Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor and dSTIM function in Drosophila insulin-producing neurons regulates systemic intracellular calcium homeostasis and flight

Orai-mediated calcium entry determines activity of central dopaminergic neurons by regulation of gene expression

Maturation and fine-tuning of neural circuits frequently require neuromodulatory signals that set the excitability threshold, neuronal connectivity, and synaptic strength. Here, we present a mechanistic study of how neuromodulator-stimulated intracellular Ca2+ signals, through the store-operated Ca2+ channel Orai, regulate intrinsic neuronal properties by control of developmental gene expression in flight-promoting central dopaminergic neurons (fpDANs). The fpDANs receive cholinergic inputs for release of dopamine at a central brain tripartite synapse that sustains flight (Sharma and Hasan, 2020). Cholinergic inputs act on the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor to stimulate intracellular Ca2+ release through the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) localised inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor followed by ER-store depletion and Orai-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). Analysis of gene expression in fpDANs followed by genetic, cellular, and molecular studies identified Orai-mediated Ca2+ entry as a key regulator of excitability in fpDANs during circuit maturation. SOCE activates the transcription factor trithorax-like (Trl), which in turn drives expression of a set of genes, including Set2, that encodes a histone 3 lysine 36 methyltransferase (H3K36me3). Set2 function establishes a positive feedback loop, essential for receiving neuromodulatory cholinergic inputs and sustaining SOCE. Chromatin-modifying activity of Set2 changes the epigenetic status of fpDANs and drives expression of key ion channel and signalling genes that determine fpDAN activity. Loss of activity reduces the axonal arborisation of fpDANs within the MB lobe and prevents dopamine release required for the maintenance of long flight.

Regulation of store-operated Ca2+ entry by IP3 receptors independent of their ability to release Ca2

Loss of endoplasmic reticular (ER) Ca2+ activates store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) by causing the ER localized Ca2+ sensor STIM to unfurl domains that activate Orai channels in the plasma membrane at membrane contact sites (MCS). Here, we demonstrate a novel mechanism by which the inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), an ER-localized IP3-gated Ca2+ channel, regulates neuronal SOCE. In human neurons, SOCE evoked by pharmacological depletion of ER-Ca2+ is attenuated by loss of IP3Rs, and restored by expression of IP3Rs even when they cannot release Ca2+, but only if the IP3Rs can bind IP3. Imaging studies demonstrate that IP3Rs enhance association of STIM1 with Orai1 in neuronal cells with empty stores; this requires an IP3-binding site, but not a pore. Convergent regulation by IP3Rs, may tune neuronal SOCE to respond selectively to receptors that generate IP3.

A STIM dependent dopamine-neuropeptide axis maintains the larval drive to feed and grow in Drosophila

Appropriate nutritional intake is essential for organismal survival. In holometabolous insects such as Drosophila melanogaster, the quality and quantity of food ingested as larvae determines adult size and fecundity. Here we have identified a subset of dopaminergic neurons (THD') that maintain the larval motivation to feed. Dopamine release from these neurons requires the ER Ca2+ sensor STIM. Larvae with loss of STIM stop feeding and growing, whereas expression of STIM in THD' neurons rescues feeding, growth and viability of STIM null mutants to a significant extent. Moreover STIM is essential for maintaining excitability and release of dopamine from THD' neurons. Optogenetic stimulation of THD' neurons activated neuropeptidergic cells, including median neuro secretory cells that secrete insulin-like peptides. Loss of STIM in THD' cells alters the developmental profile of specific insulin-like peptides including ilp3. Loss of ilp3 partially rescues STIM null mutants and inappropriate expression of ilp3 in larvae affects development and growth. In summary we have identified a novel STIM-dependent function of dopamine neurons that modulates developmental changes in larval feeding behaviour and growth.

Neuronal role of taxi is imperative for flight in Drosophila melanogaster

Extensive studies in Drosophila have led to the elucidation of the roles of many molecular players involved in the sensorimotor coordination of flight. However, the identification and characterisation of new players can add novel perspectives to the process. In this paper, we show that the extant mutant, jumper, is a hypermorphic allele of the taxi/delilah gene, which encodes a transcription factor. The defective flight of jumper flies results from the insertion of an I-element in the 5'-UTR of taxi gene, leading to an over-expression of the taxi. We also show that the molecular lesion responsible for the taxi¹ allele results from a 25 bp deletion leading to a shift in the reading frame at the C-terminus of the taxi coding sequence. Thus, the last 20 residues are replaced by 32 disparate residues in taxi¹. Both taxi¹, a hypomorphic allele, and the CRISPR-Cas9 knock-out (taxi^KO) null allele, show a defective flight phenotype. Electrophysiological studies show taxi hypermorphs, hypomorphs, and knock out flies show abnormal neuronal firing. We further show that neuronal-specific knock-down or over-expression of taxi cause a defect in the brain's inputs to the flight muscles, leading to reduced flight ability. Through transcriptomic analysis of the taxi^KO fly head, we have identified several putative targets of Taxi that may play important roles in flight. In conclusion, from molecularly characterising jumper to establishing Taxi's role during Drosophila flight, our work shows that the forward genetics approach still can lead to the identification of novel molecular players required for neuronal transmission.

Circadian pacemaker neurons display cophasic rhythms in basal calcium level and in fast calcium fluctuations

Circadian pacemaker neurons in the Drosophila brain display daily rhythms in the levels of intracellular calcium. These calcium rhythms are driven by molecular clocks and are required for normal circadian behavior. To study their biological basis, we employed genetic manipulations in conjunction with improved methods of in vivo light-sheet microscopy to measure calcium dynamics in individual pacemaker neurons over complete 24-h durations at sampling frequencies as high as 5 Hz. This technological advance unexpectedly revealed cophasic daily rhythms in basal calcium levels and in high-frequency calcium fluctuations. Further, we found that the rhythms of basal calcium levels and of fast calcium fluctuations reflect the activities of two proteins that mediate distinct forms of calcium fluxes. One is the inositol trisphosphate receptor (ITPR), a channel that mediates calcium fluxes from internal endoplasmic reticulum calcium stores, and the other is a T-type voltage-gated calcium channel, which mediates extracellular calcium influx. These results suggest that Drosophila molecular clocks regulate ITPR and T-type channels to generate two distinct but coupled rhythms in basal calcium and in fast calcium fluctuations. We propose that both internal and external calcium fluxes are essential for circadian pacemaker neurons to provide rhythmic outputs and thereby, regulate the activities of downstream brain centers.

