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Lollar MJ, Kim E, Stern DL, Pool JE. Courtship song differs between African and European populations of Drosophila melanogaster and involves a strong effect locus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.594231. [PMID: 38798463 PMCID: PMC11118343 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.594231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The courtship song of Drosophila melanogaster has long served as excellent model system for studies of animal communication and differences in courtship song have been demonstrated among populations and between species. Here, we report that flies of African and European origin, which diverged approximately 13,000 years ago, show significant genetic differentiation in the use of slow versus fast pulse song. Using a combination of quantitative trait mapping and population genetic analysis we detected a single strong QTL underlying this trait and we identified candidate genes that may contribute to the evolution of this trait. Song trait variation between parental strains of our recombinant inbred panel enabled detection of genomic intervals associated with six additional song traits, some of which include known courtship-related genes. These findings improve the prospects for further genetic insights into the evolution of reproductive behavior and the biology underlying courtship song.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Lollar
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Elizabeth Kim
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 20147 USA
| | - David L Stern
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 20147 USA
| | - John E Pool
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
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Khosrowabadi E, Mignon-Ravix C, Riccardi F, Cacciagli P, Desnous B, Sigaudy S, Milh M, Villard L, Kjellén L, Molinari F. Loss of NDST1 N-sulfotransferase activity is associated with autosomal recessive intellectual disability. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:520-529. [PMID: 38129107 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad203] [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: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Intellectual Disability (ID) is the major cause of handicap, affecting nearly 3% of the general population, and is highly genetically heterogenous with more than a thousand genes involved. Exome sequencing performed in two independent families identified the same missense variant, p.(Gly611Ser), in the NDST1 (N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase member 1) gene. This variant had been previously found in ID patients of two other families but has never been functionally characterized. The NDST1 gene encodes a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes both N-deacetylation and N-sulfation of N-acetyl-glucosamine residues during heparan sulfate (HS) biosynthesis. This step is essential because it influences the downstream enzymatic modifications and thereby determines the overall structure and sulfation degree of the HS polysaccharide chain. To discriminate between a rare polymorphism and a pathogenic variant, we compared the enzymatic properties of wild-type and mutant NDST1 proteins. We found that the p.(Gly611Ser) variant results in a complete loss of N-sulfotransferase activity while the N-deacetylase activity is retained. NDST1 shows the highest and the most homogeneous expression in the human cerebral structures compared to the other members of the NDST gene family. These results indicate that a loss of NDST1 N-sulfation activity is associated with impaired cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Khosrowabadi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, The Biomedical Center, Husargatan 3, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cécile Mignon-Ravix
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Centre de génétique médicale de Marseille, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
| | - Florence Riccardi
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Centre de génétique médicale de Marseille, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
- Département de Génétique Médicale, Hôpital Ste Musse, 54 Rue Henri Sainte-Claire Deville, 83100 Toulon, France
| | - Pierre Cacciagli
- Biological Resource Center, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
| | - Béatrice Desnous
- Service de Neuropédiatrie, AP-HM, Hôpital Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
| | - Sabine Sigaudy
- Service de Génétique Clinique, AP-HM, Hôpital Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
| | - Mathieu Milh
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Centre de génétique médicale de Marseille, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
- Service de Neuropédiatrie, AP-HM, Hôpital Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
| | - Laurent Villard
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Centre de génétique médicale de Marseille, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
- Département de Génétique Médicale, AP-HM, Hôpital Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
| | - Lena Kjellén
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, The Biomedical Center, Husargatan 3, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Florence Molinari
- Aix-Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Centre de génétique médicale de Marseille, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France
