1
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Çoban B, Poppinga H, Rachad EY, Geurten B, Vasmer D, Rodriguez Jimenez FJ, Gadgil Y, Deimel SH, Alyagor I, Schuldiner O, Grunwald Kadow IC, Riemensperger TD, Widmann A, Fiala A. The caloric value of food intake structurally adjusts a neuronal mushroom body circuit mediating olfactory learning in Drosophila. Learn Mem 2024; 31:a053997. [PMID: 38862177 PMCID: PMC11199950 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053997.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Associative learning enables the adaptive adjustment of behavioral decisions based on acquired, predicted outcomes. The valence of what is learned is influenced not only by the learned stimuli and their temporal relations, but also by prior experiences and internal states. In this study, we used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to demonstrate that neuronal circuits involved in associative olfactory learning undergo restructuring during extended periods of low-caloric food intake. Specifically, we observed a decrease in the connections between specific dopaminergic neurons (DANs) and Kenyon cells at distinct compartments of the mushroom body. This structural synaptic plasticity was contingent upon the presence of allatostatin A receptors in specific DANs and could be mimicked optogenetically by expressing a light-activated adenylate cyclase in exactly these DANs. Importantly, we found that this rearrangement in synaptic connections influenced aversive, punishment-induced olfactory learning but did not impact appetitive, reward-based learning. Whether induced by prolonged low-caloric conditions or optogenetic manipulation of cAMP levels, this synaptic rearrangement resulted in a reduction of aversive associative learning. Consequently, the balance between positive and negative reinforcing signals shifted, diminishing the ability to learn to avoid odor cues signaling negative outcomes. These results exemplify how a neuronal circuit required for learning and memory undergoes structural plasticity dependent on prior experiences of the nutritional value of food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Büşra Çoban
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Haiko Poppinga
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - El Yazid Rachad
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bart Geurten
- Department of Zoology, Otago University, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - David Vasmer
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Yogesh Gadgil
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Idan Alyagor
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Oren Schuldiner
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | | | | | - Annekathrin Widmann
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - André Fiala
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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2
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Jiang S, Marco HG, Scheich N, He S, Wang Z, Gäde G, McMahon DP. Comparative analysis of adipokinetic hormones and their receptors in Blattodea reveals novel patterns of gene evolution. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 32:615-633. [PMID: 37382487 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Adipokinetic hormone (AKH) is a neuropeptide produced in the insect corpora cardiaca that plays an essential role in mobilising carbohydrates and lipids from the fat body to the haemolymph. AKH acts by binding to a rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR). In this study, we tackle AKH ligand and receptor gene evolution as well as the evolutionary origins of AKH gene paralogues from the order Blattodea (termites and cockroaches). Phylogenetic analyses of AKH precursor sequences point to an ancient AKH gene duplication event in the common ancestor of Blaberoidea, yielding a new group of putative decapeptides. In total, 16 different AKH peptides from 90 species were obtained. Two octapeptides and seven putatively novel decapeptides are predicted for the first time. AKH receptor sequences from 18 species, spanning solitary cockroaches and subsocial wood roaches as well as lower and higher termites, were subsequently acquired using classical molecular methods and in silico approaches employing transcriptomic data. Aligned AKHR open reading frames revealed 7 highly conserved transmembrane regions, a typical arrangement for GPCRs. Phylogenetic analyses based on AKHR sequences support accepted relationships among termite, subsocial (Cryptocercus spp.) and solitary cockroach lineages to a large extent, while putative post-translational modification sites do not greatly differ between solitary and subsocial roaches and social termites. Our study provides important information not only for AKH and AKHR functional research but also for further analyses interested in their development as potential candidates for biorational pest control agents against invasive termites and cockroaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shixiong Jiang
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department for Materials and Environment, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heather G Marco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Nina Scheich
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department for Materials and Environment, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shulin He
- College of Life Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zongqing Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Gerd Gäde
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Dino P McMahon
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department for Materials and Environment, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Raspe S, Kümmerlen K, Harzsch S. Immunolocalization of SIFamide-like neuropeptides in the adult and developing central nervous system of the amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis (Malacostraca, Peracarida, Amphipoda). ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2023; 77:101309. [PMID: 37879171 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2023.101309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Immunohistochemical analyses on the distribution of neuropeptides in the pancrustacean brain in the past have focussed mostly on representatives of the decapod ("ten-legged") pancrustaceans whereas other taxa are understudied in this respect. The current report examines the post-embryogenic and adult brain and ventral nerve cord of the amphipod pancrustacean Parhyale hawaiensis (Dana. 1853; Peracarida, Amphipoda, Hyalide), a subtropical species with a body size of 1.5 cm and a direct post-embryonic development using immunohistochemistry to label the neuropeptide SIFamide and synaptic proteins (synapsins). We found strong SIFamide-like labelling in proto-, deuto- and tritocerebrum, especially in the lamina, the lateral protocerebrum, lateral assessory lobe, the central body, olfactory lobe, medial antenna 1 neuropil and antenna 2 neuropil. Out of a total of 28 ± 5 (N = 12) SIFamide-positive neurons in the central brain of adult P. hawaiensis, we found three individually identifiable somata which were consistently present within the brain of adult and subadult animals. Additionally, the subesophageal and two adjacent thoracic ganglia were analysed in only adult animals and also showed a strong SIFamide-like immunoreactivity. We compare our findings to other pancrustaceans including hexapods and discuss them in an evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Raspe
- University of Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Department of Cytology and Evolutionary Biology, Soldmannstrasse 23, D-17498 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Katja Kümmerlen
- University of Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Department of Cytology and Evolutionary Biology, Soldmannstrasse 23, D-17498 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Steffen Harzsch
- University of Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Department of Cytology and Evolutionary Biology, Soldmannstrasse 23, D-17498 Greifswald, Germany.
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4
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Cuddapah VA, Hsu CT, Li Y, Shah HM, Saul C, Killiany S, Shon J, Yue Z, Gionet G, Putt ME, Sehgal A. Sleepiness, not total sleep amount, increases seizure risk. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.30.560325. [PMID: 37873373 PMCID: PMC10592838 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.30.560325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Sleep loss has been associated with increased seizure risk since antiquity. Despite this observation standing the test of time, how poor sleep drives susceptibility to seizures remains unclear. To identify underlying mechanisms, we restricted sleep in Drosophila epilepsy models and developed a method to identify spontaneous seizures using quantitative video tracking. Here we find that sleep loss exacerbates seizures but only when flies experience increased sleep need, or sleepiness , and not necessarily with reduced sleep quantity. This is supported by the paradoxical finding that acute activation of sleep-promoting circuits worsens seizures, because it increases sleep need without changing sleep amount. Sleep-promoting circuits become hyperactive after sleep loss and are associated with increased whole-brain activity. During sleep restriction, optogenetic inhibition of sleep-promoting circuits to reduce sleepiness protects against seizures. Downregulation of the 5HT1A serotonin receptor in sleep-promoting cells mediates the effect of sleep need on seizures, and we identify an FDA-approved 5HT1A agonist to mitigate seizures. Our findings demonstrate that while homeostatic sleep is needed to recoup lost sleep, it comes at the cost of increasing seizure susceptibility. We provide an unexpected perspective on interactions between sleep and seizures, and surprisingly implicate sleep- promoting circuits as a therapeutic target for seizure control.
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5
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Wang G, Wang J, Nie L. Transcriptome sequencing of the central nervous system to identify the neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors of Antheraea pernyi. Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125411. [PMID: 37327925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors are crucial regulators for the behavior, lifecycle, and physiology of insects and are mainly produced and released from the neurosecretory cells of the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, RNA-seq was employed to investigate the transcriptome profile of the CNS which is composed of the brain and ventral nerve cord (VNC) of Antheraea pernyi. From the data sets, a total of 18 and 42 genes were identified, which respectively encode the neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors involved in regulating multiple behaviors including feeding, reproductive behavior, circadian locomotor, sleep, and stress response and physiological processes such as nutrient absorption, immunity, ecdysis, diapause, and excretion. Comparison of the patterns of expression of those genes between the brain and VNC showed that most had higher levels of expression in the brain than VNC. Besides, 2760 differently expressed genes (DEGs) (1362 up-regulated and 1398 down-regulated ones between the B and VNC group) were also screened and further analyzed via gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) enrichment analyses. The results of this study could provide comprehensive profiles of the neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors of A. pernyi CNS and lay the foundation for further research into their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobao Wang
- College of Biology and Oceanography, Weifang University, Weifang 261061, China.
