined recovery period, the larvae recover full, normal locomotion. In addition, bright light treatments with Canton S gave comparable results to those of the experimental strain. Eyeless mutants, which are partially blind, do not show a response to bright light treatment. Thus, our assay measures the behavioral responses to bright light in Drosophila larvae and therefore might be useful as a general assay for studying behavioral plasticity and, potentially, adaptation to a stressful stimulus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Barry G. Condron
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 434 243 6794; fax: +1 434 243 5315. (B.G. Condron)
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Rüppell O, Pankiw T, Page RE. Pleiotropy, Epistasis and New QTL: The Genetic Architecture of Honey Bee Foraging Behavior. J Hered 2004; 95:481-91. [PMID: 15475393 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esh072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The regulation of division of labor in social insects, particularly in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), has received considerable attention from a number of biological subdisciplines, including quantitative and behavioral genetics, because of the high complexity of the behavioral traits involved. The foraging choices of honey bee workers can be accurately quantified, and previous studies have made the foraging behavior of honey bees one of the best studied naturally occurring behavioral phenotypes. Three quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified that influence a set of foraging variables, including the concentration of nectar collected and the amount of pollen and nectar brought back to the hive. This study extends previous genetic investigations and represents the most comprehensive investigation of the genetic architecture of these foraging variables. We examined the effects of markers for the three established QTL and for one further candidate gene (Amfor), in two reciprocal backcross populations. These populations were also used to carry out two new QTL mapping studies, with over 400 Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers in each. We detected a variety of effects of the genetic markers for the established QTL and the candidate gene, which were mostly epistatic in nature. A few new QTL could be detected with a variety of mapping techniques. Our results add complexity to the genetic architecture of the foraging behavior of the honey bee. Specifically, we support the hypotheses that pln1, pln2, pln3, and Amfor are involved in the regulation of foraging behavior in the honey bee and add some new factors that deserve further study in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- O Rüppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 107 Eberhart Building, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
O'Halloran DM, Burnell AM. An investigation of chemotaxis in the insect parasitic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. Parasitology 2004; 127:375-85. [PMID: 14636024 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182003003688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We tested the chemotactic responses of dauer juvenile stages (DJs) of the insect parasitic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora to a variety of compounds that are known to be highly attractive or highly repellent to Caenorhabditis elegans. While H. bacteriophora DJs respond to alcohols and some aromatic compounds as well as to host metabolites such as uric acid and CO2, the most notable difference in the responses of these two nematodes is that H. bacteriophora DJs are unresponsive to a large number of compounds which C. elegans finds highly attractive. The latter compounds are typical by-products of bacterial metabolism and include aldehydes, esters, ketones and short-chain alcohols. While C. elegans finds long-chain alcohols (e.g. 1-heptanol and 1-octanol) repellent and short-chain alcohols highly attractive, H. bacteriophora DJs are strongly attracted to 1-heptanol, 1-octanol and 1-nonanol and find short-chain alcohols to be only slightly attractive. Parasitic-stage H. bacteriophora nematodes show a very weak chemotactic response to volatile molecules that DJs find highly attractive. Our results suggest that, associated with the adoption of a parasitic mode of life by Heterorhabditis, there was an adaptive change in chemotactic behaviour of the infective stages, resulting in a decreased sensitivity to volatile by-products of bacterial metabolism and an increased sensitivity towards long-chain alcohols and other insect-specific volatiles and possibly also to herbivore-induced plant volatiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D M O'Halloran
- Institute of Bioengineering and Agroecology and Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co.Kildare, Ireland
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ganguly I, Mackay TFC, Anholt RRH. Scribble is essential for olfactory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2003; 164:1447-57. [PMID: 12930751 PMCID: PMC1462661 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/164.4.1447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to discriminate and respond to chemical signals from the environment is an almost universal prerequisite for survival. Here, we report that the scaffold protein Scribble is essential for odor-guided behavior in Drosophila. Previously, we identified a P-element insert line with generalized sexually dimorphic smell impairment, smi97B. We found that the transposon in this line is located between the predicted promoter region and the transcription initiation site of scrib. A deficiency in this region, Df(3R)Tl-X, and two scrib null alleles fail to complement the smell-impaired phenotype of smi97B. Wild-type behavior is restored by precise excision of the P element, scrib mRNA levels correspond with mutant and wild-type phenotypes, and introduction of a full-length scrib transgene in the smi97B mutant rescues the olfactory deficit. Expression of Scrib is widespread in olfactory organs and the central nervous system. Finally, alternative splicing of scrib generates transcripts that differ in the number of leucine-rich repeats and PDZ domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indrani Ganguly
