The effect of the inactive mutation on longevity, sex, rhythm and resistance to p-cresol in Drosophila melanogaster

Probiotic Bifidobacteria Mitigate the Deleterious Effects of para-Cresol in a Drosophila melanogaster Toxicity Model

Renal impairment associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes the buildup of uremic toxins that are deleterious to patient health. Current therapies that manage toxin accumulation in CKD offer an incomplete therapeutic effect against toxins such as para-cresol (p-cresol) and p-cresyl sulfate. Probiotic therapies can exploit the wealth of microbial diversity to reduce toxin accumulation. Using in vitro culture techniques, strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria from a 24-strain synbiotic were investigated for their ability to remove p-cresol. Four strains of bifidobacteria internalized p-cresol from the extracellular environment. The oral supplementation of these toxin-clearing probiotics was more protective than control strains in a Drosophila melanogaster toxicity model. Bifidobacterial supplementation was also associated with higher abundance of lactobacilli in the gut microbiota of p-cresol-exposed flies. The present findings suggest that these strains might reduce p-cresol in the gut in addition to increasing the prevalence of other beneficial bacteria, such as lactobacilli, and should be tested clinically to normalize the dysbiotic gut microbiota observed in CKD patients. IMPORTANCE Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 10% of the global population and has limited treatment options. The accumulation of gut microbiota-derived uremic toxins, such as para-cresol (p-cresol) and p-cresyl sulfate, is associated with the onset of comorbidities (i.e., atherosclerosis and cognitive disorders) in CKD. Unfortunately, dialysis, the gold standard therapy is unable to remove these toxins from the bloodstream due to their highly protein-bound nature. Some strains of Bifidobacterium have metabolic properties that may be useful in managing uremic toxicity. Using a Drosophila model, the present work highlights why dosing with certain probiotic strains may be clinically useful in CKD management.

Regulation of Aging and Longevity by Ion Channels and Transporters

Despite significant advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie age-related physiological decline, our ability to translate these insights into actionable strategies to extend human healthspan has been limited. One of the major reasons for the existence of this barrier is that with a few important exceptions, many of the proteins that mediate aging have proven to be undruggable. The argument put forth here is that the amenability of ion channels and transporters to pharmacological manipulation could be leveraged to develop novel therapeutic strategies to combat aging. This review delves into the established roles for ion channels and transporters in the regulation of aging and longevity via their influence on membrane excitability, Ca2+ homeostasis, mitochondrial and endolysosomal function, and the transduction of sensory stimuli. The goal is to provide the reader with an understanding of emergent themes, and prompt further investigation into how the activities of ion channels and transporters sculpt the trajectories of cellular and organismal aging.

Transient receptor potential channels: current perspectives on evolution, structure, function and nomenclature

The transient receptor potential superfamily of ion channels (TRP channels) is widely recognized for the roles its members play in sensory nervous systems. However, the incredible diversity within the TRP superfamily, and the wide range of sensory capacities found therein, has also allowed TRP channels to function beyond sensing an organism's external environment, and TRP channels have thus become broadly critical to (at least) animal life. TRP channels were originally discovered in Drosophila and have since been broadly studied in animals; however, thanks to a boom in genomic and transcriptomic data, we now know that TRP channels are present in the genomes of a variety of creatures, including green algae, fungi, choanoflagellates and a number of other eukaryotes. As a result, the organization of the TRP superfamily has changed radically from its original description. Moreover, modern comprehensive phylogenetic analyses have brought to light the vertebrate-centricity of much of the TRP literature; much of the nomenclature has been grounded in vertebrate TRP subfamilies, resulting in a glossing over of TRP channels in other taxa. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the function, structure and evolutionary history of TRP channels, and put forth a more complete set of non-vertebrate-centric TRP family, subfamily and other subgroup nomenclature.