| | - Jiangrun Wang
- College of Biology and Oceanography, Weifang University, Weifang 261061, China
| | - Lei Nie
- Shandong Sericulture Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yantai 264002, China
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6
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Liang X, Holy TE, Taghert PH. Polyphasic circadian neural circuits drive differential activities in multiple downstream rhythmic centers. Curr Biol 2023; 33:351-363.e3. [PMID: 36610393 PMCID: PMC9877191 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Circadian clocks align various behaviors such as locomotor activity, sleep/wake, feeding, and mating to times of day that are most adaptive. How rhythmic information in pacemaker circuits is translated to neuronal outputs is not well understood. Here, we used brain-wide, 24-h in vivo calcium imaging in the Drosophila brain and searched for circadian rhythmic activity among identified clusters of dopaminergic (DA) and peptidergic neurosecretory (NS) neurons. Such rhythms were widespread and imposed by the PERIOD-dependent clock activity within the ∼150-cell circadian pacemaker network. The rhythms displayed either a morning (M), evening (E), or mid-day (MD) phase. Different subgroups of circadian pacemakers imposed neural activity rhythms onto different downstream non-clock neurons. Outputs from the canonical M and E pacemakers converged to regulate DA-PPM3 and DA-PAL neurons. E pacemakers regulate the evening-active DA-PPL1 neurons. In addition to these canonical M and E oscillators, we present evidence for a third dedicated phase occurring at mid-day: the l-LNv pacemakers present the MD activity peak, and they regulate the MD-active DA-PPM1/2 neurons and three distinct NS cell types. Thus, the Drosophila circadian pacemaker network is a polyphasic rhythm generator. It presents dedicated M, E, and MD phases that are functionally transduced as neuronal outputs to organize diverse daily activity patterns in downstream circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xitong Liang
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Timothy E Holy
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Paul H Taghert
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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7
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Endocrine cybernetics: neuropeptides as molecular switches in behavioural decisions. Open Biol 2022; 12:220174. [PMID: 35892199 PMCID: PMC9326288 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticity in animal behaviour relies on the ability to integrate external and internal cues from the changing environment and hence modulate activity in synaptic circuits of the brain. This context-dependent neuromodulation is largely based on non-synaptic signalling with neuropeptides. Here, we describe select peptidergic systems in the Drosophila brain that act at different levels of a hierarchy to modulate behaviour and associated physiology. These systems modulate circuits in brain regions, such as the central complex and the mushroom bodies, which supervise specific behaviours. At the top level of the hierarchy there are small numbers of large peptidergic neurons that arborize widely in multiple areas of the brain to orchestrate or modulate global activity in a state and context-dependent manner. At the bottom level local peptidergic neurons provide executive neuromodulation of sensory gain and intrinsically in restricted parts of specific neuronal circuits. The orchestrating neurons receive interoceptive signals that mediate energy and sleep homeostasis, metabolic state and circadian timing, as well as external cues that affect food search, aggression or mating. Some of these cues can be triggers of conflicting behaviours such as mating versus aggression, or sleep versus feeding, and peptidergic neurons participate in circuits, enabling behaviour choices and switches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R. Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland Würzburg 97074, Germany
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8
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Liu Z, Jiang L, Li C, Li C, Yang J, Yu J, Mao R, Rao Y. LKB1 Is Physiologically Required for Sleep from Drosophila melanogaster to the Mus musculus. Genetics 2022; 221:6586797. [PMID: 35579349 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac082] [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] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1) is known as a master kinase for 14 kinases related to the adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Two of them salt inducible kinase 3 (SIK3) and AMPKα have previously been implicated in sleep regulation. We generated loss-of-function (LOF) mutants for Lkb1 in both Drosophila and mice. Sleep, but not circadian rhythms, was reduced in Lkb1-mutant flies and in flies with neuronal deletion of Lkb1. Genetic interactions between Lkb1 and Threonine to Alanine mutation at residue 184 of AMPK in Drosophila sleep or those between Lkb1 and Threonine to Glutamic Acid mutation at residue 196 of SIK3 in Drosophila viability have been observed. Sleep was reduced in mice after virally mediated reduction of Lkb1 in the brain. Electroencephalography (EEG) analysis showed that non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and sleep need were both reduced in Lkb1-mutant mice. These results indicate that LKB1 plays a physiological role in sleep regulation conserved from flies to mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Liu
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Lifen Jiang
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaoyi Li
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chengang Li
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Jingqun Yang
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjun Yu
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Renbo Mao
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Rao
- Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program, School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
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9
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Scheffer LK, Meinertzhagen IA. A connectome is not enough - what is still needed to understand the brain of Drosophila? J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272599. [PMID: 34695211 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the structure and operation of any nervous system has been a subject of research for well over a century. A near-term opportunity in this quest is to understand the brain of a model species, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. This is an enticing target given its relatively small size (roughly 200,000 neurons), coupled with the behavioral richness that this brain supports, and the wide variety of techniques now available to study both brain and behavior. It is clear that within a few years we will possess a connectome for D. melanogaster: an electron-microscopy-level description of all neurons and their chemical synaptic connections. Given what we will soon have, what we already know and the research that is currently underway, what more do we need to know to enable us to understand the fly's brain? Here, we itemize the data we will need to obtain, collate and organize in order to build an integrated model of the brain of D. melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis K Scheffer
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 19741 Smith Circle, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
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10
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Huang H, Possidente DR, Vecsey CG. Optogenetic activation of SIFamide (SIFa) neurons induces a complex sleep-promoting effect in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Physiol Behav 2021; 239:113507. [PMID: 34175361 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a universal and extremely complicated function. Sleep is regulated by two systems-sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythms. In a wide range of species, neuropeptides have been found to play a crucial role in the communication and synchronization between different components of both systems. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, SIFamide (SIFa) is a neuropeptide that has been reported to be expressed in 4 neurons in the pars intercerebralis (PI) area of the brain. Previous work has shown that transgenic ablation of SIFa neurons, mutation of SIFa itself, or knockdown of SIFa receptors reduces sleep, suggesting that SIFa is sleep-promoting. However, those were all constitutive manipulations that could have affected development or resulted in compensation, so the role of SIFa signaling in sleep regulation during adulthood remains unclear. In the current study, we examined the sleep-promoting effect of SIFa through an optogenetic approach, which allowed for neuronal activation with high temporal resolution, while leaving development unaffected. We found that activation of the red-light sensor Chrimson in SIFa neurons promoted sleep in flies in a sexually dimorphic manner, where the magnitude of the sleep effect was greater in females than in males. Because neuropeptidergic neurons often also release other transmitters, we used RNA interference to knock down SIFa while also optogenetically activating SIFa neurons. SIFa knockdown only partially reduced the magnitude of the sleep effect, suggesting that release of other transmitters may contribute to the sleep induction when SIFa neurons are activated. Video-based analysis showed that activation of SIFa neurons for as brief a period as 1 second was able to decrease walking behavior for minutes after the stimulus. Future studies should aim to identify the transmitters that are utilized by SIFa neurons and characterize their upstream activators and downstream targets. It would also be of interest to determine how acute optogenetic activation of SIFa neurons alters other behaviors that have been linked to SIFa, such as mating and feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyang Huang
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
| | - Debra R Possidente
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
| | - Christopher G Vecsey
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
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11
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Ayub M, Lange AB, Orchard I. Identification and characterization of the SIFamide receptor in the hemimetabolous Chagas disease vector, Rhodnius prolixus Stål, 1859, (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae). Peptides 2021; 143:170600. [PMID: 34175354 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Within arthropods, the SIFamide family of neuropeptides appears to be involved in the modulation of a range of physiological and behavioral events. In Rhodnius prolixus, we have previously shown the presence of SIFamidergic-like processes in neurohemal release sites and provided evidence for a role for Rhopr-SIFa in modulating heartbeat frequency and feeding behaviors. Here, the R. prolixus SIFamide receptor (RhoprSIFR) has been identified, cloned, and sequenced. Sequence analyses show high similarity and identity between the RhoprSIFR and other cloned SIFamide receptors. Quantitative PCR shows that the RhoprSIFR transcript is found in a variety of tissues, including those involved in feeding and reproduction. In unfed insects, high transcript expression is observed in the central nervous system and midgut, suggesting a role of Rhopr-SIFa in various processes related to feeding and digestion. Expression of the RhoprSIFR transcript changes between unfed, 24 h post-fed, and 7 d post-fed conditions. Expression of the RhoprSIFR transcript significantly increases in the anterior midgut and posterior midgut 7 d post-feeding and knockdown of the RhoprSIFR transcript significantly reduces the size of blood meal consumed. This data suggests a possible role for Rhopr-SIFa in regulating long-term post-feeding osmotic balance and digestion of the blood meal. Lastly, transcript expression of Rhopr-SIFa and RhoprSIFR also varies temporally in relation to the reproductive stage, suggesting an involvement of this signaling pathway in reproductive activities. Identification of the RhoprSIFR and its expression profile now provide tools for a more detailed understanding into the precise coordination of feeding and other physiological processes in R. prolixus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnoor Ayub
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Angela B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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12
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Dai X, Zhou E, Yang W, Mao R, Zhang W, Rao Y. Molecular resolution of a behavioral paradox: sleep and arousal are regulated by distinct acetylcholine receptors in different neuronal types in Drosophila. Sleep 2021; 44:6119684. [PMID: 33493349 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsab017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep and arousal are both important for animals. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) has long been found to promote both sleep and arousal in mammals, an apparent paradox which has also been found to exist in flies, causing much confusion in understanding sleep and arousal. Here, we have systematically studied all 13 ACh receptors (AChRs) in Drosophila to understand mechanisms underlying ACh function in sleep and arousal. We found that exogenous stimuli-induced arousal was decreased in nAChRα3 mutants, whereas sleep was decreased in nAChRα2 and nAChRβ2 mutants. nAChRα3 functions in dopaminergic neurons to promote exogenous stimuli-induced arousal, whereas nAChRα2 and β2 function in octopaminergic neurons to promote sleep. Our studies have revealed that a single transmitter can promote endogenous sleep and exogenous stimuli-induced arousal through distinct receptors in different types of downstream neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xihuimin Dai
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
| | - Enxing Zhou
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Renbo Mao
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxia Zhang
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Rao
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
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13
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Veenstra JA. The neuropeptide SMYamide, a SIFamide paralog, is expressed by salivary gland innervating neurons in the American cockroach and likely functions as a hormone. Peptides 2021; 136:170466. [PMID: 33253775 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The SMYamide genes are paralogs of the SIFamide genes and code for neuropeptides that are structurally similar to SIFamide. In the American cockroach, Periplanea americana, the SMYamide gene is specifically expressed in the SN2 neurons that innervate the salivary glands and are known to produce action potentials during feeding. The SN2 axon terminals surround rather than directly innervate the salivary gland acini. Therefore one may expect that on activation of these neurons significant amounts of SMYamide will be released into the hemolymph, thus suggesting that SMYamide may also have a hormonal function. In the Periplaneta genome there are two putative SIFamide receptors and these are both expressed not only in the central nervous system and the salivary gland, but also in the gonads and other peripheral tissues. This reinforces the hypothesis that SMYamide also has an endocrine function in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan A Veenstra
- INCIA, UMR 5287, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Allée Geoffroy St Hillaire, CS 50023, 33 615, Pessac Cedex, France.