- The W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Nolan KM, Sarafi-Reinach TR, Horne JG, Saffer AM, Sengupta P. The DAF-7 TGF-beta signaling pathway regulates chemosensory receptor gene expression in C. elegans. Genes Dev 2002; 16:3061-73. [PMID: 12464635 PMCID: PMC187495 DOI: 10.1101/gad.1027702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of chemoreceptor gene expression in response to environmental or developmental cues provides a mechanism by which animals can alter their sensory responses. Here we demonstrate a role for the daf-7 TGF-beta pathway in the regulation of expression of a subset of chemoreceptor genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. We describe a novel role of this pathway in maintaining receptor gene expression in the adult and show that the DAF-4 type II TGF-beta receptor functions cell-autonomously to modulate chemoreceptor expression. We also find that the alteration of receptor gene expression in the ASI chemosensory neurons by environmental signals, such as levels of a constitutively produced pheromone, may be mediated via a DAF-7-independent pathway. Receptor gene expression in the ASI and ASH sensory neurons appears to be regulated via distinct mechanisms. Our results suggest that the expression of individual chemoreceptor genes in C. elegans is subject to multiple modes of regulation, thereby ensuring that animals exhibit the responses most appropriate for their developmental stage and environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Nolan
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Python F, Stocker RF. Immunoreactivity against choline acetyltransferase, gamma-aminobutyric acid, histamine, octopamine, and serotonin in the larval chemosensory system of Dosophila melanogaster. J Comp Neurol 2002; 453:157-67. [PMID: 12373781 DOI: 10.1002/cne.10383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We have studied the distribution of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), histamine, octopamine and serotonin in the larval chemosensory system of Drosophila melanogaster. Colocalization at the confocal level with green fluorescent protein (GFP) or Tau-GFP reporters, expressed in selected P[GAL4] enhancer trap lines, was used to identify the cells making up these neurotransmitters. As in the adult fly, larval olfactory afferents project into the (larval) antennal lobe (LAL), where they synapse onto local interneurons and projection neurons, whereas gustatory afferents terminate essentially in the tritocerebral-subesophageal (TR-SOG) region. We demonstrate that the neuropils of the LAL and the TR-SOG are immunoreactive to ChAT and GABA. In addition, serotonin- and octopamine-immunoreactive fibers are present in the LAL. ChAT immunostaining is localized in subsets of olfactory and gustatory afferents and in many of the projection neurons. In contrast, GABA is expressed in most, and perhaps all, of the local interneurons. Serotonin immunoreactivity in the LAL derives from a single neuron that is situated close to the LAL and projects to additional neuropil regions. Taken together, these findings resemble the situation in the adult fly. Hence, given the highly reduced numbers of odorant receptor neurons in the larva, as shown in a previous study (Python and Stocker [2002] J. Comp. Neurol. 445:374-387), the larval system may become an attractive model system for studying the roles of neurotransmitters in olfactory processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- François Python
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Peckol EL, Troemel ER, Bargmann CI. Sensory experience and sensory activity regulate chemosensory receptor gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2001; 98:11032-8. [PMID: 11572964 PMCID: PMC58678 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.191352498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in the environment cause both short-term and long-term changes in an animal's behavior. Here we show that specific sensory experiences cause changes in chemosensory receptor gene expression that may alter sensory perception in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Three predicted chemosensory receptor genes expressed in the ASI chemosensory neurons, srd-1, str-2, and str-3, are repressed by exposure to the dauer pheromone, a signal of crowding. Repression occurs at pheromone concentrations below those that induce formation of the alternative dauer larva stage, suggesting that exposure to pheromones can alter the chemosensory behaviors of non-dauer animals. In addition, ASI expression of srd-1, but not str-2 and str-3, is induced by sensory activity of the ASI neurons. Expression of two receptor genes is regulated by developmental entry into the dauer larva stage. srd-1 expression in ASI neurons is repressed in dauer larvae. str-2 expression in dauer animals is induced in the ASI neurons, but repressed in the AWC neurons. The ASI and AWC neurons remodel in the dauer stage, and these results suggest that their sensory specificity changes as well. We suggest that experience-dependent changes in chemosensory receptor gene expression may modify olfactory behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E L Peckol
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Programs in Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, and Genetics, Departments of Anatomy and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0452, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|