A Comparative Perspective on Functionally-Related, Intracellular Calcium Channels: The Insect Ryanodine and Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors

Calcium (Ca²⁺) homeostasis is vital for insect development and metabolism, and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a major intracellular reservoir for Ca²⁺. The inositol 1,4,5- triphosphate receptor (IP₃R) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) are large homotetrameric channels associated with the ER and serve as two major actors in ER-derived Ca²⁺ supply. Most of the knowledge on these receptors derives from mammalian systems that possess three genes for each receptor. These studies have inspired work on synonymous receptors in insects, which encode a single IP₃R and RyR. In the current review, we focus on a fundamental, common question: “why do insect cells possess two Ca²⁺ channel receptors in the ER?”. Through a comparative approach, this review covers the discovery of RyRs and IP₃Rs, examines their structures/functions, the pathways that they interact with, and their potential as target sites in pest control. Although insects RyRs and IP₃Rs share structural similarities, they are phylogenetically distinct, have their own structural organization, regulatory mechanisms, and expression patterns, which explains their functional distinction. Nevertheless, both have great potential as target sites in pest control, with RyRs currently being targeted by commercial insecticide, the diamides.

Target Molecules of STIM Proteins in the Central Nervous System

Stromal interaction molecules (STIMs), including STIM1 and STIM2, are single-pass transmembrane proteins that are located predominantly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They serve as calcium ion (Ca²⁺) sensors within the ER. In the central nervous system (CNS), they are involved mainly in Orai-mediated store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE). The key molecular components of the SOCE pathway are well-characterized, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie the regulation of this pathway need further investigation. Numerous intracellular target proteins that are located in the plasma membrane, ER, cytoskeleton, and cytoplasm have been reported to play essential roles in concert with STIMs, such as conformational changes in STIMs, their translocation, the stabilization of their interactions with Orai, and the activation of other channels. The present review focuses on numerous regulators, such as Homer, SOCE-associated regulatory factor (SARAF), septin, synaptopodin, golli proteins, partner of STIM1 (POST), and transcription factors and proteasome inhibitors that regulate STIM-Orai interactions in the CNS. Further we describe novel roles of STIMs in mediating Ca²⁺ influx via other than Orai pathways, including TRPC channels, VGCCs, AMPA and NMDA receptors, and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors. This review also summarizes recent findings on additional molecular targets of STIM proteins including SERCA, IP₃Rs, end-binding proteins (EB), presenilin, and CaMKII. Dysregulation of the SOCE-associated toolkit, including STIMs, contributes to the development of neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease), traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and stroke. Emerging evidence points to the role of STIM proteins and several of their molecular effectors and regulators in neuronal and glial physiology and pathology, suggesting their potential application for future therapeutic strategies.

Modulation of flight and feeding behaviours requires presynaptic IP3Rs in dopaminergic neurons

Innate behaviours, although robust and hard wired, rely on modulation of neuronal circuits, for eliciting an appropriate response according to internal states and external cues. Drosophila flight is one such innate behaviour that is modulated by intracellular calcium release through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs). Cellular mechanism(s) by which IP3Rs modulate neuronal function for specific behaviours remain speculative, in vertebrates and invertebrates. To address this, we generated an inducible dominant negative form of the IP3R (IP3RDN). Flies with neuronal expression of IP3RDN exhibit flight deficits. Expression of IP3RDN helped identify key flight-modulating dopaminergic neurons with axonal projections in the mushroom body. Flies with attenuated IP3Rs in these presynaptic dopaminergic neurons exhibit shortened flight bouts and a disinterest in seeking food, accompanied by reduced excitability and dopamine release upon cholinergic stimulation. Our findings suggest that the same neural circuit modulates the drive for food search and for undertaking longer flight bouts.

STIM1/ORAI1 Loss-of-Function and Gain-of-Function Mutations Inversely Impact on SOCE and Calcium Homeostasis and Cause Multi-Systemic Mirror Diseases

Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) is a ubiquitous and essential mechanism regulating Ca²⁺ homeostasis in all tissues, and controls a wide range of cellular functions including keratinocyte differentiation, osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis, T cell proliferation, platelet activation, and muscle contraction. The main SOCE actors are STIM1 and ORAI1. Depletion of the reticular Ca²⁺ stores induces oligomerization of the luminal Ca²⁺ sensor STIM1, and the oligomers activate the plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channel ORAI1 to trigger extracellular Ca²⁺ entry. Mutations in STIM1 and ORAI1 result in abnormal SOCE and lead to multi-systemic disorders. Recessive loss-of-function mutations are associated with CRAC (Ca²⁺ release-activated Ca²⁺) channelopathy, involving immunodeficiency and autoimmunity, muscular hypotonia, ectodermal dysplasia, and mydriasis. In contrast, dominant STIM1 and ORAI1 gain-of-function mutations give rise to tubular aggregate myopathy and Stormorken syndrome (TAM/STRMK), forming a clinical spectrum encompassing muscle weakness, thrombocytopenia, ichthyosis, hyposplenism, short stature, and miosis. Functional studies on patient-derived cells revealed that CRAC channelopathy mutations impair SOCE and extracellular Ca²⁺ influx, while TAM/STRMK mutations induce excessive Ca²⁺ entry through SOCE over-activation. In accordance with the opposite pathomechanisms underlying both disorders, CRAC channelopathy and TAM/STRMK patients show mirror phenotypes at the clinical and molecular levels, and the respective animal models recapitulate the skin, bones, immune system, platelet, and muscle anomalies. Here we review and compare the clinical presentations of CRAC channelopathy and TAM/STRMK patients and the histological and molecular findings obtained on human samples and murine models to highlight the mirror phenotypes in different tissues, and to point out potentially undiagnosed anomalies in patients, which may be relevant for disease management and prospective therapeutic approaches.

A journey into the world of insect lipid metabolism

Lipid metabolism is fundamental to life. In insects, it is critical, during reproduction, flight, starvation, and diapause. The coordination center for insect lipid metabolism is the fat body, which is analogous to the vertebrate adipose tissue and liver. Fat body contains various different cell types; however, adipocytes and oenocytes are the primary cells related to lipid metabolism. Lipid metabolism starts with the hydrolysis of dietary lipids, absorption of lipid monomers, followed by lipid transport from midgut to the fat body, lipogenesis or lipolysis in the fat body, and lipid transport from fat body to other sites demanding energy. Lipid metabolism is under the control of hormones, transcription factors, secondary messengers and posttranscriptional modifications. Primarily, lipogenesis is under the control of insulin-like peptides that activate lipogenic transcription factors, such as sterol regulatory element-binding proteins, whereas lipolysis is coordinated by the adipokinetic hormone that activates lipolytic transcription factors, such as forkhead box class O and cAMP-response element-binding protein. Calcium is the primary-secondary messenger affecting lipid metabolism and has different outcomes depending on the site of lipogenesis or lipolysis. Phosphorylation is central to lipid metabolism and multiple phosphorylases are involved in lipid accumulation or hydrolysis. Although most of the knowledge of insect lipid metabolism comes from the studies on the model Drosophila; other insects, in particular those with obligatory or facultative diapause, also have great potential to study lipid metabolism. The use of these models would significantly improve our knowledge of insect lipid metabolism.