Influence of aminergic and peptidergic substances on heart beat frequency in the stick insect Carausius morosus (Insecta, Phasmatodea)

The dorsal heart of the Indian stick insect, Carausius morosus, is responsible for the anterograde flow of hemolymph to the aorta and into the body cavity. The contraction frequency of the insect heart is known to be influenced by several substances of neural source. Here, a semi-exposed heart assay was employed to study the effect of an aminergic substance (octopamine) and three neuropeptides (C. morosus hypertrehalosemic hormone [Carmo-HrTH], crustacean cardioactive peptide [CCAP], and proctolin) on heart contraction. The contraction frequency was measured as beats per minute in adults ligated between the head and the prothorax. All three investigated neuropeptides had a stimulatory effect on heart contraction that lasted approximately 6 min, after which the normal heart beat rate was restored. Proctolin and CCAP stimulated the rate of heart beat also in unligated stick insects, whereas Carmo-HrTH was active only in ligated insects. The latter could suggest that when the stick insect is not ligated, a competing substance may be released from the head of C. morosus; the competing substance is, apparently, not physiologically active but it binds or blocks access to the receptor of Carmo-HrTH-II, thereby rendering the HrTH peptide "not active." In ligated stick insects, 6.7 × 10^-8  M Carmo-HrTH-II significantly increased the heart beat rate; higher doses resulted in no further increase, suggesting the saturation of the HrTH receptor. Octopamine inhibited the rate at which the heart contracted in a dose-dependent manner; inhibition was achieved with 10^-4  M of octopamine.

Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

Aggression is a universal social behavior important for the acquisition of food, mates, territory, and social status. Aggression in Drosophila is context-dependent and can thus be expected to involve inputs from multiple sensory modalities. Here, we use mechanical disruption and genetic approaches in Drosophila melanogaster to identify hearing as an important sensory modality in the context of intermale aggressive behavior. We demonstrate that neuronal silencing and targeted knockdown of hearing genes in the fly's auditory organ elicit abnormal aggression. Further, we show that exposure to courtship or aggression song has opposite effects on aggression. Our data define the importance of hearing in the control of Drosophila intermale aggression and open perspectives to decipher how hearing and other sensory modalities are integrated at the neural circuit level.

Deciphering the Function of Octopaminergic Signaling on Wing Polyphenism of the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Aphids exhibit wing polyphenism (winged or wingless) for adaption to predictable or temporally heterogeneous environmental changes; however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. This morphological change could be stimulated by high aphid density, which in turn could affect octopaminergic signaling in aphids. Octopamine is a neurotransmitter synthesized in insects that can modify their physiological metabolism, locomotion, and other behaviors. We designed experiments to determine whether octopamine functions in wing formation of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris). We determined gene expression of tyramine β-hydroxylase (TβH), a key enzyme in octopamine synthesis at different developmental stages, in different body parts, and in different densities of aphids. We also used TβH RNAi, octopamine receptor agonists (octopamine and synephrine), and an antagonist (mianserin) to modify octopaminergic signaling. We found that transcription of TβH was related to aphid density, which affected the proportion of winged offspring. By manually modifying the mother's octopaminergic signaling, TβH expression was suppressed, and TβH (enzyme) activity decreased. The proportion of winged offspring was also affected. Our results showed that octopamine could be a link in the wing determination system, as well as environmental stimulation. The RNAi results showed that the decrease of TβH expression increased aphid's reproduction; however, the decrease of TβH expression declined the numbers of winged-offspring producers, but did not affect the proportion of winged nymphs produced by the winged-offspring producer. In conclusion, the decline in the proportion of winged daughters in the next generation was caused by the decline of winged nymph producers.