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14
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Li F, Lindsey JW, Marin EC, Otto N, Dreher M, Dempsey G, Stark I, Bates AS, Pleijzier MW, Schlegel P, Nern A, Takemura SY, Eckstein N, Yang T, Francis A, Braun A, Parekh R, Costa M, Scheffer LK, Aso Y, Jefferis GSXE, Abbott LF, Litwin-Kumar A, Waddell S, Rubin GM. The connectome of the adult Drosophila mushroom body provides insights into function. eLife 2020; 9:e62576. [PMID: 33315010 PMCID: PMC7909955 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Making inferences about the computations performed by neuronal circuits from synapse-level connectivity maps is an emerging opportunity in neuroscience. The mushroom body (MB) is well positioned for developing and testing such an approach due to its conserved neuronal architecture, recently completed dense connectome, and extensive prior experimental studies of its roles in learning, memory, and activity regulation. Here, we identify new components of the MB circuit in Drosophila, including extensive visual input and MB output neurons (MBONs) with direct connections to descending neurons. We find unexpected structure in sensory inputs, in the transfer of information about different sensory modalities to MBONs, and in the modulation of that transfer by dopaminergic neurons (DANs). We provide insights into the circuitry used to integrate MB outputs, connectivity between the MB and the central complex and inputs to DANs, including feedback from MBONs. Our results provide a foundation for further theoretical and experimental work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Jack W Lindsey
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, Zuckerman InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Elizabeth C Marin
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Nils Otto
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Marisa Dreher
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Georgia Dempsey
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ildiko Stark
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Alexander S Bates
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Philipp Schlegel
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Aljoscha Nern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Shin-ya Takemura
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Nils Eckstein
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Tansy Yang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Audrey Francis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Amalia Braun
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ruchi Parekh
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Marta Costa
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Louis K Scheffer
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Yoshinori Aso
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - Gregory SXE Jefferis
- Drosophila Connectomics Group, Department of Zoology, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular BiologyCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Larry F Abbott
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, Zuckerman InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Ashok Litwin-Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, Zuckerman InstituteNew YorkUnited States
| | - Scott Waddell
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Gerald M Rubin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
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15
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Dopamine Signaling in Wake-Promoting Clock Neurons Is Not Required for the Normal Regulation of Sleep in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2020; 40:9617-9633. [PMID: 33172977 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1488-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine is a wake-promoting neuromodulator in mammals and fruit flies. In Drosophila melanogaster, the network of clock neurons that drives sleep/activity cycles comprises both wake-promoting and sleep-promoting cell types. The large ventrolateral neurons (l-LNvs) and small ventrolateral neurons (s-LNvs) have been identified as wake-promoting neurons within the clock neuron network. The l-LNvs are innervated by dopaminergic neurons, and earlier work proposed that dopamine signaling raises cAMP levels in the l-LNvs and thus induces excitatory electrical activity (action potential firing), which results in wakefulness and inhibits sleep. Here, we test this hypothesis by combining cAMP imaging and patch-clamp recordings in isolated brains. We find that dopamine application indeed increases cAMP levels and depolarizes the l-LNvs, but, surprisingly, it does not result in increased firing rates. Downregulation of the excitatory D1-like dopamine receptor (Dop1R1) in the l-LNvs and s-LNvs, but not of Dop1R2, abolished the depolarization of l-LNvs in response to dopamine. This indicates that dopamine signals via Dop1R1 to the l-LNvs. Downregulation of Dop1R1 or Dop1R2 in the l-LNvs and s-LNvs does not affect sleep in males. Unexpectedly, we find a moderate decrease of daytime sleep with downregulation of Dop1R1 and of nighttime sleep with downregulation of Dop1R2. Since the l-LNvs do not use Dop1R2 receptors and the s-LNvs also respond to dopamine, we conclude that the s-LNvs are responsible for the observed decrease in nighttime sleep. In summary, dopamine signaling in the wake-promoting LNvs is not required for daytime arousal, but likely promotes nighttime sleep via the s-LNvs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In insect and mammalian brains, sleep-promoting networks are intimately linked to the circadian clock, and the mechanisms underlying sleep and circadian timekeeping are evolutionarily ancient and highly conserved. Here we show that dopamine, one important sleep modulator in flies and mammals, plays surprisingly complex roles in the regulation of sleep by clock-containing neurons. Dopamine inhibits neurons in a central brain sleep center to promote sleep and excites wake-promoting circadian clock neurons. It is therefore predicted to promote wakefulness through both of these networks. Nevertheless, our results reveal that dopamine acting on wake-promoting clock neurons promotes sleep, revealing a previously unappreciated complexity in the dopaminergic control of sleep.
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16
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Van der Auwera P, Frooninckx L, Buscemi K, Vance RT, Watteyne J, Mirabeau O, Temmerman L, De Haes W, Fancsalszky L, Gottschalk A, Raizen DM, Nelson MD, Schoofs L, Beets I. RPamide neuropeptides NLP-22 and NLP-2 act through GnRH-like receptors to promote sleep and wakefulness in C. elegans. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9929. [PMID: 32555288 PMCID: PMC7303124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66536-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep and wakefulness are fundamental behavioral states of which the underlying molecular principles are becoming slowly elucidated. Transitions between these states require the coordination of multiple neurochemical and modulatory systems. In Caenorhabditis elegans sleep occurs during a larval transition stage called lethargus and is induced by somnogenic neuropeptides. Here, we identify two opposing neuropeptide/receptor signaling pathways: NLP-22 promotes behavioral quiescence, whereas NLP-2 promotes movement during lethargus, by signaling through gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) related receptors. Both NLP-2 and NLP-22 belong to the RPamide neuropeptide family and share sequence similarities with neuropeptides of the bilaterian GnRH, adipokinetic hormone (AKH) and corazonin family. RPamide neuropeptides dose-dependently activate the GnRH/AKH-like receptors GNRR-3 and GNRR-6 in a cellular receptor activation assay. In addition, nlp-22-induced locomotion quiescence requires the receptor gnrr-6. By contrast, wakefulness induced by nlp-2 overexpression is diminished by deletion of either gnrr-3 or gnrr-6. nlp-2 is expressed in a pair of olfactory AWA neurons and cycles with larval periodicity, as reported for nlp-22, which is expressed in RIA. Our data suggest that the somnogenic NLP-22 neuropeptide signals through GNRR-6, and that both GNRR-3 and GNRR-6 are required for the wake-promoting action of NLP-2 neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petrus Van der Auwera
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lotte Frooninckx
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kristen Buscemi
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19131, USA
| | - Ryan T Vance
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19131, USA
| | - Jan Watteyne
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wouter De Haes
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luca Fancsalszky
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alexander Gottschalk
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (BMLS), Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, D-60438, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - David M Raizen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 415 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Matthew D Nelson
- Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, 5600 City Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19131, USA
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Isabel Beets
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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17
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Ayub M, Hermiz M, Lange AB, Orchard I. SIFamide Influences Feeding in the Chagas Disease Vector, Rhodnius prolixus. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:134. [PMID: 32153356 PMCID: PMC7047498 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
SIFamides are a family of highly conserved neuropeptides in arthropods, and in insects are mainly expressed in four medial neurons in the pars intercerebralis of the brain. Although SIFamide has been shown to influence sexual behavior, feeding, and sleep regulation in holometabolous insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, little is known about its role in hemimetabolous insects, including the blood-sucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus. In this study, we confirm the nucleotide sequence for R. prolixus SIFamide (Rhopr-SIFa) and find characteristic phenotypic expression of SIFamide in four cells of the pars intercerebralis in the brain. In addition to extensive SIFa projections throughout the entire central nervous system, SIFamidergic processes also enter into the corpus cardiacum, and project along the dorsal vessel, suggestive of Rhopr-SIFa acting as a neurohormone. Physiologically, Rhopr-SIFamide induces dose-dependent increases in heartbeat frequency in vitro suggesting the presence of peripheral receptors, and thereby indicating Rhopr-SIFa is released to act upon peripheral targets. We also explore the function of Rhopr-SIFa in R. prolixus, specifically in relation to feeding, since R. prolixus is a blood-gorging insect and a vector for Chagas disease. The intensity of SIFamide-like staining in the neurons in the brain is diminished 2 h following feeding, and restocking of those cells is finished 24 h later, indicating Rhopr-SIFa may be released at feeding. The results of temporal qPCR analysis were consistent with the immunohistochemical findings, showing an increase in Rhopr-SIFa transcript expression in the brain 2 h after feeding. We also observed enhanced feeding (size of meal) in insects injected with Rhopr-SIFa whereas insects with RNAi-mediated knockdown of the Rhopr-SIFa transcript consumed a significantly smaller blood meal relative to controls. These data suggest that the four SIFamidergic neurons and associated arborizations may play an important function in the neuronal circuitry controlling R. prolixus feeding, with Rhopr-SIFa acting as a central and peripheral neuromodulator/neurohormone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnoor Ayub
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Mariam Hermiz
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Angela B Lange
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Ian Orchard
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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18
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Nässel DR, Pauls D, Huetteroth W. Neuropeptides in modulation of Drosophila behavior: how to get a grip on their pleiotropic actions. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 36:1-8. [PMID: 31280184 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Neuropeptides constitute a large and diverse class of signaling molecules that are produced by many types of neurons, neurosecretory cells, endocrines and other cells. Many neuropeptides display pleiotropic actions either as neuromodulators, co-transmitters or circulating hormones, while some play these roles concurrently. Here, we highlight pleiotropic functions of neuropeptides and different levels of neuropeptide signaling in the brain, from context-dependent orchestrating signaling by higher order neurons, to local executive modulation in specific circuits. Additionally, orchestrating neurons receive peptidergic signals from neurons conveying organismal internal state cues and relay these to executive circuits. We exemplify these levels of signaling with four neuropeptides, SIFamide, short neuropeptide F, allatostatin-A and leucokinin, each with a specific expression pattern and level of complexity in signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Dennis Pauls
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolf Huetteroth
- Department of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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19
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A circadian output center controlling feeding:fasting rhythms in Drosophila. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008478. [PMID: 31693685 PMCID: PMC6860455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms allow animals to coordinate behavioral and physiological processes with respect to one another and to synchronize these processes to external environmental cycles. In most animals, circadian rhythms are produced by core clock neurons in the brain that generate and transmit time-of-day signals to downstream tissues, driving overt rhythms. The neuronal pathways controlling clock outputs, however, are not well understood. Furthermore, it is unclear how the central clock modulates multiple distinct circadian outputs. Identifying the cellular components and neuronal circuitry underlying circadian regulation is increasingly recognized as a critical step in the effort to address health pathologies linked to circadian disruption, including heart disease and metabolic disorders. Here, building on the conserved components of circadian and metabolic systems in mammals and Drosophila melanogaster, we used a recently developed feeding monitor to characterize the contribution to circadian feeding rhythms of two key neuronal populations in the Drosophila pars intercerebralis (PI), which is functionally homologous to the mammalian hypothalamus. We demonstrate that thermogenetic manipulations of PI neurons expressing the neuropeptide SIFamide (SIFa) as well as mutations of the SIFa gene degrade feeding:fasting rhythms. In contrast, manipulations of a nearby population of PI neurons that express the Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) affect total food consumption but leave feeding rhythms intact. The distinct contribution of these two PI cell populations to feeding is accompanied by vastly different neuronal connectivity as determined by trans-Tango synaptic mapping. These results for the first time identify a non-clock cell neuronal population in Drosophila that regulates feeding rhythms and furthermore demonstrate dissociable control of circadian and homeostatic aspects of feeding regulation by molecularly-defined neurons in a putative circadian output hub.