ER-Ca2+ sensor STIM regulates neuropeptides required for development under nutrient restriction in Drosophila

Neuroendocrine cells communicate via neuropeptides to regulate behaviour and physiology. This study examines how STIM (Stromal Interacting Molecule), an ER-Ca²⁺ sensor required for Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry, regulates neuropeptides required for Drosophila development under nutrient restriction (NR). We find two STIM-regulated peptides, Corazonin and short Neuropeptide F, to be required for NR larvae to complete development. Further, a set of secretory DLP (Dorso lateral peptidergic) neurons which co-express both peptides was identified. Partial loss of dSTIM caused peptide accumulation in the DLPs, and reduced systemic Corazonin signalling. Upon NR, larval development correlated with increased peptide levels in the DLPs, which failed to occur when dSTIM was reduced. Comparison of systemic and cellular phenotypes associated with reduced dSTIM, with other cellular perturbations, along with genetic rescue experiments, suggested that dSTIM primarily compromises neuroendocrine function by interfering with neuropeptide release. Under chronic stimulation, dSTIM also appears to regulate neuropeptide synthesis.

IP3 receptors and Ca2+ entry

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP₃R) are the most widely expressed intracellular Ca²⁺ release channels. Their activation by IP₃ and Ca²⁺ allows Ca²⁺ to pass rapidly from the ER lumen to the cytosol. The resulting increase in cytosolic [Ca²⁺] may directly regulate cytosolic effectors or fuel Ca²⁺ uptake by other organelles, while the decrease in ER luminal [Ca²⁺] stimulates store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE). We are close to understanding the structural basis of both IP₃R activation, and the interactions between the ER Ca²⁺-sensor, STIM, and the plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channel, Orai, that lead to SOCE. IP₃Rs are the usual means through which extracellular stimuli, through ER Ca²⁺ release, stimulate SOCE. Here, we review evidence that the IP₃Rs most likely to respond to IP₃ are optimally placed to allow regulation of SOCE. We also consider evidence that IP₃Rs may regulate SOCE downstream of their ability to deplete ER Ca²⁺ stores. Finally, we review evidence that IP₃Rs in the plasma membrane can also directly mediate Ca²⁺ entry in some cells.

dSTIM- and Ral/Exocyst-Mediated Synaptic Release from Pupal Dopaminergic Neurons Sustains Drosophila Flight

Manifestation of appropriate behavior in adult animals requires developmental mechanisms that help in the formation of correctly wired neural circuits. Flight circuit development in Drosophila requires store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) through the STIM/Orai pathway. SOCE-associated flight deficits in adult Drosophila derive extensively from regulation of gene expression in pupal neurons, and one such SOCE-regulated gene encodes the small GTPase Ral. The cellular mechanism by which Ral helps in maturation of the flight circuit was not understood. Here, we show that knockdown of components of a Ral effector, the exocyst complex, in pupal neurons also leads to reduced flight bout durations, and this phenotype derives primarily from dopaminergic neurons. Importantly, synaptic release from pupal dopaminergic neurons is abrogated upon knockdown of dSTIM, Ral, or exocyst components. Ral overexpression restores the diminished synaptic release of dStim knockdown neurons as well as flight deficits associated with dSTIM knockdown in dopaminergic neurons. These results identify Ral-mediated vesicular release as an effector mechanism of neuronal SOCE in pupal dopaminergic neurons with functional consequences on flight behavior.

The role of septin 7 in physiology and pathological disease: A systematic review of current status

Septins are a conserved family of cytoskeletal GTPases present in different organisms, including yeast, drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans and humans. In humans, septins are involved in various cellular processes, including exocytosis, apoptosis, leukemogenesis, carcinogenesis and neurodegeneration. Septin 7 is unique out of 13 human septins. Mammalian septin 6, septin 7, septin 2 and septin 9 coisolate together in complexes to form the core unit for the generation of the septin filaments. Physiological septin filaments are hetero‐oligomeric complexes consisting of core septin hexamers and octamers. Furthermore, septin 7 plays a crucial role in cytokinesis and mitosis. Septin 7 is localized to the filopodia and branches of developing hippocampal neurons, and is the most abundant septin in the adult rat forebrain as well as a structural component of the human and mouse sperm annuli. Septin 7 is crucial to the spine morphogenesis and dendrite growth in neurons, and is also a structural constituent of the annulus in human and mouse sperm. It can suppress growth of some tumours such as glioma and papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanisms of involvement of septin 7 in human disease, especially in the development of cancer, remain unclear. This review focuses on the structure, function and mechanism of septin 7 in vivo, and summarizes the role of septin 7 in cell proliferation, cytokinesis, nervous and reproductive systems, as well as the underlying molecular events linking septin 7 to various diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, tumour and so on.

Spontaneous Ca2+ Influx in Drosophila Pupal Neurons Is Modulated by IP3-Receptor Function and Influences Maturation of the Flight Circuit

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP₃R) are Ca²⁺ channels on the neuronal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. They are gated by IP₃, produced upon external stimulation and activation of G protein-coupled receptors on the plasma membrane (PM). IP₃-mediated Ca²⁺ release, and the resulting depletion of the ER store, triggers entry of extracellular Ca²⁺ by store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE). Mutations in IP₃R attenuate SOCE. Compromised IP₃R function and SOCE during pupal development of Drosophila leads to flight deficits and mimics suppression of neuronal activity during pupal or adult development. To understand the effect of compromised IP₃R function on pupal neuronal calcium signaling, we examined the effects of mutations in the IP₃R gene (itpr) on Ca²⁺ signals in cultured neurons derived from Drosophila pupae. We observed increased spontaneous Ca²⁺ influx across the PM of isolated pupal neurons with mutant IP₃R and also a loss of SOCE. Both spontaneous Ca²⁺ influx and reduced SOCE were reversed by over-expression of dOrai and dSTIM, which encode the SOCE Ca²⁺ channel and the ER Ca²⁺-sensor that regulates it, respectively. Expression of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels (cac, Ca-α1D and Ca-αT) was significantly reduced in itpr mutant neurons. However, expression of trp mRNAs and transient receptor potential (TRP) protein were increased, suggesting that TRP channels might contribute to the increased spontaneous Ca²⁺ influx in neurons with mutant IP₃R. Thus, IP₃R/SOCE modulates spontaneous Ca²⁺ influx and expression of PM Ca²⁺ channels in Drosophila pupal neurons. Spontaneous Ca²⁺ influx compensates for the loss of SOCE in Drosophilaitpr mutant neurons.

IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release regulates protein metabolism in Drosophila neuroendocrine cells: implications for development under nutrient stress

Successful completion of animal development is fundamentally reliant on nutritional cues. Surviving periods of nutritional insufficiency requires adaptations that are coordinated, in part, by neural circuits. As neuropeptides secreted by neuroendocrine (NE) cells modulate neural circuits, we investigated NE cell function during development under nutrient stress. Starved Drosophila larvae exhibited reduced pupariation if either insulin signaling or IP₃/Ca²⁺ signaling were downregulated in NE cells. Moreover, an IP₃R (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor) loss-of-function mutant displayed reduced protein synthesis, which was rescued by overexpression of either InR (insulin receptor) or IP₃R in NE cells of the mutant, suggesting that the two signaling pathways might be functionally compensatory. Furthermore, cultured IP₃R mutant NE cells, but not neurons, exhibited reduced protein translation. Thus cell-specific regulation of protein synthesis by IP₃R in NE cells influences protein metabolism. We propose that this regulation helps developing animals survive in poor nutritional conditions.

Summary: Intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling regulates protein translation and can compensate for insulin signaling in specialized neuro-hormonal cells, thus enabling Drosophila larval to pupal development under acute starvation.

CRISPR-Cas-Induced Mutants Identify a Requirement for dSTIM in Larval Dopaminergic Cells of Drosophila melanogaster

Molecular components of store-operated calcium entry have been identified in the recent past and consist of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane-resident calcium sensor STIM and the plasma membrane-localized calcium channel Orai. The physiological function of STIM and Orai is best defined in vertebrate immune cells. However, genetic studies with RNAi strains in Drosophila suggest a role in neuronal development and function. We generated a CRISPR-Cas-mediated deletion for the gene encoding STIM in Drosophila (dSTIM), which we demonstrate is larval lethal. To study STIM function in neurons, we merged the CRISPR-Cas9 method with the UAS-GAL4 system to generate either tissue- or cell type-specific inducible STIM knockouts (KOs). Our data identify an essential role for STIM in larval dopaminergic cells. The molecular basis for this cell-specific requirement needs further investigation.

A pupal transcriptomic screen identifies Ral as a target of store-operated calcium entry in Drosophila neurons

Transcriptional regulation by Store-operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) is well studied in non-excitable cells. However, the role of SOCE has been poorly documented in neuronal cells with more complicated calcium dynamics. Previous reports demonstrated a requirement for SOCE in neurons that regulate Drosophila flight bouts. We refine this requirement temporally to the early pupal stage and use RNA-sequencing to identify SOCE mediated gene expression changes in the developing Drosophila pupal nervous system. Down regulation of dStim, the endoplasmic reticular calcium sensor and a principal component of SOCE in the nervous system, altered the expression of 131 genes including Ral, a small GTPase. Disruption of Ral function in neurons impaired flight, whereas ectopic expression of Ral in SOCE-compromised neurons restored flight. Through live imaging of calcium transients from cultured pupal neurons, we confirmed that Ral does not participate in SOCE, but acts downstream of it. These results identify neuronal SOCE as a mechanism that regulates expression of specific genes during development of the pupal nervous system and emphasizes the relevance of SOCE-regulated gene expression to flight circuit maturation.

Mutant IP3 receptors attenuate store-operated Ca2+ entry by destabilizing STIM-Orai interactions in Drosophila neurons

Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) occurs when loss of Ca²⁺ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stimulates the Ca²⁺ sensor, STIM, to cluster and activate the plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channel Orai (encoded by Olf186-F in flies). Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP₃Rs, which are encoded by a single gene in flies) are assumed to regulate SOCE solely by mediating ER Ca²⁺ release. We show that in Drosophila neurons, mutant IP₃R attenuates SOCE evoked by depleting Ca²⁺ stores with thapsigargin. In normal neurons, store depletion caused STIM and the IP₃R to accumulate near the plasma membrane, association of STIM with Orai, clustering of STIM and Orai at ER–plasma-membrane junctions and activation of SOCE. These responses were attenuated in neurons with mutant IP₃Rs and were rescued by overexpression of STIM with Orai. We conclude that, after depletion of Ca²⁺ stores in Drosophila, translocation of the IP₃R to ER–plasma-membrane junctions facilitates the coupling of STIM to Orai that leads to activation of SOCE.

Summary: In Drosophila neurons, mutant IP₃ receptors disrupt store-operated Ca²⁺ entry by destabilizing interaction of STIM with the Ca²⁺ channel, Orai. The interactions could coordinate store emptying with Ca²⁺ entry.

Store-independent modulation of Ca(2+) entry through Orai by Septin 7

Orai channels are required for store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) in multiple cell types. Septins are a class of GTP-binding proteins that function as diffusion barriers in cells. Here we show that Septin 7 acts as a ‘molecular brake’ on activation of Orai channels in Drosophila neurons. Lowering Septin 7 levels results in dOrai-mediated Ca²⁺ entry and higher cytosolic Ca²⁺ in resting neurons. This Ca²⁺ entry is independent of depletion of endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ stores and Ca²⁺ release through the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. Importantly, store-independent Ca²⁺ entry through Orai compensates for reduced SOCE in the Drosophila flight circuit. Moreover, overexpression of Septin 7 reduces both SOCE and flight duration, supporting its role as a negative regulator of Orai channel function in vivo. Septin 7 levels in neurons can, therefore, alter neural circuit function by modulating Orai function and Ca²⁺ homeostasis.

Orai channels are well known to mediate store-operated calcium entry. Here authors show that in neurons of the Drosophila flight circuit, Septin 7 acts as a negative regulator of Orai channels, surprisingly, by modulating store-independent calcium entry through Orai.