Characterization of Volatiles of Necrotic Stenocereus thurberi and Opuntia littoralis and Toxicity and Olfactory Preference of Drosophila melanogster, D. mojavensis wrigleyi, and D. mojavensis sonorensis to Necrotic Cactus Volatiles

Drosophila mojavensis wrigleyi and D. mojavensis sonorensis are geographically separated races of cactophilic fruit flies. D. mojavensis sonorensis inhabits the Sonoran Desert and utilizes necrotic rots of Stenocereus thurberi Engelm. as a food source and to oviposit while D. mojavensis wrigleyi inhabits Santa Catalina Island, California and utilizes the necrotic rots of Opuntia littoralis (Engelm.) Cockerell. The objectives of this study were to determine the volatile compositions of the necrotic cacti and to determine if the volatile components show either selective toxicity or attraction toward the fruit flies. The volatile chemical compositions of field-rot specimens of both necrotic cacti were obtained by dynamic headspace (purge-and-trap) and hydrodistillation techniques and analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. The volatile fraction of necrotic S. thurberi early rot was dominated by carboxylic acids (84.8%) and the late rot by p-cresol (32.6% in the dynamic headspace sample and 55.9% in the hydrodistilled sample). O. littoralis volatiles were dominated by carboxylic acids (86% in the dynamic headspace sample and 89.1% in the hydrodistilled sample). Fifteen compounds that were identified in the necrotic rot volatiles were used to test insecticidal activity and olfactory preference on the cactophilic Drosophila species, as well as D. melanogaster. Differences in toxicity and olfactory preference were observed between the different taxa. Both races of D. mojavensis exhibited toxicity to benzaldehyde and 2-nonanone, while butanoic acid and palmitic acid were tolerated at high concentrations. D. m. wrigleyi demonstrated a greater olfactory preference for anisole, butanoic acid, 2-heptanone, and palmitic acid than did D. m. sonorensis, while D. m. sonorensis demonstrated a greater preference for hexadecane, octanoic acid, and oleic acid than did D. m. wrigleyi.

Neurogenetics of female reproductive behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster

We follow an adult Drosophila melanogaster female through the major reproductive decisions she makes during her lifetime, including habitat selection, precopulatory mate choice, postcopulatory physiological changes, polyandry, and egg-laying site selection. In the process, we review the molecular and neuronal mechanisms allowing females to integrate signals from both environmental and social sources to produce those behavioral outputs. We pay attention to how an understanding of D. melanogaster female reproductive behaviors contributes to a wider understanding of evolutionary processes such as pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection as well as sexual conflict. Within each section, we attempt to connect the theories that pertain to the evolution of female reproductive behaviors with the molecular and neurobiological data that support these theories. We draw attention to the fact that the evolutionary and mechanistic basis of female reproductive behaviors, even in a species as extensively studied as D. melanogaster, remains poorly understood.

The role of octopamine in locusts and other arthropods

The biogenic amine octopamine and its biological precursor tyramine are thought to be the invertebrate functional homologues of the vertebrate adrenergic transmitters. Octopamine functions as a neuromodulator, neurotransmitter and neurohormone in insect nervous systems and prompts the whole organism to "dynamic action". A growing number of studies suggest a prominent role for octopamine in modulating multiple physiological and behavioural processes in invertebrates, as for example the phase transition in Schistocerca gregaria. Both octopamine and tyramine exert their effects by binding to specific receptor proteins that belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Since these receptors do not appear to be present in vertebrates, they may present very suitable and specific insecticide and acaricide targets.

Genetic analysis of chaste, a new mutation of Drosophila melanogaster characterized by extremely low female sexual receptivity

By screening about 2,000 P-element-insertion lines of Drosophila melanogaster, we isolated a new behavioral mutant line, chaste (chst), the females of which display extraordinarily strong rejection behavior against courting males. The chst mutation is mapped to the muscleblind (mbl) locus at 54B on the right arm of chromosome 2. The reduced sexual receptivity in chst mutant females is reversed to the wild-type level by introducing a transgene, which expresses either the mblB (+) or mblC (+) isoform, demonstrating that chst is an allele of mbl. Among the P-elements inserted upstream of the mbl gene, those inserted in the same orientation as that of mbl express the chst phenotype, whereas a P-element inserted in the opposite orientation does not. This finding implies that the former P-elements induce the mutant phenotype by a mechanism that is sensitive to the direction of transcription (e.g., transcriptional interference). The mbl alleles, with deletions near the transcription start site and/or in part of the exons, complement the chst mutation in the sexual receptivity phenotype, but not in the lethality phenotype of mbl mutations. Such interallelic complementation of the sexual receptivity phenotype in the mbl locus disappears in the presence of a mutant copy of zeste (z), a gene encoding a protein that mediates transvection. We suggest that the mbl gene function is required for the normal development of neural substrates that regulate female sexual receptivity.