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20
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Bai L, Lee Y, Hsu CT, Williams JA, Cavanaugh D, Zheng X, Stein C, Haynes P, Wang H, Gutmann DH, Sehgal A. A Conserved Circadian Function for the Neurofibromatosis 1 Gene. Cell Rep 2019; 22:3416-3426. [PMID: 29590612 PMCID: PMC5898822 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of the Neurofibromatosis 1 (Nf1) protein, neurofibromin, in Drosophila disrupts circadian rhythms of locomotor activity without impairing central clock function, suggesting effects downstream of the clock. However, the relevant cellular mechanisms are not known. Leveraging the discovery of output circuits for locomotor rhythms, we dissected cellular actions of neurofibromin in recently identified substrates. Herein, we show that neurofibromin affects the levels and cycling of calcium in multiple circadian peptidergic neurons. A prominent site of action is the pars intercerebralis (PI), the fly equivalent of the hypothalamus, with cell-autonomous effects of Nf1 in PI cells that secrete DH44. Nf1 interacts genetically with peptide signaling to affect circadian behavior. We extended these studies to mammals to demonstrate that mouse astrocytes exhibit a 24-hr rhythm of calcium levels, which is also attenuated by lack of neurofibromin. These findings establish a conserved role for neurofibromin in intracellular signaling rhythms within the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Bai
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yool Lee
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cynthia T Hsu
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julie A Williams
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Cavanaugh
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Biology, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xiangzhong Zheng
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Bloomington Stock Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Carly Stein
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paula Haynes
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Han Wang
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; School of Law, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David H Gutmann
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Penn Chronobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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21
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Dickinson PS, Samuel HM, Stemmler EA, Christie AE. SIFamide peptides modulate cardiac activity differently in two species of Cancer crab. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 282:113204. [PMID: 31201801 PMCID: PMC6719312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The SIFamides are a broadly conserved arthropod peptide family characterized by the C-terminal motif -SIFamide. In decapod crustaceans, two isoforms of SIFamide are known, GYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Gly1-SIFamide), which is nearly ubiquitously conserved in the order, and VYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Val1-SIFamide), known only from members of the astacidean genus Homarus. While much work has focused on the identification of SIFamide isoforms in decapods, there are few direct demonstrations of physiological function for members of the peptide family in this taxon. Here, we assessed the effects of Gly1- and Val1-SIFamide on the cardiac neuromuscular system of two closely related species of Cancer crab, Cancer borealis and Cancer irroratus. In each species, both peptides were cardioactive, with identical, dose-dependent effects elicited by both isoforms in a given species. Threshold concentrations for bioactivity are in the range typically associated with hormonal delivery, i.e., 10-9 to 10-8 M. Interestingly, and quite surprisingly, while the predicted effects of SIFamide on cardiac output are similar in both C. borealis and C. irroratus, frequency effects predominate in C. borealis, while amplitude effects predominate in C. irroratus. These findings suggest that, while SIFamide is likely to increase cardiac output in both crabs, the mechanism through which this is achieved is different in the two species. Immunohistochemical/mass spectrometric data suggest that SIFamide is delivered to the heart hormonally rather than locally, with the source of hormonal release being midgut epithelial endocrine cells in both Cancer species. If so, midgut-derived SIFamide may function as a regulator of cardiac output during the process of digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patsy S Dickinson
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, 6500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA.
| | - Heidi M Samuel
- Department of Biology, Bowdoin College, 6500 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Stemmler
- Department of Chemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Andrew E Christie
- Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1993 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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22
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Juneau ZC, Stonemetz JM, Toma RF, Possidente DR, Heins RC, Vecsey CG. Optogenetic activation of short neuropeptide F (sNPF) neurons induces sleep in Drosophila melanogaster. Physiol Behav 2019; 206:143-156. [PMID: 30935941 PMCID: PMC6520144 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Sleep abnormalities have widespread and costly public health consequences, yet we have only a rudimentary understanding of the events occurring at the cellular level in the brain that regulate sleep. Several key signaling molecules that regulate sleep across taxa come from the family of neuropeptide transmitters. For example, in Drosophila melanogaster, the neuropeptide Y (NPY)-related transmitter short neuropeptide F (sNPF) appears to promote sleep. In this study, we utilized optogenetic activation of neuronal populations expressing sNPF to determine the causal effects of precisely timed activity in these cells on sleep behavior. Combining sNPF-GAL4 and UAS-Chrimson transgenes allowed us to activate sNPF neurons using red light. We found that activating sNPF neurons for as little as 3 s at a time of day when most flies were awake caused a rapid transition to sleep that persisted for another 2+ hours following the stimulation. Changing the timing of red light stimulation to times of day when flies were already asleep caused the control flies to wake up (due to the pulse of light), but the flies in which sNPF neurons were activated stayed asleep through the light pulse, and then showed further increases in sleep at later points when they would have normally been waking up. Video recording of individual fly responses to short-term (0.5-20 s) activation of sNPF neurons demonstrated a clear light duration-dependent decrease in movement during the subsequent 4-min period. These results provide supportive evidence that sNPF-producing neurons promote long-lasting increases in sleep, and show for the first time that even brief periods of activation of these neurons can cause changes in behavior that persist after cessation of activation. We have also presented evidence that sNPF neuron activation produces a homeostatic sleep drive that can be dissipated at times long after the neurons were stimulated. Future studies will determine the specific roles of sub-populations of sNPF-producing neurons, and will also assess how sNPF neurons act in concert with other neuronal circuits to control sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Claire Juneau
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States of America
| | - Jamie M Stonemetz
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States of America
| | - Ryan F Toma
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States of America
| | - Debra R Possidente
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States of America
| | - R Conor Heins
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States of America
| | - Christopher G Vecsey
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States of America; Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States of America.