Store-Operated Calcium Entry through Orai Is Required for Transcriptional Maturation of the Flight Circuit in Drosophila

Store operated calcium entry (SOCE) is thought to primarily regulate calcium homeostasis in neurons. Subsequent to identification of Orai as the SOCE channel in nonexcitable cells, investigation of Orai function in neurons demonstrated a requirement for SOCE in Drosophila flight. Here, by analysis of an Orai mutant and by controlled expression of a dominant-negative Drosophila Orai transgene, we show that Orai-mediated SOCE is required in dopaminergic interneurons of the flight circuit during pupal development. Expression of dominant-negative Orai in dopaminergic neurons of pupae abolished flight. The loss of Orai-mediated SOCE alters transcriptional regulation of dopaminergic neurons, leading to downregulation of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which is essential for dopamine synthesis, and the dopamine transporter, which is required for dopamine uptake after synaptic release. These studies suggest that modulation of SOCE could serve as a novel mechanism for restoring dopamine levels in dopaminergic neurons.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The specificity of an animal's response to an environmental stimulus is determined in part by the release of neurotransmitters, which are sensed by responding neurons through cognate receptors on their surface. One way by which neurons respond is through release of calcium from intracellular stores followed by store refilling from extracellular calcium sources. This mechanism is called store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). The function of SOCE in neurons has been debated. Here we describe a new function for SOCE in the regulation of neurotransmitter levels in Drosophila flight neurons. This cell-signaling mechanism is required to maintain optimal levels of a key enzyme for dopamine synthesis and may serve as a mechanism for restoring dopamine levels in relevant pathological conditions.

The wavy Mutation Maps to the Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate 3-Kinase 2 (IP3K2) Gene of Drosophila and Interacts with IP3R to Affect Wing Development

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) regulates a host of biological processes from egg activation to cell death. When IP3-specific receptors (IP3Rs) bind to IP3, they release calcium from the ER into the cytoplasm, triggering a variety of cell type- and developmental stage-specific responses. Alternatively, inositol polyphosphate kinases can phosphorylate IP3; this limits IP3R activation by reducing IP3 levels, and also generates new signaling molecules altogether. These divergent pathways draw from the same IP3 pool yet cause very different cellular responses. Therefore, controlling the relative rates of IP3R activation vs. phosphorylation of IP3 is essential for proper cell functioning. Establishing a model system that sensitively reports the net output of IP3 signaling is crucial for identifying the controlling genes. Here we report that mutant alleles of wavy (wy), a classic locus of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, map to IP3 3-kinase 2 (IP3K2), a member of the inositol polyphosphate kinase gene family. Mutations in wy disrupt wing structure in a highly specific pattern. RNAi experiments using GAL4 and GAL80(ts) indicated that IP3K2 function is required in the wing discs of early pupae for normal wing development. Gradations in the severity of the wy phenotype provide high-resolution readouts of IP3K2 function and of overall IP3 signaling, giving this system strong potential as a model for further study of the IP3 signaling network. In proof of concept, a dominant modifier screen revealed that mutations in IP3R strongly suppress the wy phenotype, suggesting that the wy phenotype results from reduced IP4 levels, and/or excessive IP3R signaling.

Patterning of wound-induced intercellular Ca(2+) flashes in a developing epithelium

Differential mechanical force distributions are increasingly recognized to provide important feedback into the control of an organ's final size and shape. As a second messenger that integrates and relays mechanical information to the cell, calcium ions (Ca(2+)) are a prime candidate for providing important information on both the overall mechanical state of the tissue and resulting behavior at the individual-cell level during development. Still, how the spatiotemporal properties of Ca(2+) transients reflect the underlying mechanical characteristics of tissues is still poorly understood. Here we use an established model system of an epithelial tissue, the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, to investigate how tissue properties impact the propagation of Ca(2+) transients induced by laser ablation. The resulting intercellular Ca(2+) flash is found to be mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and depends on gap junction communication. Further, we find that intercellular Ca(2+) transients show spatially non-uniform characteristics across the proximal-distal axis of the larval wing imaginal disc, which exhibit a gradient in cell size and anisotropy. A computational model of Ca(2+) transients is employed to identify the principle factors explaining the spatiotemporal patterning dynamics of intercellular Ca(2+) flashes. The relative Ca(2+) flash anisotropy is principally explained by local cell shape anisotropy. Further, Ca(2+) velocities are relatively uniform throughout the wing disc, irrespective of cell size or anisotropy. This can be explained by the opposing effects of cell diameter and cell elongation on intercellular Ca(2+) propagation. Thus, intercellular Ca(2+) transients follow lines of mechanical tension at velocities that are largely independent of tissue heterogeneity and reflect the mechanical state of the underlying tissue.

Maturation of a central brain flight circuit in Drosophila requires Fz2/Ca²⁺ signaling

The final identity of a differentiated neuron is determined by multiple signaling events, including activity dependent calcium transients. Non-canonical Frizzled2 (Fz2) signaling generates calcium transients that determine neuronal polarity, neuronal migration, and synapse assembly in the developing vertebrate brain. Here, we demonstrate a requirement for Fz2/Ca²⁺ signaling in determining the final differentiated state of a set of central brain dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila, referred to as the protocerebral anterior medial (PAM) cluster. Knockdown or inhibition of Fz2/Ca²⁺ signaling during maturation of the flight circuit in pupae reduces Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH) expression in the PAM neurons and affects maintenance of flight. Thus, we demonstrate that Fz2/Ca²⁺ transients during development serve as a pre-requisite for normal adult behavior. Our results support a neural mechanism where PAM neuron send projections to the α' and β' lobes of a higher brain centre, the mushroom body, and function in dopaminergic re-inforcement of flight.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07046.001

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an aerial acrobat. These insects can suddenly change direction in less than one hundredth of a second, explaining why a moving fly can be so difficult to swat. To perform their aerial manoeuvres, the flies continually combine information from multiple senses, including vision, hearing and smell, and use these data to control the activity of the neural circuits that support flight.

These flight circuits are established during the pupal stage of fly development, during which the fly transforms from a larva into its adult form. In 2013, researchers showed that a protein called dFrizzled2 must be present in pupae for flight circuits to mature correctly. This protein forms part of a pathway that ultimately controls which specific chemicals—called neurotransmitters—are released by neurons to communicate with other cells. Agrawal and Hasan—who worked on the 2013 study—now extend their findings to investigate the role of dFrizzled2 in more detail.

The new experiments show that for the flight circuits to mature, dFrizzled2 must be active in a cluster of neurons known collectively as PAM. Specifically, dFrizzled2 is needed to make an enzyme that helps to produce a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This in turn enables the PAM neurons to communicate with a region of the fruit fly brain called the mushroom body, which it thought to play an important role in complex behaviors such as reward-based learning.

The absence of dFrizzled2 results in adult flies that rarely remain airborne for more than 20 s at a time, whereas normal flies can typically fly for over 700 s. Given that dopamine is known to signal reward, one possibility is that the dopamine signals from the PAM neurons to the mushroom body serve as a reward to encourage continuous flight. Mutant flies that lack dFrizzled2—and thus these dopamine signals—lose their motivation to fly after only a few seconds.