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Salim S, Hussain S, Banu A, Gowda SBM, Ahammad F, Alwa A, Pasha M, Mohammad F. The ortholog of human ssDNA-binding protein SSBP3 influences neurodevelopment and autism-like behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002210. [PMID: 37486945 PMCID: PMC10399856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
1p32.3 microdeletion/duplication is implicated in many neurodevelopmental disorders-like phenotypes such as developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism, macro/microcephaly, and dysmorphic features. The 1p32.3 chromosomal region harbors several genes critical for development; however, their validation and characterization remain inadequate. One such gene is the single-stranded DNA-binding protein 3 (SSBP3) and its Drosophila melanogaster ortholog is called sequence-specific single-stranded DNA-binding protein (Ssdp). Here, we investigated consequences of Ssdp manipulations on neurodevelopment, gene expression, physiological function, and autism-associated behaviors using Drosophila models. We found that SSBP3 and Ssdp are expressed in excitatory neurons in the brain. Ssdp overexpression caused morphological alterations in Drosophila wing, mechanosensory bristles, and head. Ssdp manipulations also affected the neuropil brain volume and glial cell number in larvae and adult flies. Moreover, Ssdp overexpression led to differential changes in synaptic density in specific brain regions. We observed decreased levels of armadillo in the heads of Ssdp overexpressing flies, as well as a decrease in armadillo and wingless expression in the larval wing discs, implicating the involvement of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway in Ssdp functionality. RNA sequencing revealed perturbation of oxidative stress-related pathways in heads of Ssdp overexpressing flies. Furthermore, Ssdp overexpressing brains showed enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS), altered neuronal mitochondrial morphology, and up-regulated fission and fusion genes. Flies with elevated levels of Ssdp exhibited heightened anxiety-like behavior, altered decisiveness, defective sensory perception and habituation, abnormal social interaction, and feeding defects, which were phenocopied in the pan-neuronal Ssdp knockdown flies, suggesting that Ssdp is dosage sensitive. Partial rescue of behavioral defects was observed upon normalization of Ssdp levels. Notably, Ssdp knockdown exclusively in adult flies did not produce behavioral and functional defects. Finally, we show that optogenetic manipulation of Ssdp-expressing neurons altered autism-associated behaviors. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that Ssdp, a dosage-sensitive gene in the 1p32.3 chromosomal region, is associated with various anatomical, physiological, and behavioral defects, which may be relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. Our study proposes SSBP3 as a critical gene in the 1p32.3 microdeletion/duplication genomic region and sheds light on the functional role of Ssdp in neurodevelopmental processes in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safa Salim
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Sadam Hussain
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Ayesha Banu
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Swetha B. M. Gowda
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Foysal Ahammad
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Amira Alwa
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Mujaheed Pasha
- HBKU Core Labs, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU): Doha, Qatar
| | - Farhan Mohammad
- Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), College of Health & Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
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Mutations in trpγ, the homologue of TRPC6 autism candidate gene, causes autism-like behavioral deficits in Drosophila. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3328-3342. [PMID: 35501408 PMCID: PMC9708601 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01555-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. The TRPC6 (transient receptor potential channel 6) represents an ASD candidate gene under an oligogenic/multifactorial model based on the initial description and cellular characterization of an individual with ASD bearing a de novo heterozygous mutation disrupting TRPC6, together with the enrichment of disruptive TRPC6 variants in ASD cases as compared to controls. Here, we perform a clinical re-evaluation of the initial non-verbal patient, and also present eight newly reported individuals ascertained for ASD and bearing predicted loss-of-function mutations in TRPC6. In order to understand the consequences of mutations in TRPC6 on nervous system function, we used the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to show that null mutations in transient receptor gamma (trpγ; the fly gene most similar to TRPC6), cause a number of behavioral defects that mirror features seen in ASD patients, including deficits in social interactions (based on courtship behavior), impaired sleep homeostasis (without affecting the circadian control of sleep), hyperactivity in both young and old flies, and defects in learning and memory. Some defects, most notably in sleep, differed in severity between males and females and became normal with age. Interestingly, hyperforin, a TRPC6 agonist and the primary active component of the St. John's wort antidepressant, attenuated many of the deficits expressed by trpγ mutant flies. In summary, our results provide further evidence that the TRPC6 gene is a risk factor for ASD. In addition, they show that the behavioral defects caused by mutations in TRPC6 can be modeled in Drosophila, thereby establishing a paradigm to examine the impact of mutations in other candidate genes.