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23
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Ri H, Lee J, Sonn JY, Yoo E, Lim C, Choe J. Drosophila CrebB is a Substrate of the Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay Pathway that Sustains Circadian Behaviors. Mol Cells 2019; 42:301-312. [PMID: 31091556 PMCID: PMC6530642 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2019.2451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation underlies the circadian control of gene expression and animal behaviors. However, the role of mRNA surveillance via the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway in circadian rhythms remains elusive. Here, we report that Drosophila NMD pathway acts in a subset of circadian pacemaker neurons to maintain robust 24 h rhythms of free-running locomotor activity. RNA interference-mediated depletion of key NMD factors in timeless-expressing clock cells decreased the amplitude of circadian locomotor behaviors. Transgenic manipulation of the NMD pathway in clock neurons expressing a neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) was sufficient to dampen or lengthen free-running locomotor rhythms. Confocal imaging of a transgenic NMD reporter revealed that arrhythmic Clock mutants exhibited stronger NMD activity in PDF-expressing neurons than wild-type. We further found that hypomorphic mutations in Suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia 5 (Smg5 ) or Smg6 impaired circadian behaviors. These NMD mutants normally developed PDF-expressing clock neurons and displayed daily oscillations in the transcript levels of core clock genes. By contrast, the loss of Smg5 or Smg6 function affected the relative transcript levels of cAMP response element-binding protein B (CrebB ) in an isoform-specific manner. Moreover, the overexpression of a transcriptional repressor form of CrebB rescued free-running locomotor rhythms in Smg5-depleted flies. These data demonstrate that CrebB is a rate-limiting substrate of the genetic NMD pathway important for the behavioral output of circadian clocks in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwajung Ri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
| | - Jongbin Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
| | - Jun Young Sonn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
| | - Eunseok Yoo
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919,
Korea
| | - Chunghun Lim
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919,
Korea
| | - Joonho Choe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141,
Korea
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Nässel DR, Zandawala M. Recent advances in neuropeptide signaling in Drosophila, from genes to physiology and behavior. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 179:101607. [PMID: 30905728 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on neuropeptides and peptide hormones, the largest and most diverse class of neuroactive substances, known in Drosophila and other animals to play roles in almost all aspects of daily life, as w;1;ell as in developmental processes. We provide an update on novel neuropeptides and receptors identified in the last decade, and highlight progress in analysis of neuropeptide signaling in Drosophila. Especially exciting is the huge amount of work published on novel functions of neuropeptides and peptide hormones in Drosophila, largely due to the rapid developments of powerful genetic methods, imaging techniques and innovative assays. We critically discuss the roles of peptides in olfaction, taste, foraging, feeding, clock function/sleep, aggression, mating/reproduction, learning and other behaviors, as well as in regulation of development, growth, metabolic and water homeostasis, stress responses, fecundity, and lifespan. We furthermore provide novel information on neuropeptide distribution and organization of peptidergic systems, as well as the phylogenetic relations between Drosophila neuropeptides and those of other phyla, including mammals. As will be shown, neuropeptide signaling is phylogenetically ancient, and not only are the structures of the peptides, precursors and receptors conserved over evolution, but also many functions of neuropeptide signaling in physiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Meet Zandawala
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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25
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Blitz DM, Christie AE, Cook AP, Dickinson PS, Nusbaum MP. Similarities and differences in circuit responses to applied Gly 1-SIFamide and peptidergic (Gly 1-SIFamide) neuron stimulation. J Neurophysiol 2019; 121:950-972. [PMID: 30649961 PMCID: PMC6520624 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00567.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcircuit modulation by peptides is well established, but the cellular/synaptic mechanisms whereby identified neurons with identified peptide transmitters modulate microcircuits remain unknown for most systems. Here, we describe the distribution of GYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Gly1-SIFamide) immunoreactivity (Gly1-SIFamide-IR) in the stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) of the crab Cancer borealis and the Gly1-SIFamide actions on the two feeding-related circuits in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG). Gly1-SIFamide-IR localized to somata in the paired commissural ganglia (CoGs), two axons in the nerves connecting each CoG with the STG, and the CoG and STG neuropil. We identified one Gly1-SIFamide-IR projection neuron innervating the STG as the previously identified modulatory commissural neuron 5 (MCN5). Brief (~10 s) MCN5 stimulation excites some pyloric circuit neurons. We now find that bath applying Gly1-SIFamide to the isolated STG also enhanced pyloric rhythm activity and activated an imperfectly coordinated gastric mill rhythm that included unusually prolonged bursts in two circuit neurons [inferior cardiac (IC), lateral posterior gastric (LPG)]. Furthermore, longer duration (>30 s) MCN5 stimulation activated a Gly1-SIFamide-like gastric mill rhythm, including prolonged IC and LPG bursting. The prolonged LPG bursting decreased the coincidence of its activity with neurons to which it is electrically coupled. We also identified local circuit feedback onto the MCN5 axon terminals, which may contribute to some distinctions between the responses to MCN5 stimulation and Gly1-SIFamide application. Thus, MCN5 adds to the few identified projection neurons that modulate a well-defined circuit at least partly via an identified neuropeptide transmitter and provides an opportunity to study peptide regulation of electrical coupled neurons in a functional context. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Limited insight exists regarding how identified peptidergic neurons modulate microcircuits. We show that the modulatory projection neuron modulatory commissural neuron 5 (MCN5) is peptidergic, containing Gly1-SIFamide. MCN5 and Gly1-SIFamide elicit similar output from two well-defined motor circuits. Their distinct actions may result partly from circuit feedback onto the MCN5 axon terminals. Their similar actions include eliciting divergent activity patterns in normally coactive, electrically coupled neurons, providing an opportunity to examine peptide modulation of electrically coupled neurons in a functional context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn M Blitz
- Department of Biology, Miami University , Oxford, Ohio
| | - Andrew E Christie
- Békésy Laboratory of Neurobiology, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa , Honolulu, Hawaii
| | - Aaron P Cook
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Michael P Nusbaum
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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26
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Bringmann H. Genetic sleep deprivation: using sleep mutants to study sleep functions. EMBO Rep 2019; 20:embr.201846807. [PMID: 30804011 PMCID: PMC6399599 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201846807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is a fundamental conserved physiological state in animals and humans. It may serve multiple functions, ranging from energy conservation to higher brain operation. Understanding sleep functions and the underlying mechanisms requires the study of sleeplessness and its consequences. The traditional approach to remove sleep is sleep deprivation (SD) by sensory stimulation. However, stimulation-induced SD can be stressful and can cause non-specific side effects. An emerging alternative method is "genetic SD", which removes sleep using genetics or optogenetics. Sleep requires sleep-active neurons and their regulators. Thus, genetic impairment of sleep circuits might lead to more specific and comprehensive sleep loss. Here, I discuss the advantages and limits of genetic SD in key genetic sleep model animals: rodents, zebrafish, fruit flies and roundworms, and how the study of genetic SD alters our view of sleep functions. Genetic SD typically causes less severe phenotypes compared with stimulation-induced SD, suggesting that sensory stimulation-induced SD may have overestimated the role of sleep, calling for a re-investigation of sleep functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Bringmann
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
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27
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Deng B, Li Q, Liu X, Cao Y, Li B, Qian Y, Xu R, Mao R, Zhou E, Zhang W, Huang J, Rao Y. Chemoconnectomics: Mapping Chemical Transmission in Drosophila. Neuron 2019; 101:876-893.e4. [PMID: 30799021 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.01.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We define the chemoconnectome (CCT) as the entire set of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, neuropeptides, and their receptors underlying chemotransmission in an animal. We have generated knockout lines of Drosophila CCT genes for functional investigations and knockin lines containing Gal4 and other tools for examining gene expression and manipulating neuronal activities, with a versatile platform allowing genetic intersections and logic gates. CCT reveals the coexistence of specific transmitters but mutual exclusion of the major inhibitory and excitatory transmitters in the same neurons. One neuropeptide and five receptors were detected in glia, with octopamine β2 receptor functioning in glia. A pilot screen implicated 41 genes in sleep regulation, with the dopamine receptor Dop2R functioning in neurons expressing the peptides Dilp2 and SIFa. Thus, CCT is a novel concept, chemoconnectomics a new approach, and CCT tool lines a powerful resource for systematic investigations of chemical-transmission-mediated neural signaling circuits underlying behavior and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Deng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxing Liu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Cao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Bingfeng Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjun Qian
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Renbo Mao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Enxing Zhou
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxia Zhang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Rao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, Zhongguangchun Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China.
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28
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Control of Sleep Onset by Shal/K v4 Channels in Drosophila Circadian Neurons. J Neurosci 2018; 38:9059-9071. [PMID: 30185460 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0777-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is highly conserved across animal species. Both wake- and sleep-promoting neurons are implicated in the regulation of wake-sleep transition at dusk in Drosophila However, little is known about how they cooperate and whether they act via different mechanisms. Here, we demonstrated that in female Drosophila, sleep onset was specifically delayed by blocking the Shaker cognate L channels [Shal; also known as voltage-gated K+ channel 4 (Kv4)] in wake-promoting cells, including large ventral lateral neurons (l-LNvs) and pars intercerebralis (PI), but not in sleep-promoting dorsal neurons (DN1s). Delayed sleep onset was also observed in males by blocking Kv4 activity in wake-promoting neurons. Electrophysiological recordings show that Kv4 channels contribute A-type currents in LNvs and PI cells, but are much less conspicuous in DN1s. Interestingly, blocking Kv4 in wake-promoting neurons preferentially increased firing rates at dusk ∼ZT13, when the resting membrane potentials and firing rates were at lower levels. Furthermore, pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) is essential for the regulation of sleep onset by Kv4 in l-LNvs, and downregulation of PDF receptor (PDFR) in PI neurons advanced sleep onset, indicating Kv4 controls sleep onset via regulating PDF/PDFR signaling in wake-promoting neurons. We propose that Kv4 acts as a sleep onset controller by suppressing membrane excitability in a clock-dependent manner to balance the wake-sleep transition at dusk. Our results have important implications for the understanding and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The mechanisms by which our brains reversibly switch from waking to sleep state remain an unanswered and intriguing question in biological research. In this study, we identified that Shal/Kv4, a well known voltage-gated K+ channel, acts as a controller of wake-sleep transition at dusk in Drosophila circadian neurons. We find that interference of Kv4 function with a dominant-negative form (DNKv4) in subsets of circadian neurons specifically disrupts sleep onset at dusk, although Kv4 itself does not exhibit circadian oscillation. Kv4 preferentially downregulates neuronal firings at ZT9-ZT17, supporting that it plays an essential role in wake-sleep transition at dusk. Our findings may help understand and eventually treat sleep disorders such as insomnia.