Overall, Agrawal and Hasan's findings suggest that the mushroom body has an important role in coordinating a fly's movements with information from it senses. Future research will be needed to determine exactly how the mushroom body performs this role.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.07046.002

Social regulation of maternal traits in nest-founding bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) queens

During the nest-founding phase of the bumble bee colony cycle, queens undergo striking changes in maternal care behavior. Early in the founding phase, prior to the emergence of workers in the nest, queens are reproductive and also provision and feed their offspring. However, later in the founding phase, queens reduce their feeding of larvae and become specialized on reproduction. This transition is synchronized with the emergence of workers in the colony, who assume the task of feeding their siblings. Using a social manipulation experiment with the bumble bee Bombus terrestris, we tested the hypothesis that workers regulate the transition from feeding brood to specialization on reproduction in nest-founding bumble bee queens. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that early-stage nest-founding queens with workers prematurely added to their nests reduce their brood-feeding behavior and increase egg laying, and likewise, late-stage nest-founding queens increase their brood-feeding behavior and decrease egg-laying when workers are removed from their nests. Further, brood-feeding and egg-laying behaviors were negatively correlated. We used Agilent microarrays designed from B. terrestris brain expressed sequenced tags (ESTs) to explore a second hypothesis, that workers alter brain gene expression in nest-founding queens. We found evidence that brain gene expression in nest-founding queens is altered by the presence of workers, with the effect being much stronger in late-stage founding queens. This study provides new insights into how the transition from feeding brood to specialization on reproduction in queen bumble bees is regulated during the nest initiation phase of the colony cycle.

Molecular heterochrony and the evolution of sociality in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)

Sibling care is a hallmark of social insects, but its evolution remains challenging to explain at the molecular level. The hypothesis that sibling care evolved from ancestral maternal care in primitively eusocial insects has been elaborated to involve heterochronic changes in gene expression. This elaboration leads to the prediction that workers in these species will show patterns of gene expression more similar to foundress queens, who express maternal care behaviour, than to established queens engaged solely in reproductive behaviour. We tested this idea in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) using a microarray platform with approximately 4500 genes. Unlike the wasp Polistes metricus, in which support for the above prediction has been obtained, we found that patterns of brain gene expression in foundress and queen bumblebees were more similar to each other than to workers. Comparisons of differentially expressed genes derived from this study and gene lists from microarray studies in Polistes and the honeybee Apis mellifera yielded a shared set of genes involved in the regulation of related social behaviours across independent eusocial lineages. Together, these results suggest that multiple independent evolutions of eusociality in the insects might have involved different evolutionary routes, but nevertheless involved some similarities at the molecular level.

Sensory-neuron subtype-specific transcriptional programs controlling dendrite morphogenesis: genome-wide analysis of Abrupt and Knot/Collier

The transcription factors Abrupt (Ab) and Knot (Kn) act as selectors of distinct dendritic arbor morphologies in two classes of Drosophila sensory neurons, termed class I and class IV, respectively. We performed binding-site mapping and transcriptional profiling of these isolated neurons. Their profiles were similarly enriched in cell-type-specific enhancers of genes implicated in neural development. We identified a total of 429 target genes, of which 56 were common to Ab and Kn; these targets included genes necessary to shape dendritic arbors in either or both of the two sensory subtypes. Furthermore, a common target gene, encoding the cell adhesion molecule Ten-m, was expressed more strongly in class I than class IV, and this differential was critical to the class-selective directional control of dendritic branch sprouting or extension. Our analyses illustrate how differentiating neurons employ distinct and shared repertoires of gene expression to produce class-selective morphological traits.

A genetic RNAi screen for IP₃/Ca²⁺ coupled GPCRs in Drosophila identifies the PdfR as a regulator of insect flight

Insect flight is regulated by various sensory inputs and neuromodulatory circuits which function in synchrony to control and fine-tune the final behavioral outcome. The cellular and molecular bases of flight neuromodulatory circuits are not well defined. In Drosophila melanogaster, it is known that neuronal IP₃ receptor mediated Ca²⁺ signaling and store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) are required for air-puff stimulated adult flight. However, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that activate intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling in the context of flight are unknown in Drosophila. We performed a genetic RNAi screen to identify GPCRs that regulate flight by activating the IP₃ receptor. Among the 108 GPCRs screened, we discovered 5 IP₃/Ca²⁺ linked GPCRs that are necessary for maintenance of air-puff stimulated flight. Analysis of their temporal requirement established that while some GPCRs are required only during flight circuit development, others are required both in pupal development as well as during adult flight. Interestingly, our study identified the Pigment Dispersing Factor Receptor (PdfR) as a regulator of flight circuit development and as a modulator of acute flight. From the analysis of PdfR expressing neurons relevant for flight and its well-defined roles in other behavioral paradigms, we propose that PdfR signaling functions systemically to integrate multiple sensory inputs and modulate downstream motor behavior.

A majority of behavioral patterns in flying insects depend upon their ability to modulate flight. In Drosophila melanogaster, mutations in the IP₃ receptor gene lead to loss of voluntary flight in response to a natural stimulus like a gentle air-puff. From previous genetic and cellular studies it is known that the IP₃R in Drosophila is activated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). However, GPCRs that act upstream of the IP₃R in the context of flight are not known. Therefore, we performed a genetic RNAi screen to identify GPCRs which regulate flight. This screen was followed by a secondary suppressor screen that assessed the role of each identified GPCR in activating IP₃/Ca²⁺ signaling. We found 5 such GPCRs. Our results demonstrate that these GPCRs are required during flight circuit development and during adult flight. One flight-regulating receptor identified was the Pigment Dispersing Factor Receptor (PdfR). This receptor is known to regulate behaviors such as circadian rhythms, geotaxis and reproduction. A spatio-temporal analysis of PdfR flight function indicates that it regulates both flight circuit development and acute flight through multiple neurons. We postulate that PdfR signaling could modulate and integrate multiple behavioral inputs in Drosophila and other flying insects.