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Kamimura K, Maeda N. Glypicans and Heparan Sulfate in Synaptic Development, Neural Plasticity, and Neurological Disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:595596. [PMID: 33679334 PMCID: PMC7928303 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.595596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are components of the cell surface and extracellular matrix, which bear long polysaccharides called heparan sulfate (HS) attached to the core proteins. HSPGs interact with a variety of ligand proteins through the HS chains, and mutations in HSPG-related genes influence many biological processes and cause various diseases. In particular, recent findings from vertebrate and invertebrate studies have raised the importance of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored HSPGs, glypicans, as central players in the development and functions of synapses. Glypicans are important components of the synapse-organizing protein complexes and serve as ligands for leucine-rich repeat transmembrane neuronal proteins (LRRTMs), leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR) family receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs), and G-protein-coupled receptor 158 (GPR158), regulating synapse formation. Many of these interactions are mediated by the HS chains of glypicans. Neurexins (Nrxs) are also synthesized as HSPGs and bind to some ligands in common with glypicans through HS chains. Therefore, glypicans and Nrxs may act competitively at the synapses. Furthermore, glypicans regulate the postsynaptic expression levels of ionotropic glutamate receptors, controlling the electrophysiological properties and non-canonical BMP signaling of synapses. Dysfunctions of glypicans lead to failures in neuronal network formation, malfunction of synapses, and abnormal behaviors that are characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent human genetics revealed that glypicans and HS are associated with autism spectrum disorder, neuroticism, and schizophrenia. In this review, we introduce the studies showing the roles of glypicans and HS in synapse formation, neural plasticity, and neurological disorders, especially focusing on the mouse and Drosophila as potential models for human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Kamimura
- Developmental Neuroscience Project, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Maeda
- Developmental Neuroscience Project, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Japan
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Abstract
One in three epilepsy cases is drug resistant, and seizures often begin in infancy, when they are life-threatening and when therapeutic options are highly limited. An important tool for prioritizing and validating genes associated with epileptic conditions, which is suitable for large-scale screening, is disease modeling in Drosophila. Approximately two-thirds of disease genes are conserved in Drosophila, and gene-specific fly models exhibit behavioral changes that are related to symptoms of epilepsy. Models are based on behavior readouts, seizure-like attacks and paralysis following stimulation, and neuronal, cell-biological readouts that are in the majority based on changes in nerve cell activity or morphology. In this review, we focus on behavioral phenotypes. Importantly, Drosophila modeling is independent of, and complementary to, other approaches that are computational and based on systems analysis. The large number of known epilepsy-associated gene variants indicates a need for efficient research strategies. We will discuss the status quo of epilepsy disease modelling in Drosophila and describe promising steps towards the development of new drugs to reduce seizure rates and alleviate other epileptic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Lasko
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Kevin Lüthy
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Decreased phenol sulfotransferase activities associated with hyperserotonemia in autism spectrum disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:23. [PMID: 33414449 PMCID: PMC7791095 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01125-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperserotonemia is the most replicated biochemical abnormality associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, previous studies of serotonin synthesis, catabolism, and transport have not elucidated the mechanisms underlying this hyperserotonemia. Here we investigated serotonin sulfation by phenol sulfotransferases (PST) in blood samples from 97 individuals with ASD and their first-degree relatives (138 parents and 56 siblings), compared with 106 controls. We report a deficient activity of both PST isoforms (M and P) in platelets from individuals with ASD (35% and 78% of patients, respectively), confirmed in autoptic tissues (9 pineal gland samples from individuals with ASD-an important source of serotonin). Platelet PST-M deficiency was strongly associated with hyperserotonemia in individuals with ASD. We then explore genetic or pharmacologic modulation of PST activities in mice: variations of PST activities were associated with marked variations of blood serotonin, demonstrating the influence of the sulfation pathway on serotonemia. We also conducted in 1645 individuals an extensive study of SULT1A genes, encoding PST and mapping at highly polymorphic 16p11.2 locus, which did not reveal an association between copy number or single nucleotide variations and PST activity, blood serotonin or the risk of ASD. In contrast, our broader assessment of sulfation metabolism in ASD showed impairments of other sulfation-related markers, including inorganic sulfate, heparan-sulfate, and heparin sulfate-sulfotransferase. Our study proposes for the first time a compelling mechanism for hyperserotonemia, in a context of global impairment of sulfation metabolism in ASD.