Microcolumn separation of amine metabolites in the fruit fly

Electrophoretic resolution of 14 biogenic amines and metabolites with similar mobilities is addressed by employing micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography coupled to amperometric electrochemical detection. The present study describes the optimization of separation conditions to achieve resolution of analytes of biological significance within 20 min in a single separation. They include dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, octopamine (OA), L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, tyramine (TA), and serotonin as well as metabolites 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, and 3-methoxytyramine in addition to N-acetylated metabolites including N-acetyldopamine, N-acetyloctopamine (naOA), and N-acetylserotonin. The optimized conditions used result in excellent reproducibility and predictable peak shifting, thus enabling identification of several metabolites along with their biogenic amine precursors in biological samples, specifically from the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The separation method is sensitive, selective, and quantitative as demonstrated by its capacity to detect changes in TA, OA, and naOA present in the head homogenates of the Canton-S and mutant inactive(1) Drosophila lines. Quantitative analysis of metabolites in conjunction with their biogenic amine precursors in a single separation offers tremendous potential to understand the physiological processes and underlying mechanisms mediated by various biogenic amines in Drosophila and other animals.

Developmental expression of a tyramine receptor gene in the brain of the honey bee, Apis mellifera

This study reveals that the tyramine receptor gene, Amtyr1, is expressed in the developing brain, as well as in the brain of the adult worker honey bee. Changes in levels of Amtyr1 expression were examined using Northern analysis. Age-related increases in Amtyr1 transcript levels were observed not only during metamorphic adult development, but also in the brain of the adult worker bee. RNA in situ hybridization revealed the pattern of Amtyr1 expression. Cell bodies staining intensely for tyramine receptor-gene transcript were observed throughout the somata rind, with well-defined clusters of cells associated with developing mushroom bodies, optic lobes, and antennal lobes of the brain. Staining for Amtyr1 transcript was particularly intense within the three major divisions of mushroom body intrinsic neurons (outer compact, noncompact, and inner compact cells), suggesting that Amtyr1 is highly expressed in these structures. Activation of AmTYR1 receptors heterologously expressed in insect (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells led to a reduction in intracellular levels of cAMP similar to that reported for AmTYR1 receptors expressed in mammalian (HEK 293) cells (Blenau et al. [2000] J Neurochem 74:900-908). Taken together, these results suggest that AmTYR1 receptors may play a role in the developing brain as well as in the brain of the adult worker bee. The actions of tyramine are likely to be mediated, at least in part, via the cAMP-signaling pathway.

Two interdependent TRPV channel subunits, inactive and Nanchung, mediate hearing in Drosophila

Hearing in Drosophila depends on the transduction of antennal vibration into receptor potentials by ciliated sensory neurons in Johnston's organ, the antennal chordotonal organ. We previously found that a Drosophila protein in the vanilloid receptor subfamily (TRPV) channel subunit, Nanchung (NAN), is localized to the chordotonal cilia and required to generate sound-evoked potentials (Kim et al., 2003). Here, we show that the only other Drosophila TRPV protein is mutated in the behavioral mutant inactive (iav). The IAV protein forms a hypotonically activated channel when expressed in cultured cells; in flies, it is specifically expressed in the chordotonal neurons, localized to their cilia and required for hearing. IAV and NAN are each undetectable in cilia of mutants lacking the other protein, indicating that they both contribute to a heteromultimeric transduction channel in vivo. A functional green fluorescence protein-IAV fusion protein shows that the channel is restricted to the proximal cilium, constraining models for channel activation.