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29
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Pei J, Kinch LN, Grishin NV. FlyXCDB—A Resource for Drosophila Cell Surface and Secreted Proteins and Their Extracellular Domains. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:3353-3411. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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30
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Franco DL, Frenkel L, Ceriani MF. The Underlying Genetics of Drosophila Circadian Behaviors. Physiology (Bethesda) 2018; 33:50-62. [PMID: 29212892 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00020.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Life is shaped by circadian clocks. This review focuses on how behavioral genetics in the fruit fly unveiled what is known today about circadian physiology. We will briefly summarize basic properties of the clock and focus on some clock-controlled behaviors to highlight how communication between central and peripheral oscillators defines their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Lorena Franco
- Departamento de Física Médica, Centro Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, CONICET, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina; and
| | - Lia Frenkel
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir (FIL)-Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas-IIBBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Fernanda Ceriani
- Laboratorio de Genética del Comportamiento, Fundación Instituto Leloir (FIL)-Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas-IIBBA-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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31
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Wang L, Liu X, Liu Z, Wang X, Lei C, Zhu F. Members of the neuropeptide transcriptional network in Helicoverpa armigera and their expression in response to light stress. Gene 2018; 671:67-77. [PMID: 29787823 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.05.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuropeptides and peptide hormones play central roles in the regulation of various types of insect physiology and behavior. Artificial light at night, a form of environmental stress, has recently been regarded as a source of light stress on nocturnal insects. Because related genomic information is not available, molecular biological studies on the response of neuropeptides in nocturnal insects to light stress are limited. Based on the de novo sequencing of the Helicoverpa armigera head transcriptome, we obtained 124,960 unigenes. Of these, the number of unigenes annotated as neuropeptides and peptide hormones, neurotransmitter precursor processing enzymes, and neurotransmitter receptors were 34, 17, and 58, respectively. Under light stress, there were sex-specific differences in gene expression measured by qRT-PCR. The IMFamide, leucokinin and sNPF genes were differentially expressed at the mRNA level in males but not in females in response to light stress. The results provide new insights on the diversity of the neuropeptide transcriptional network of H. armigera. In addition, some neuropeptides exhibited sex-specific differential expression in response to light stress. Taken collectively, these results not only expand the catalog of known insect neuropeptides but also provide a framework for future functional studies on the physiological roles they play in the light stress response behavior of nocturnal moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Wang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xinhui Liu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Zhengxing Liu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Chaoliang Lei
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Fen Zhu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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32
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Martelli C, Pech U, Kobbenbring S, Pauls D, Bahl B, Sommer MV, Pooryasin A, Barth J, Arias CWP, Vassiliou C, Luna AJF, Poppinga H, Richter FG, Wegener C, Fiala A, Riemensperger T. SIFamide Translates Hunger Signals into Appetitive and Feeding Behavior in Drosophila. Cell Rep 2018; 20:464-478. [PMID: 28700946 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal behavior is, on the one hand, controlled by neuronal circuits that integrate external sensory stimuli and induce appropriate motor responses. On the other hand, stimulus-evoked or internally generated behavior can be influenced by motivational conditions, e.g., the metabolic state. Motivational states are determined by physiological parameters whose homeostatic imbalances are signaled to and processed within the brain, often mediated by modulatory peptides. Here, we investigate the regulation of appetitive and feeding behavior in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. We report that four neurons in the fly brain that release SIFamide are integral elements of a complex neuropeptide network that regulates feeding. We show that SIFamidergic cells integrate feeding stimulating (orexigenic) and feeding suppressant (anorexigenic) signals to appropriately sensitize sensory circuits, promote appetitive behavior, and enhance food intake. Our study advances the cellular dissection of evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways that convert peripheral metabolic signals into feeding-related behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Martelli
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Pech
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Simon Kobbenbring
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Dennis Pauls
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Britta Bahl
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Mirjam Vanessa Sommer
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Atefeh Pooryasin
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jonas Barth
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Carmina Warth Perez Arias
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Chrystalleni Vassiliou
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Abud Jose Farca Luna
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Haiko Poppinga
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Florian Gerhard Richter
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Wegener
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - André Fiala
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Riemensperger
- Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077 Goettingen, Germany.
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33
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Ly S, Pack AI, Naidoo N. The neurobiological basis of sleep: Insights from Drosophila. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 87:67-86. [PMID: 29391183 PMCID: PMC5845852 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a biological enigma that has raised numerous questions about the inner workings of the brain. The fundamental question of why our nervous systems have evolved to require sleep remains a topic of ongoing scientific deliberation. This question is largely being addressed by research using animal models of sleep. Drosophila melanogaster, also known as the common fruit fly, exhibits a sleep state that shares common features with many other species. Drosophila sleep studies have unearthed an immense wealth of knowledge about the neuroscience of sleep. Given the breadth of findings published on Drosophila sleep, it is important to consider how all of this information might come together to generate a more holistic understanding of sleep. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the neurobiology of Drosophila sleep and explores the broader insights and implications of how sleep is regulated across species and why it is necessary for the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ly
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3403, United States.
| | - Allan I Pack
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3403, United States; Division of Sleep Medicine/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3403, United States
| | - Nirinjini Naidoo
- Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3403, United States; Division of Sleep Medicine/Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 125 South 31st St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3403, United States.
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34
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Lismont E, Mortelmans N, Verlinden H, Vanden Broeck J. Molecular cloning and characterization of the SIFamide precursor and receptor in a hymenopteran insect, Bombus terrestris. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 258:39-52. [PMID: 29127004 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
SIFamides (SIFa) are a family of neuropeptides that are highly conserved among arthropods. In insects, this peptide is mainly expressed in four medial interneurons in the pars intercerebralis and affects sexual behavior, sleep regulation and pupal mortality. Furthermore, an influence on the hatching rate has been observed. The first SIFa receptor (SIFR) was pharmacologically characterized in Drosophila melanogaster and is homologous to the vertebrate gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) receptor (NPFFR). In this study, we pharmacologically characterized the SIFR of the buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris. We demonstrated an intracellular increase in calcium ions and cyclic AMP (cAMP) upon ligand binding with an EC50 value in the picomolar and nanomolar range, respectively. In addition, we studied the agonistic properties of a range of related and modified peptides. By means of quantitative real time PCR (qPCR), we examined the relative transcript levels of Bomte-SIFa and Bomte-SIFR in a variety of tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Els Lismont
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 box 2465, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nele Mortelmans
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 box 2465, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Heleen Verlinden
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 box 2465, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Jozef Vanden Broeck
- Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 box 2465, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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35
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Abstract
Sleep is essential for proper brain function in mammals and insects. During sleep, animals are disconnected from the external world; they show high arousal thresholds and changed brain activity. Sleep deprivation results in a sleep rebound. Research using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has helped us understand the genetic and neuronal control of sleep. Genes involved in sleep control code for ion channels, factors influencing neurotransmission and neuromodulation, and proteins involved in the circadian clock. The neurotransmitters/neuromodulators involved in sleep control are GABA, dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and several neuropeptides. Sleep is controlled by the interplay between sleep homeostasis and the circadian clock. Putative sleep-wake centers are located in higher-order brain centers that are indirectly connected to the circadian clock network. The primary function of sleep appears to be the downscaling of synapses that have been built up during wakefulness. Thus, brain homeostasis is maintained and learning and memory are assured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Helfrich-Förster
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
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36
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Qian Y, Cao Y, Deng B, Yang G, Li J, Xu R, Zhang D, Huang J, Rao Y. Sleep homeostasis regulated by 5HT2b receptor in a small subset of neurons in the dorsal fan-shaped body of drosophila. eLife 2017; 6:26519. [PMID: 28984573 PMCID: PMC5648528 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sleep homeostasis is limited. We have taken a systematic approach to study neural signaling by the transmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in drosophila. We have generated knockout and knockin lines for Trh, the 5-HT synthesizing enzyme and all five 5-HT receptors, making it possible for us to determine their expression patterns and to investigate their functional roles. Loss of the Trh, 5HT1a or 5HT2b gene decreased sleep time whereas loss of the Trh or 5HT2b gene diminished sleep rebound after sleep deprivation. 5HT2b expression in a small subset of, probably a single pair of, neurons in the dorsal fan-shaped body (dFB) is functionally essential: elimination of the 5HT2b gene from these neurons led to loss of sleep homeostasis. Genetic ablation of 5HT2b neurons in the dFB decreased sleep and impaired sleep homeostasis. Our results have shown that serotonergic signaling in specific neurons is required for the regulation of sleep homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Qian
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Cao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bowen Deng
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiayun Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Rao
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biology, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute For Brain Research, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
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37
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Dove AE, Cook BL, Irgebay Z, Vecsey CG. Mechanisms of sleep plasticity due to sexual experience in Drosophila melanogaster. Physiol Behav 2017; 180:146-158. [PMID: 28851647 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Sleep can be altered by an organism's previous experience. For instance, female Drosophila melanogaster experience a post-mating reduction in daytime sleep that is purportedly mediated by sex peptide (SP), one of many seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred from male to female during mating. In the present study, we first characterized this mating effect on sleep more fully, as it had previously only been tested in young flies under 12h light/12h dark conditions. We found that mating reduced sleep equivalently in 3-day-old or 14-day-old females, and could even occur in females who had been mated previously, suggesting that there is not a developmental critical period for the suppression of sleep by mating. In conditions of constant darkness, circadian rhythms were not affected by prior mating. In either constant darkness or constant light, the sleep reduction due to mating was no longer confined to the subjective day but could be observed throughout the 24-hour period. This suggests that the endogenous clock may dictate the timing of when the mating effect on sleep is expressed. We recently reported that genetic elimination of SP only partially blocked the post-mating female siesta sleep reduction, suggesting that the effect was unlikely to be governed solely by SP. We found here that the daytime sleep reduction was also reduced but not eliminated in females mated to mutant males lacking the vast majority of SFPs. This suggested that SFPs other than SP play a minimal role in the mating effect on sleep, and that additional non-SFP signals from the male might be involved. Males lacking sperm were able to induce a normal initial mating effect on female sleep, although the effect declined more rapidly in these females. This result indicated that neither the presence of sperm within the female reproductive tract nor female impregnation are required for the initial mating effect on sleep to occur, although sperm may serve to prolong the effect. Finally, we tested for contributions from other aspects of the mating experience. NorpA and eya2 mutants with disrupted vision showed normal mating effects on sleep. By separating males from females with a mesh, we found that visual and olfactory stimuli from male exposure, in the absence of physical contact, could not replicate the mating effect. Further, in ken/barbie male flies lacking external genitalia, courtship and physical contact without ejaculation were also unable to replicate the mating effect. These findings confirmed that the influence of mating on sleep does in fact require male/female contact including copulation, but may not be mediated exclusively by SP transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Dove
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States
| | - Brianne L Cook
- Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States
| | - Zhazira Irgebay
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States
| | - Christopher G Vecsey
- Biology Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, United States; Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, United States.