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An Unbiased Drug Screen for Seizure Suppressors in Duplication 15q Syndrome Reveals 5-HT 1A and Dopamine Pathway Activation as Potential Therapies. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:698-709. [PMID: 32507391 PMCID: PMC7554174 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duplication 15q (Dup15q) syndrome is a rare neurogenetic disorder characterized by autism and pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Most individuals with isodicentric duplications have been on multiple medications to control seizures. We recently developed a model of Dup15q in Drosophila by elevating levels of fly Dube3a in glial cells using repo-GAL4, not neurons. In contrast to other Dup15q models, these flies develop seizures that worsen with age. METHODS We screened repo>Dube3a flies for approved compounds that can suppress seizures. Flies 3 to 5 days old were exposed to compounds in the fly food during development. Flies were tested using a bang sensitivity assay for seizure recovery time. At least 40 animals were tested per experiment, with separate testing for male and female flies. Studies of K+ content in glial cells of the fly brain were also performed using a fluorescent K+ indicator. RESULTS We identified 17 of 1280 compounds in the Prestwick Chemical Library that could suppress seizures. Eight compounds were validated in secondary screening. Four of these compounds regulated either serotonergic or dopaminergic signaling, and subsequent experiments confirmed that seizure suppression occurred primarily through stimulation of serotonin receptor 5-HT1A. Additional studies of K+ levels showed that Dube3a regulation of the Na+/K+ exchanger ATPα (adenosine triphosphatase α) in glia may be modulated by serotonin/dopamine signaling, causing seizure suppression. CONCLUSIONS Based on these pharmacological and genetic studies, we present an argument for the use of 5-HT1A agonists in the treatment of Dup15q epilepsy.
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Lewejohann L, Pallerla SR, Schreiber RS, Gerula J, Grobe K. Cerebellar Morphology and Behavioral Profiles in Mice Lacking Heparan Sulfate Ndst Gene Function. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:jdb8030013. [PMID: 32664575 PMCID: PMC7560088 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8030013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Disruption of the Heparan sulfate (HS)-biosynthetic gene N-acetylglucosamine N-Deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 1 (Ndst1) during nervous system development causes malformations that are composites of those caused by mutations of multiple HS binding growth factors and morphogens. However, the role of Ndst function in adult brain physiology is less explored. Therefore, we generated mice bearing a Purkinje-cell-specific deletion in Ndst1 gene function by using Cre/loxP technology under the control of the Purkinje cell protein 2 (Pcp2/L7) promotor, which results in HS undersulfation. We observed that mutant mice did not show overt changes in the density or organization of Purkinje cells in the adult cerebellum, and behavioral tests also demonstrated normal cerebellar function. This suggested that postnatal Purkinje cell development and homeostasis are independent of Ndst1 function, or that impaired HS sulfation upon deletion of Ndst1 function may be compensated for by other Purkinje cell-expressed Ndst isoforms. To test the latter possibility, we additionally deleted the second Purkinje-cell expressed Ndst family member, Ndst2. This selectively abolished reproductive capacity of compound mutant female, but not male, mice, suggesting that ovulation, gestation, or female reproductive behavior specifically depends on Ndst-dependent HS sulfation in cells types that express Cre under Pcp2/L7 promotor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Lewejohann
- Department of Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany; (L.L.); (R.S.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Srinivas R. Pallerla
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Rebecca S. Schreiber
- Department of Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany; (L.L.); (R.S.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Joanna Gerula
- Department of Behavioral Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany; (L.L.); (R.S.S.); (J.G.)
| | - Kay Grobe
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-251-83-52289
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