Factors that regulate insulin producing cells and their output in Drosophila

Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) and growth factors (IGFs) not only regulate development, growth, reproduction, metabolism, stress resistance, and lifespan, but also certain behaviors and cognitive functions. ILPs, IGFs, their tyrosine kinase receptors and downstream signaling components have been largely conserved over animal evolution. Eight ILPs have been identified in Drosophila (DILP1-8) and they display cell and stage-specific expression patterns. Only one insulin receptor, dInR, is known in Drosophila and most other invertebrates. Nevertheless, the different DILPs are independently regulated transcriptionally and appear to have distinct functions, although some functional redundancy has been revealed. This review summarizes what is known about regulation of production and release of DILPs in Drosophila with focus on insulin signaling in the daily life of the fly. Under what conditions are DILP-producing cells (IPCs) activated and which factors have been identified in control of IPC activity in larvae and adult flies? The brain IPCs that produce DILP2, 3 and 5 are indirectly targeted by DILP6 and a leptin-like factor from the fat body, as well as directly by a few neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Serotonin, octopamine, GABA, short neuropeptide F (sNPF), corazonin and tachykinin-related peptide have been identified in Drosophila as regulators of IPCs. The GABAergic cells that inhibit IPCs and DILP release are in turn targeted by a leptin-like peptide (unpaired 2) from the fat body, and the IPC-stimulating corazonin/sNPF neurons may be targeted by gut-derived peptides. We also discuss physiological conditions under which IPC activity may be regulated, including nutritional states, stress and diapause induction.

Altered lipid homeostasis in Drosophila InsP3 receptor mutants leads to obesity and hyperphagia

Obesity is a complex metabolic disorder that often manifests with a strong genetic component in humans. However, the genetic basis for obesity and the accompanying metabolic syndrome is poorly defined. At a metabolic level, obesity arises from an imbalance between the nutritional intake and energy utilization of an organism. Mechanisms that sense the metabolic state of the individual and convey this information to satiety centers help achieve this balance. Mutations in genes that alter or modify such signaling mechanisms are likely to lead to either obese individuals, who in mammals are at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or excessively thin individuals with accompanying health problems. Here we show that Drosophila mutants for an intracellular calcium signaling channel, the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP₃R) store excess triglycerides in their fat bodies and become unnaturally obese on a normal diet. Although excess insulin signaling can rescue obesity in InsP₃R mutants to some extent, we show that it is not the only cause of the defect. Through mass spectrometric analysis of lipids we find that homeostasis of storage and membrane lipids are altered in InsP₃R mutants. Possibly as a compensatory mechanism, InsP₃R mutant adults also feed excessively. Thus, reduced InsP₃R function alters lipid metabolism and causes hyperphagia in adults. Together, the metabolic and behavioral changes lead to obesity. Our results implicate altered InsP₃ signaling as a previously unknown causative factor for metabolic syndrome in humans. Importantly, our studies also suggest preventive dietary interventions.

Store-operated Ca2+ entry in hippocampal neurons: Regulation by protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B

Store operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) replenishes intracellular Ca(2+) stores and activates a number of intracellular signalling pathways. Whilst several molecular components forming store operated Ca(2+) channels (SOCC) have been identified, their modulation in neurons remains poorly understood. Here, we extend on our previous findings and show that neuronal SOCE is modulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Cyclopiazonic acid induced SOCE was characterised in hippocampal cultures derived from forebrain specific protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B knockout (PTP1B KO) mice and wild type (WT) litter mates using Fura-2 Ca(2+) imaging. PTP1B KO cultures expressed elevated SOCE relative to WT cultures without changes in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) homeostasis or depolarisation-induced Ca(2+) influx. WT and PTP1B KO cultures displayed similar pharmacological sensitivities towards the SOCE inhibitors gadolinium and 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, as well as the tyrosine kinase inhibitor Ag126 indicating an augmentation of native SOCCs by PTP1B. Following store depletion WT culture homogenates showed heightened phospho-tyrosine levels, an increase in Src tyrosine kinase activation and two minor PTP1B species. These data suggest tyrosine phosphorylation gating SOCE, and implicate PTP1B as a key regulatory enzyme. The involvement of PTP1B in SOCE and its relation to SOCC components and mechanism of regulation are discussed.

Synaptic activity in serotonergic neurons is required for air-puff stimulated flight in Drosophila melanogaster

Background

Flight is an integral component of many complex behavioral patterns in insects. The giant fiber circuit has been well studied in several insects including Drosophila. However, components of the insect flight circuit that respond to an air-puff stimulus and comprise the flight central pattern generator are poorly defined. Aminergic neurons have been implicated in locust, moth and Drosophila flight. Here we have investigated the requirement of neuronal activity in serotonergic neurons, during development and in adults, on air-puff induced flight in Drosophila.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To target serotonergic neurons specifically, a Drosophila strain that contains regulatory regions from the TRH (Tryptophan Hydroxylase) gene linked to the yeast transcription factor GAL4 was used. By blocking synaptic transmission from serotonergic neurons with a tetanus toxin transgene or by hyperpolarisation with Kir2.1, close to 50% adults became flightless. Temporal expression of a temperature sensitive Dynamin mutant transgene (Shi^ts) suggests that synaptic function in serotonergic neurons is required both during development and in adults. Depletion of IP₃R in serotonergic neurons via RNAi did not affect flight. Interestingly, at all stages a partial requirement for synaptic activity in serotonergic neurons was observed. The status of serotonergic neurons was investigated in the central nervous system of larvae and adults expressing tetanus toxin. A small but significant reduction was observed in serotonergic cell number in adult second thoracic segments from flightless tetanus toxin expressing animals.

Conclusions

These studies show that loss of synaptic activity in serotonergic neurons causes a flight deficit. The temporal focus of the flight deficit is during pupal development and in adults. The cause of the flight deficit is likely to be loss of neurons and reduced synaptic function. Based on the partial phenotypes, serotonergic neurons appear to be modulatory, rather than an intrinsic part of the flight circuit.

TRP, TRPL and cacophony channels mediate Ca2+ influx and exocytosis in photoreceptors axons in Drosophila

In Drosophila photoreceptors Ca(2+)-permeable channels TRP and TRPL are the targets of phototransduction, occurring in photosensitive microvilli and mediated by a phospholipase C (PLC) pathway. Using a novel Drosophila brain slice preparation, we studied the distribution and physiological properties of TRP and TRPL in the lamina of the visual system. Immunohistochemical images revealed considerable expression in photoreceptors axons at the lamina. Other phototransduction proteins are also present, mainly PLC and protein kinase C, while rhodopsin is absent. The voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel cacophony is also present there. Measurements in the lamina with the Ca(2+) fluorescent protein G-CaMP ectopically expressed in photoreceptors, revealed depolarization-induced Ca(2+) increments mediated by cacophony. Additional Ca(2+) influx depends on TRP and TRPL, apparently functioning as store-operated channels. Single synaptic boutons resolved in the lamina by FM4-64 fluorescence revealed that vesicle exocytosis depends on cacophony, TRP and TRPL. In the PLC mutant norpA bouton labeling was also impaired, implicating an additional modulation by this enzyme. Internal Ca(2+) also contributes to exocytosis, since this process was reduced after Ca(2+)-store depletion. Therefore, several Ca(2+) pathways participate in photoreceptor neurotransmitter release: one is activated by depolarization and involves cacophony; this is complemented by internal Ca(2+) release and the activation of TRP and TRPL coupled to Ca(2+) depletion of internal reservoirs. PLC may regulate the last two processes. TRP and TRPL would participate in two different functions in distant cellular regions, where they are opened by different mechanisms. This work sheds new light on the mechanism of neurotransmitter release in tonic synapses of non-spiking neurons.