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38
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Takemura SY, Aso Y, Hige T, Wong A, Lu Z, Xu CS, Rivlin PK, Hess H, Zhao T, Parag T, Berg S, Huang G, Katz W, Olbris DJ, Plaza S, Umayam L, Aniceto R, Chang LA, Lauchie S, Ogundeyi O, Ordish C, Shinomiya A, Sigmund C, Takemura S, Tran J, Turner GC, Rubin GM, Scheffer LK. A connectome of a learning and memory center in the adult Drosophila brain. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28718765 PMCID: PMC5550281 DOI: 10.7554/elife.26975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding memory formation, storage and retrieval requires knowledge of the underlying neuronal circuits. In Drosophila, the mushroom body (MB) is the major site of associative learning. We reconstructed the morphologies and synaptic connections of all 983 neurons within the three functional units, or compartments, that compose the adult MB’s α lobe, using a dataset of isotropic 8 nm voxels collected by focused ion-beam milling scanning electron microscopy. We found that Kenyon cells (KCs), whose sparse activity encodes sensory information, each make multiple en passant synapses to MB output neurons (MBONs) in each compartment. Some MBONs have inputs from all KCs, while others differentially sample sensory modalities. Only 6% of KC>MBON synapses receive a direct synapse from a dopaminergic neuron (DAN). We identified two unanticipated classes of synapses, KC>DAN and DAN>MBON. DAN activation produces a slow depolarization of the MBON in these DAN>MBON synapses and can weaken memory recall. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26975.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ya Takemura
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Yoshinori Aso
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Toshihide Hige
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Allan Wong
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Zhiyuan Lu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - C Shan Xu
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Patricia K Rivlin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Harald Hess
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Ting Zhao
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Toufiq Parag
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Stuart Berg
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Gary Huang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - William Katz
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Donald J Olbris
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Stephen Plaza
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Lowell Umayam
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Roxanne Aniceto
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Lei-Ann Chang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Shirley Lauchie
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Omotara Ogundeyi
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Christopher Ordish
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Aya Shinomiya
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Christopher Sigmund
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Satoko Takemura
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Julie Tran
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Glenn C Turner
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Gerald M Rubin
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
| | - Louis K Scheffer
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States
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39
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Artiushin G, Sehgal A. The Drosophila circuitry of sleep-wake regulation. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 44:243-250. [PMID: 28366532 PMCID: PMC10826075 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sleep is a deeply conserved, yet fundamentally mysterious behavioral state. Knowledge of the circuitry of sleep-wake regulation is an essential step in understanding the physiology of the sleeping brain. Recent efforts in Drosophila have revealed new populations which impact sleep, as well as provided unprecedented mechanistic and electrophysiological detail of established sleep-regulating neurons. Multiple, distributed centers of sleep-wake circuitry exist in the fly, including the mushroom bodies, central complex and the circadian clock cells. Intriguingly, certain populations have been implicated in specific roles in homeostatic rebound sleep, occurring after sleep loss. In short, our knowledge of fly sleep circuitry advances towards a greater view of brain-wide connectivity and integration of the signals and correlates of the state of sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Artiushin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chronobiology Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chronobiology Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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40
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Circadian Rhythms and Sleep in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2017; 205:1373-1397. [PMID: 28360128 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.115.185157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The advantages of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, including low genetic redundancy, functional simplicity, and the ability to conduct large-scale genetic screens, have been essential for understanding the molecular nature of circadian (∼24 hr) rhythms, and continue to be valuable in discovering novel regulators of circadian rhythms and sleep. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of these interrelated biological processes in Drosophila and the wider implications of this research. Clock genes period and timeless were first discovered in large-scale Drosophila genetic screens developed in the 1970s. Feedback of period and timeless on their own transcription forms the core of the molecular clock, and accurately timed expression, localization, post-transcriptional modification, and function of these genes is thought to be critical for maintaining the circadian cycle. Regulators, including several phosphatases and kinases, act on different steps of this feedback loop to ensure strong and accurately timed rhythms. Approximately 150 neurons in the fly brain that contain the core components of the molecular clock act together to translate this intracellular cycling into rhythmic behavior. We discuss how different groups of clock neurons serve different functions in allowing clocks to entrain to environmental cues, driving behavioral outputs at different times of day, and allowing flexible behavioral responses in different environmental conditions. The neuropeptide PDF provides an important signal thought to synchronize clock neurons, although the details of how PDF accomplishes this function are still being explored. Secreted signals from clock neurons also influence rhythms in other tissues. SLEEP is, in part, regulated by the circadian clock, which ensures appropriate timing of sleep, but the amount and quality of sleep are also determined by other mechanisms that ensure a homeostatic balance between sleep and wake. Flies have been useful for identifying a large set of genes, molecules, and neuroanatomic loci important for regulating sleep amount. Conserved aspects of sleep regulation in flies and mammals include wake-promoting roles for catecholamine neurotransmitters and involvement of hypothalamus-like regions, although other neuroanatomic regions implicated in sleep in flies have less clear parallels. Sleep is also subject to regulation by factors such as food availability, stress, and social environment. We are beginning to understand how the identified molecules and neurons interact with each other, and with the environment, to regulate sleep. Drosophila researchers can also take advantage of increasing mechanistic understanding of other behaviors, such as learning and memory, courtship, and aggression, to understand how sleep loss impacts these behaviors. Flies thus remain a valuable tool for both discovery of novel molecules and deep mechanistic understanding of sleep and circadian rhythms.
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41
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Barber AF, Erion R, Holmes TC, Sehgal A. Circadian and feeding cues integrate to drive rhythms of physiology in Drosophila insulin-producing cells. Genes Dev 2016; 30:2596-2606. [PMID: 27979876 PMCID: PMC5204352 DOI: 10.1101/gad.288258.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Barber et al. show that Drosophila insulin-producing cells (IPCs) are functionally connected to the central circadian clock circuit via DN1 neurons. Insulin mediates circadian output by regulating the rhythmic expression of a metabolic gene (sxe2) in the fat body. The activity of IPCs and the rhythmic expression of sxe2 are additionally regulated by feeding. Circadian clocks regulate much of behavior and physiology, but the mechanisms by which they do so remain poorly understood. While cyclic gene expression is thought to underlie metabolic rhythms, little is known about cycles in cellular physiology. We found that Drosophila insulin-producing cells (IPCs), which are located in the pars intercerebralis and lack an autonomous circadian clock, are functionally connected to the central circadian clock circuit via DN1 neurons. Insulin mediates circadian output by regulating the rhythmic expression of a metabolic gene (sxe2) in the fat body. Patch clamp electrophysiology reveals that IPCs display circadian clock-regulated daily rhythms in firing event frequency and bursting proportion under light:dark conditions. The activity of IPCs and the rhythmic expression of sxe2 are additionally regulated by feeding, as demonstrated by night feeding-induced changes in IPC firing characteristics and sxe2 levels in the fat body. These findings indicate circuit-level regulation of metabolism by clock cells in Drosophila and support a role for the pars intercerebralis in integrating circadian control of behavior and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika F Barber
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Renske Erion
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Todd C Holmes
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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42
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Abstract
Sleep is essential for health and cognition, but the molecular and neural mechanisms of sleep regulation are not well understood. We recently reported the identification of TARANIS (TARA) as a sleep-promoting factor that acts in a previously unknown arousal center in Drosophila. tara mutants exhibit a dose-dependent reduction in sleep amount of up to ∼60%. TARA and its mammalian homologs, the Trip-Br (Transcriptional Regulators Interacting with PHD zinc fingers and/or Bromodomains) family of proteins, are primarily known as transcriptional coregulators involved in cell cycle progression, and contain a conserved Cyclin-A (CycA) binding homology domain. We found that tara and CycA synergistically promote sleep, and CycA levels are reduced in tara mutants. Additional data demonstrated that Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) antagonizes tara and CycA to promote wakefulness. Moreover, we identified a subset of CycA expressing neurons in the pars lateralis, a brain region proposed to be analogous to the mammalian hypothalamus, as an arousal center. In this Extra View article, we report further characterization of tara mutants and provide an extended discussion of our findings and future directions within the framework of a working model, in which a network of cell cycle genes, tara, CycA, and Cdk1, interact in an arousal center to regulate sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinis J S Afonso
- a Department of Neuroscience ; the Farber Institute for Neurosciences; and Kimmel Cancer Center; Thomas Jefferson University ; Philadelphia , PA USA.,b Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Health Sciences; University of Minho ; 4710-057 Braga , Portugal.,c ICVS/3B's; PT Government Associate Laboratory ; 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães ; Portugal
| | - Daniel R Machado
- a Department of Neuroscience ; the Farber Institute for Neurosciences; and Kimmel Cancer Center; Thomas Jefferson University ; Philadelphia , PA USA.,b Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS); School of Health Sciences; University of Minho ; 4710-057 Braga , Portugal.,c ICVS/3B's; PT Government Associate Laboratory ; 4710-057 Braga/Guimarães ; Portugal
| | - Kyunghee Koh
- a Department of Neuroscience ; the Farber Institute for Neurosciences; and Kimmel Cancer Center; Thomas Jefferson University ; Philadelphia , PA USA
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43
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Transcriptomic characterization and curation of candidate neuropeptides regulating reproduction in the eyestalk ganglia of the Australian crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38658. [PMID: 27924858 PMCID: PMC5141488 DOI: 10.1038/srep38658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Australian redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) has recently received attention as an emerging candidate for sustainable aquaculture production in Australia and worldwide. More importantly, C. quadricarinatus serves as a good model organism for the commercially important group of decapod crustaceans as it is distributed worldwide, easy to maintain in the laboratory and its reproductive cycle has been well documented. In order to better understand the key reproduction and development regulating mechanisms in decapod crustaceans, the molecular toolkit available for model organisms such as C. quadricarinatus must be expanded. However, there has been no study undertaken to establish the C. quadricarinatus neuropeptidome. Here we report a comprehensive study of the neuropeptide genes expressed in the eyestalk in the Australian crayfish C. quadricarinatus. We characterised 53 putative neuropeptide-encoding transcripts based on key features of neuropeptides as characterised in other species. Of those, 14 neuropeptides implicated in reproduction regulation were chosen for assessment of their tissue distribution using RT-PCR. Further insights are discussed in relation to current knowledge of neuropeptides in other species and potential follow up studies. Overall, the resulting data lays the foundation for future gene-based neuroendocrinology studies in C. quadricarinatus.