Tyramine and octopamine: ruling behavior and metabolism

Octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA) are the invertebrate counterparts of the vertebrate adrenergic transmitters. They are decarboxylation products of the amino acid tyrosine, with TA as the biological precursor of OA. Nevertheless, both compounds are independent neurotransmitters that act through G protein-coupled receptors. OA modulates a plethora of behaviors and peripheral and sense organs, enabling the insect to respond correctly to external stimuli. Because these two phenolamines are the only biogenic amines whose physiological significance is presumably restricted to invertebrates, pharmacologists have focused their attention on the corresponding receptors, which are still believed to represent promising targets for new insecticides. Recent progress made on all levels of OA and TA research has enabled researchers to understand better the molecular events underlying the control of complex behaviors.

Circadian rhythms, oxidative stress, and antioxidative defense mechanisms

Endogenous circadian and exogenously driven daily rhythms of antioxidative enzyme activities and of low molecular weight antioxidants (LMWAs) are described in various phylogenetically distant organisms. Substantial amplitudes are detected in several cases, suggesting the significance of rhythmicity in avoiding excessive oxidative stress. Mammalian and/or avian glutathione peroxidase and, as a consequence, glutathione reductase activities follow the rhythm of melatonin. Another hint for an involvement of melatonin in the control of redox processes is seen in its high-affinity binding to cytosolic quinone reductase 2, previously believed to be a melatonin receptor. Although antioxidative protection by pharmacological doses of melatonin is repeatedly reported, explanations of these findings are still insufficient and their physiological and chronobiological relevance is not yet settled. Recent data indicate a role of melatonin in the avoidance of mitochondrial radical formation, a function which may prevail over direct scavenging. Rhythmic changes in oxidative damage of protein and lipid molecules are also reported. Enhanced oxidative protein modification accompanied by a marked increase in the circadian amplitude of this parameter is detected in the Drosophila mutant rosy, which is deficient in the LMWA urate. Preliminary evidence for the significance of circadian rhythmicity in diminishing oxidative stress comes from clock mutants. In Drosophila, moderately enhanced protein damage is described for the arrhythmic and melatonin null mutant per0, but even more elevated, periodic damage is found in the short-period mutant per(s), synchronized to LD 12:12. Remarkably large increases in oxidative protein damage, along with impairment of tissue integrity and--obviously insufficient--compensatory elevations in protective enzymes are observed in a particularly vulnerable organ, the Harderian gland, of another short-period mutant tau, in the Syrian hamster. Mice deficient in the per2 gene homolog are reported to be cancer-prone, a finding which might also relate to oxidative stress. In the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum [Gonyaulax polyedra], various treatments that cause oxidative stress result in strong suppressions of melatonin and its metabolite 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT) and to secondary effects on overt rhythmicity. The glow maximum, depending on the presence of elevated 5-MT at the end of subjective night, decreases in a dose-dependent manner already under moderate, non-lethal oxidative stress, but is restored by replenishing melatonin. Therefore, a general effect of oxidative stress may consist in declines of easily oxidizable signaling molecules such as melatonin, and this can have consequences on the circadian intraorganismal organization and expression of overt rhythms. Recent findings on a redox-sensitive input into the core oscillator via modulation of NPAS2/BMAL1 or CLK/BMAL1 heterodimer binding to DNA indicate a direct influence of cellular redox balance, including oxidative stress, on the circadian clock.

Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae

Biogenic amines are believed to play important roles in producing behaviors. Although some biogenic amines have been extensively studied in both vertebrates and invertebrates, little is known about the effects of trace amines like tyramine and octopamine. We investigated how trace amines affect behaviors using quantitative morphometric methods on Drosophila Tbetah(nM18) and iav(N) mutants that have altered levels of tyramine and octopamine. Locomotion of wild-type and mutant third instar larvae was analyzed using Dynamic Image Analysis System (DIAS) software. We found that Tbetah(nM18) mutants, with elevated tyramine levels and reduced octopamine levels, had a severe locomotion phenotype. Mutant larvae spent much more time in pausing episodes than wild-type larvae and displayed a reduction in speed and linear translocation. The locomotion phenotype was partially rescued by feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae octopamine, an effect that could be nullified with simultaneous feeding of tyramine. Feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae yohimbine, an agent that inhibits the activity of Drosophila tyramine receptors, also improved some locomotion parameters. Feeding both octopamine and yohimbine further improved rescue efficiency. Simultaneously reducing the octopamine and tyramine levels as in iav(N) larvae, in contrast, led to a less severe behavioral phenotype than that of Tbetah(nM18) mutants. Feeding iav(N) larvae either tyramine or octopamine exerted only a minor improvement in locomotion. These results suggest that tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on Drosophila larval locomotion regulation and that a balance between the two is important in producing normal behavior.