Intracellular signaling in neurons: unraveling specificity, compensatory mechanisms and essential gene function

Understanding how unique signaling outputs are generated in neurons using a limited set of intracellular signaling mechanisms has been a challenge. A combination of genetics and cell imaging, with tools developed to measure signaling outputs, has shown that the restricted presence of a signaling attenuator visibly alters the axonal range of the output and can be correlated with different behavioral outputs. Another question of interest is regarding the extent of genetic plasticity possible in the context of a single behavioral change. Recent molecular and genetic studies support the presence of parallel pathways that can compensate for the primary defect both at the level of physiology and behavior.

Functional complementation of Drosophila itpr mutants by rat Itpr1

The Drosophila inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP(3)R) and mammalian type-1 IP(3)Rs have 57-60% sequence similarity and share major domain homology with each other. Mutants in the single Drosophila IP(3)R gene, itpr, and Itpr1 knockout mice both exhibit lethality and defects in motor coordination. Here the authors show that the rat type-1 IP(3)R, which is the major neuronal isoform, when expressed in the pan-neuronal domain in Drosophila, functionally complements Drosophila IP(3)R function at cellular and systemic levels. It rescues the established neuronal phenotypes of itpr mutants in Drosophila, including wing posture, flight, electrophysiological correlates of flight maintenance, and intracellular calcium dynamics. This is the first in vivo demonstration of functional homology between a mammalian and fly IP(3)R. This study also paves the way for cellular and molecular analyses of the spinocerebellar ataxias in Drosophila, since SCA15/16 is known to be caused by heterozygosity of human ITPR1.

Insulin-producing cells and their regulation in physiology and behavior ofDrosophila1This review is part of a virtual symposium on recent advances in understanding a variety of complex regulatory processes in insect physiology and endocrinology, including development, metabolism, cold hardiness, food intake and digestion, and diuresis, through the use of omics technologies in the postgenomic era

Insulin-like peptide signaling regulates development, growth, reproduction, metabolism, stress resistance, and life span in a wide spectrum of animals. Not only the peptides, but also their tyrosine kinase receptors and the downstream signaling pathways are conserved over evolution. This review summarizes roles of insulin-like peptides (DILPs) in physiology and behavior of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830. Seven DILPs (DILP1–7) and one receptor (dInR) have been identified in Drosophila. These DILPs display cell and stage specific expression patterns. In the adult, DILP2, 3, and 5 are expressed in insulin-producing cells (IPCs) among the median neurosecretory cells of the brain, DILP7 in 20 neurons of the abdominal ganglion, and DILP6 in the fat body. The DILPs of the IPCs regulate starvation resistance, responses to oxidative and temperature stress, and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the IPCs seem to regulate feeding, locomotor activity, sleep and ethanol sensitivity, but the mechanisms are not elucidated. Insulin also alters the sensitivity in the olfactory system that affects food search behavior, and regulates peptidergic neurons that control aspects of feeding behavior. Finally, the control of insulin production and release by humoral and neuronal factors is discussed. This includes a fat body derived factor and the neurotransmitters GABA, serotonin, octopamine, and two neuropeptides.

IP3R, store-operated Ca2+ entry and neuronal Ca2+ homoeostasis in Drosophila

The IP3R (inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor) releases Ca2+ from the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) store upon binding to its ligand InsP3, which is thought to be generated by activation of certain membrane-bound G-protein-coupled receptors in Drosophila. Depletion of Ca2+ in the ER store also activates SOCE (store-operated Ca2+ entry) from the extracellular milieu across the plasma membrane, leading to a second rise in cytosolic Ca2+, which is then pumped back into the ER. The role of the IP3R and SOCE in mediating Ca2+ homoeostasis in neurons, their requirement in neuronal function and effect on neuronal physiology and as a consequence behaviour, are reviewed in the present article.

The genetics of calcium signaling in Drosophila melanogaster

BACKGROUND

Genetic screens for behavioral and physiological defects in Drosophila melanogaster, helped identify several components of calcium signaling of which some, like the Trps, were novel. For genes initially identified in vertebrates, reverse genetic methods have allowed functional studies at the cellular and systemic levels.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

The aim of this review is to explain how various genetic methods available in Drosophila have been used to place different arms of Ca2+ signaling in the context of organismal development, physiology and behavior.

MAJOR CONCLUSION

Mutants generated in genes encoding a range of Ca2+ transport systems, binding proteins and enzymes affect multiple aspects of neuronal and muscle physiology. Some also affect the maintenance of ionic balance and excretion from malpighian tubules and innate immune responses in macrophages. Aspects of neuronal physiology affected include synaptic growth and plasticity, sensory transduction, flight circuit development and function. Genetic interaction screens have shown that mechanisms of maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis in Drosophila are cell specific and require a synergistic interplay between different intracellular and plasma membrane Ca2+ signaling molecules.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Insights gained through genetic studies of conserved Ca2+ signaling pathways have helped understand multiple aspects of fly physiology. The similarities between mutant phenotypes of Ca2+ signaling genes in Drosophila with certain human disease conditions, especially where homologous genes are causative factors, are likely to aid in the discovery of underlying disease mechanisms and help develop novel therapeutic strategies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemical, biophysical and genetic approaches to intracellular calcium signalling.

The enigma of store-operated ca-entry in neurons: answers from the Drosophila flight circuit

In neurons a well-defined source of signaling Ca²⁺ is the extracellular medium. However, as in all metazoan cells, Ca²⁺ is also stored in endoplasmic reticular compartments inside neurons. The relevance of these stores in neuronal function has been debatable. The Orai gene encodes a channel that helps refill these stores from the extracellular medium in non-excitable cells through a process called store-operated Ca²⁺ entry or SOCE. Recent findings have shown that raising the level of Orai or its activator STIM, and consequently SOCE in neurons, can restore flight to varying extents to Drosophila mutants for an intracellular Ca²⁺-release channel – the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP₃R). Both intracellular Ca²⁺-release and SOCE appear to function in neuro-modulatory domains of the flight circuit during development and acute flight. These findings raise exciting new possibilities for the role of SOCE in vertebrate motor circuit function and the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders where intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling has been implicated as causative.