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44
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Modulation of light-driven arousal by LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Apterous in large PDF-positive lateral neurons of the Drosophila brain. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37255. [PMID: 27853240 PMCID: PMC5112534 DOI: 10.1038/srep37255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Apterous (Ap), the best studied LIM-homeodomain transcription factor in Drosophila, cooperates with the cofactor Chip (Chi) to regulate transcription of specific target genes. Although Ap regulates various developmental processes, its function in the adult brain remains unclear. Here, we report that Ap and Chi in the neurons expressing PDF, a neuropeptide, play important roles in proper sleep/wake regulation in adult flies. PDF-expressing neurons consist of two neuronal clusters: small ventral-lateral neurons (s-LNvs) acting as the circadian pacemaker and large ventral-lateral neurons (l-LNvs) regulating light-driven arousal. We identified that Ap localizes to the nuclei of s-LNvs and l-LNvs. In light-dark (LD) cycles, RNAi knockdown or the targeted expression of dominant-negative forms of Ap or Chi in PDF-expressing neurons or l-LNvs promoted arousal. In contrast, in constant darkness, knockdown of Ap in PDF-expressing neurons did not promote arousal, indicating that a reduced Ap function in PDF-expressing neurons promotes light-driven arousal. Furthermore, Ap expression in l-LNvs showed daily rhythms (peaking at midnight), which are generated by a direct light-dependent mechanism rather than by the endogenous clock. These results raise the possibility that the daily oscillation of Ap expression in l-LNvs may contribute to the buffering of light-driven arousal in wild-type flies.
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45
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Garbe DS, Vigderman AS, Moscato E, Dove AE, Vecsey CG, Kayser MS, Sehgal A. Changes in Female Drosophila Sleep following Mating Are Mediated by SPSN-SAG Neurons. J Biol Rhythms 2016; 31:551-567. [PMID: 27658900 DOI: 10.1177/0748730416668048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Female Drosophila melanogaster, like many other organisms, exhibit different behavioral repertoires after mating with a male. These postmating responses (PMRs) include increased egg production and laying, increased rejection behavior (avoiding further male advances), decreased longevity, altered gustation and decreased sleep. Sex Peptide (SP), a protein transferred from the male during copulation, is largely responsible for many of these behavioral responses, and acts through a specific circuit to induce rejection behavior and alter dietary preference. However, less is known about the mechanisms and neurons that influence sleep in mated females. In this study, we investigated postmating changes in female sleep across strains and ages and on different media, and report that these changes are robust and relatively consistent under a variety of conditions. We find that female sleep is reduced by male-derived SP acting through the canonical sex peptide receptor (SPR) within the same neurons responsible for altering other PMRs. This circuit includes the SPSN-SAG neurons, whose silencing by DREADD induces postmating behaviors including sleep. Our data are consistent with the idea that mating status is communicated to the central brain through a common circuit that diverges in higher brain centers to modify a collection of postmating sensorimotor processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Garbe
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Abigail S Vigderman
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Emilia Moscato
- Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Abigail E Dove
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
| | - Christopher G Vecsey
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.,Neuroscience Program, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York
| | - Matthew S Kayser
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute/Department of Neuroscience
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46
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Kim M, Lee H, Hur JH, Choe J, Lim C. CRTC Potentiates Light-independent timeless Transcription to Sustain Circadian Rhythms in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32113. [PMID: 27577611 PMCID: PMC5005998 DOI: 10.1038/srep32113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Light is one of the strongest environmental time cues for entraining endogenous circadian rhythms. Emerging evidence indicates that CREB-regulated transcription co-activator 1 (CRTC1) is a key player in this pathway, stimulating light-induced Period1 (Per1) transcription in mammalian clocks. Here, we demonstrate a light-independent role of Drosophila CRTC in sustaining circadian behaviors. Genomic deletion of the crtc locus causes long but poor locomotor rhythms in constant darkness. Overexpression or RNA interference-mediated depletion of CRTC in circadian pacemaker neurons similarly impairs the free-running behavioral rhythms, implying that Drosophila clocks are sensitive to the dosage of CRTC. The crtc null mutation delays the overall phase of circadian gene expression yet it remarkably dampens light-independent oscillations of TIMELESS (TIM) proteins in the clock neurons. In fact, CRTC overexpression enhances CLOCK/CYCLE (CLK/CYC)-activated transcription from tim but not per promoter in clock-less S2 cells whereas CRTC depletion suppresses it. Consistently, TIM overexpression partially but significantly rescues the behavioral rhythms in crtc mutants. Taken together, our data suggest that CRTC is a novel co-activator for the CLK/CYC-activated tim transcription to coordinate molecular rhythms with circadian behaviors over a 24-hour time-scale. We thus propose that CRTC-dependent clock mechanisms have co-evolved with selective clock genes among different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkyung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoyeon Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Hoe Hur
- UNIST-Olympus Biomed Imaging Center (UOBC), UNIST, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Joonho Choe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chunghun Lim
- School of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
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Lee H, Choi HW, Zhang C, Park ZY, Kim YJ. A Pair of Oviduct-Born Pickpocket Neurons Important for Egg-Laying in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Cells 2016; 39:573-9. [PMID: 27378227 PMCID: PMC4959023 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2016.0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
During copulation, male Drosophila transfers Sex Peptide (SP) to females where it acts on internal sensory neurons expressing pickpocket (ppk). These neurons induce a post-mating response (PMR) that includes elevated egg-laying and refractoriness to re-mating. Exactly how ppk neurons regulate the different aspects of the PMR, however, remains unclear. Here, we identify a small subset of the ppk neurons which requires expression of a pre-mRNA splicing factor CG3542 for egg-laying, but not refractoriness to mating. We identify two CG3542-ppk expressing neurons that innervate the upper oviduct and appear to be responsible for normal egg-laying. Our results suggest specific subsets of the ppk neurons are responsible for each PMR component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjin Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005,
Korea
| | - Hyun Woo Choi
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005,
Korea
| | - Chen Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005,
Korea
| | - Zee-Yong Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005,
Korea
| | - Young-Joon Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005,
Korea
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48
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Chen J, Kim SM, Kwon JY. A Systematic Analysis of Drosophila Regulatory Peptide Expression in Enteroendocrine Cells. Mol Cells 2016; 39:358-66. [PMID: 27025390 PMCID: PMC4844944 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2016.0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The digestive system is gaining interest as a major regulator of various functions including immune defense, nutrient accumulation, and regulation of feeding behavior, aside from its conventional function as a digestive organ. The Drosophila midgut epithelium is completely renewed every 1-2 weeks due to differentiation of pluripotent intestinal stem cells in the midgut. Intestinal stem cells constantly divide and differentiate into enterocytes that secrete digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients, or enteroendocrine cells that secrete regulatory peptides. Regulatory peptides have important roles in development and metabolism, but study has mainly focused on expression and functions in the nervous system, and not much is known about the roles in endocrine functions of enteroendocrine cells. We systemically examined the expression of 45 regulatory peptide genes in the Drosophila midgut, and verified that at least 10 genes are expressed in the midgut enteroendocrine cells through RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, antisera, and 25 regulatory peptide-GAL transgenes. The Drosophila midgut is highly compartmentalized, and individual peptides in enteroendocrine cells were observed to express in specific regions of the midgut. We also confirmed that some peptides expressed in the same region of the midgut are expressed in mutually exclusive enteroendocrine cells. These results indicate that the midgut enteroendocrine cells are functionally differentiated into different subgroups. Through this study, we have established a basis to study regulatory peptide functions in enteroendocrine cells as well as the complex organization of enteroendocrine cells in the Drosophila midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419,
Korea
| | - Seol-min Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419,
Korea
| | - Jae Young Kwon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419,
Korea
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Cavanaugh DJ, Vigderman AS, Dean T, Garbe DS, Sehgal A. The Drosophila Circadian Clock Gates Sleep through Time-of-Day Dependent Modulation of Sleep-Promoting Neurons. Sleep 2016; 39:345-56. [PMID: 26350473 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.5442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Sleep is under the control of homeostatic and circadian processes, which interact to determine sleep timing and duration, but the mechanisms through which the circadian system modulates sleep are largely unknown. We therefore used adult-specific, temporally controlled neuronal activation and inhibition to identify an interaction between the circadian clock and a novel population of sleep-promoting neurons in Drosophila. METHODS Transgenic flies expressed either dTRPA1, a neuronal activator, or Shibire(ts1), an inhibitor of synaptic release, in small subsets of neurons. Sleep, as determined by activity monitoring and video tracking, was assessed before and after temperature-induced activation or inhibition using these effector molecules. We compared the effect of these manipulations in control flies and in mutant flies that lacked components of the molecular circadian clock. RESULTS Adult-specific activation or inhibition of a population of neurons that projects to the sleep-promoting dorsal Fan-Shaped Body resulted in bidirectional control over sleep. Interestingly, the magnitude of the sleep changes were time-of-day dependent. Activation of sleep-promoting neurons was maximally effective during the middle of the day and night, and was relatively ineffective during the day-to-night and night-to-day transitions. These time-ofday specific effects were absent in flies that lacked functional circadian clocks. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the circadian system functions to gate sleep through active inhibition at specific times of day. These data identify a mechanism through which the circadian system prevents premature sleep onset in the late evening, when homeostatic sleep drive is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Cavanaugh
- Penn Chronobiology Program, Philadelphia PA.,Current Address: Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago IL
| | | | - Terry Dean
- Penn Chronobiology Program, Philadelphia PA
| | | | - Amita Sehgal
- Penn Chronobiology Program, Philadelphia PA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
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Sellami A, Veenstra JA. SIFamide acts on fruitless neurons to modulate sexual behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Peptides 2015; 74:50-6. [PMID: 26469541 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The Drosophila gene fruitless expresses male and female specific transcription factors which are responsible for the generation of male specific neuronal circuitry for courtship behavior. Mutations in this gene may lead to bisexual behavior in males. Bisexual behavior in males also occurs in the absence of the neuropeptide SIFamide. We show here that the SIFamide neurons do not express fruitless. However, when fruitless neurons are made to express RNAi specific for the SIFamide receptor, male flies engage in bisexual behavior, showing that SIFamide acts on fruitless neurons. If neurons expressing a SIFaR-gal4 transgene are killed by the apoptotic protein reaper or when these neurons express SIFamide receptor RNAi, males also show male-male courtship behavior. We next used this transgene to localize neurons that express the SIFamide receptor. Such neurons are ubiquitously present in the central nervous and we also found two neurons in the uterus that project into the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azza Sellami
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA UMR 5287, 33400 Talence, France
| | - Jan A Veenstra
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA UMR 5287, 33400 Talence, France.
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