Octopamine receptor OAMB is required for ovulation in Drosophila melanogaster

Octopamine is a major monoamine in invertebrates and affects many physiological processes ranging from energy metabolism to complex behaviors. Octopamine binds to receptors located on various cell types and activates distinct signal transduction pathways to produce these diverse effects. We previously identified one of the Drosophila octopamine receptors named OAMB that produces increases in cAMP and intracellular Ca2+ upon ligand binding. It is expressed at high levels in the brain. To explore OAMB's physiological roles, we generated deletions in the OAMB locus. The resultant oamb mutants were viable without gross anatomical defects. The oamb females displayed normal courtship and copulation; however, they were impaired in ovulation with many mature eggs retained in their ovaries. RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and expression of a reporter gene revealed that OAMB was also expressed in the thoracicoabdominal ganglion, the female reproductive system, and mature eggs in the ovary. Moreover, analysis of various alleles pinpointed the requirement for OAMB in the body, but not in the brain, for female fecundity. The novel expression pattern of OAMB and its genetic resource described in this study will help advance our understanding on how the neuromodulatory or endocrine system controls reproductive physiology and behavior.

Functional ethanol tolerance in Drosophila

In humans, repeated alcohol consumption leads to the development of tolerance, manifested as a reduced physiological and behavioral response to a particular dose of alcohol. Here we show that adult Drosophila develop tolerance to the sedating and motor-impairing effects of ethanol with kinetics of acquisition and dissipation that mimic those seen in mammals. Importantly, this tolerance is not caused by changes in ethanol absorption or metabolism. Rather, the development of tolerance requires the functional and structural integrity of specific central brain regions. Mutants unable to synthesize the catecholamine octopamine are also impaired in their ability to develop tolerance. Taken together, these data show that Drosophila is a suitable model system in which to study the molecular and neuroanatomical bases of ethanol tolerance.

courtless, the Drosophila UBC7 homolog, is involved in male courtship behavior and spermatogenesis

The courtless (col) mutation disrupts early steps of courtship behavior in Drosophila males, as well as the development of their sperm. Most of the homozygous col/col males (78%) do not court at all. Only 5% perform the entire ritual and copulate, yet these matings produce no progeny. The col gene maps to polytene chromosome band 47D. It encodes two proteins that differ in their carboxy termini and are the Drosophila homologs of the yeast ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC7. The col mutation is caused by an insertion of a P element into the 3' UTR of the gene, which probably disrupts translational regulatory elements. As a consequence, the homozygous mutants exhibit a six- to sevenfold increase in the level of the COL protein. The col product is essential, and deletions that remove the col gene are lethal. During embryonic development col is expressed primarily in the CNS. Our results implicate the ubiquitin-mediated system in the development and function of the nervous system and in meiosis during spermatogenesis.

A novel octopamine receptor with preferential expression in Drosophila mushroom bodies

Octopamine is a neuromodulator that mediates diverse physiological processes in invertebrates. In some insects, such as honeybees and fruit flies, octopamine has been shown to be a major stimulator of adenylyl cyclase and to function in associative learning. To identify an octopamine receptor mediating this function in Drosophila, putative biogenic amine receptors were cloned by a novel procedure using PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphism. One new receptor, octopamine receptor in mushroom bodies (OAMB), was identified as an octopamine receptor because human and Drosophila cell lines expressing OAMB showed increased cAMP and intracellular Ca2+ levels after octopamine application. Immunohistochemical analysis using an antibody made to the receptor revealed highly enriched expression in the mushroom body neuropil and the ellipsoid body of central complex, brain areas known to be crucial for olfactory learning and motor control, respectively. The preferential expression of OAMB in mushroom bodies and its capacity to produce cAMP accumulation suggest an important role in synaptic modulation underlying behavioral plasticity.

The expression of a cloned Drosophila octopamine/tyramine receptor in Xenopus oocytes

The expression of a cloned Drosophila octopamine/tyramine receptor (OctyR99AB) is described in Xenopus oocytes. Agonist stimulation of OctyR99AB receptors increased intracellular Ca2+ levels monitored as changes in the endogenous inward Ca2+-dependent chloride current. The receptor is preferentially sensitive to biogenic amines with a single hydroxyl on the aromatic ring. The G-protein, Galphai, appears to be involved in the coupling of the receptor to the production of intracellular calcium signals, since the effect is pertussis-toxin sensitive and is blocked or substantially reduced in antisense knockout experiments using oligonucleotides directed against Galphai but not by those directed against Galphao, Galphaq and Galpha11. The increase in intracellular calcium levels induced by activation of the OctyR99AB receptor can potentiate the ability of activation of a co-expressed beta2-adrenergic receptor to increase oocyte cyclic AMP levels. A comparison of the pharmacological coupling of OctyR99AB to different second messenger systems when expressed in Xenopus oocytes with previous studies on the expression of the receptor in a Chinese hamster ovary cell line suggests that the property of agonist-specific coupling of the receptor to different second messenger systems may be cell-specific, depending upon the G-protein environment of any particular cell type.

Temporal and spatial expression patterns of two G-protein coupled receptors in Drosophila melanogaster

Temporal and spatial expression patterns of a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (Acr60C) and an octopamine/tyramine receptor (Octyr) were determined in Drosophila melanogaster using quantitative Northern analysis and in situ hybridization to tissue sections. Expression of mRNA encoding both of these G-protein coupled receptors peaks initially in 18 to 21 hour embryos following the formation of the mature larval nervous system. Levels of mRNA then decline during larval stages, rising to a second peak in 3 to 4-day-old pupae after a period of major nervous system reorganization. The muscarinic acetylcholine receptor mRNA is expressed throughout the cortical regions of the central nervous system in adults and embryos. Particularly high levels of expression of Acr60C are observed in cell bodies adjacent to the antennal lobes, suggesting a major role for this muscarinic receptor in the processing of olfactory information. In contrast, the octopamine/tyramine receptor mRNA is distributed diffusely throughout the adult brain, with patches of signal concentrated in the cortex of the dorsal protocerebrum near the mushroom bodies. These patches may represent individual cells expressing Octyr receptors.

The inactive mutation leads to abnormal experience-dependent courtship modification in male Drosophila melanogaster

Flies carrying the inactive mutation of Drosophila melanogaster have only 15% wild-type titers of the putative neurotransmitter octopamine. With a view to discovering whether the inactive mutation impairs learning, I describe the effect of the inactive mutation on experience-dependent courtship modification (EDCM). Wild-type males rapidly condition to immature males and modify their behaviour toward subsequent target flies. The weaker EDCM phenotype of inactive males is similar to that of dunce males. Using time-sampling, habituation is most rapid for wild-type males and slowest for dunce males, with inactive males showing an intermediate phenotype. These results support the notion that octopamine plays a significant role in the manifestation of Drosophila learning behavior.

The mating of a fly

Courtship in Drosophila is influenced by a wide variety of genes, in that many different kinds of pleiotropic mutations lead to defective courtship. This may seem to be a truism, but the broad temporal and spatial expression of most of the fly's "neuro genes" makes it difficult to exclude elements of such genes' actions as materially underlying reproductive behavior. "Courtship genes" that seem to play more particular roles were originally identified as sensory, learning, or rhythm mutations; their reproductive abnormalities have been especially informative for revealing components of male or female actions that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Further behavioral mutations seemed originally to be courtship-specific, turned out not to have that property, and have led to a broadened perspective on the nature and action of Drosophila's sex-determination genes.