Ongoing habenular activity is driven by forebrain networks and modulated by olfactory stimuli

Ongoing neural activity, which represents internal brain states, is constantly modulated by the sensory information that is generated by the environment. In this study, we show that the habenular circuits act as a major brain hub integrating the structured ongoing activity of the limbic forebrain circuitry and the olfactory information. We demonstrate that ancestral homologs of amygdala and hippocampus in zebrafish forebrain are the major drivers of ongoing habenular activity. We also reveal that odor stimuli can modulate the activity of specific habenular neurons that are driven by this forebrain circuitry. Our results highlight a major role for the olfactory system in regulating the ongoing activity of the habenula and the forebrain, thereby altering brain's internal states.

Functional properties of habenular neurons are determined by developmental stage and sequential neurogenesis

The developing brain undergoes drastic alterations. Here, we investigated developmental changes in the habenula, a brain region that mediates behavioral flexibility during learning, social interactions, and aversive experiences. We showed that developing habenular circuits exhibit multiple alterations that lead to an increase in the structural and functional diversity of cell types, inputs, and functional modules. As the habenula develops, it sequentially transforms into a multisensory brain region that can process visual, olfactory, mechanosensory, and aversive stimuli. Moreover, we observed that the habenular neurons display spatiotemporally structured spontaneous activity that shows prominent alterations and refinement with age. These alterations in habenular activity are accompanied by sequential neurogenesis and the integration of distinct neural clusters across development. Last, we revealed that habenular neurons with distinct functional properties are born sequentially at distinct developmental time windows. Our results highlight a strong link between the functional properties of habenular neurons and their precise birthdate.

Robust DNA repair in PAXX-deficient mammalian cells

To ensure genome stability, mammalian cells employ several DNA repair pathways. Nonhomologous DNA end joining (NHEJ) is the DNA repair process that fixes double-strand breaks throughout the cell cycle. NHEJ is involved in the development of B and T lymphocytes through its function in V(D)J recombination and class switch recombination (CSR). NHEJ consists of several core and accessory factors, including Ku70, Ku80, XRCC4, DNA ligase 4, DNA-PKcs, Artemis, and XLF. Paralog of XRCC4 and XLF (PAXX) is the recently described accessory NHEJ factor that structurally resembles XRCC4 and XLF and interacts with Ku70/Ku80. To determine the physiological role of PAXX in mammalian cells, we purchased and characterized a set of custom-generated and commercially available NHEJ-deficient human haploid HAP1 cells, PAXXΔ, XRCC4Δ , and XLFΔ . In our studies, HAP1 PAXXΔ cells demonstrated modest sensitivity to DNA damage, which was comparable to wild-type controls. By contrast, XRCC4Δ and XLFΔ HAP1 cells possessed significant DNA repair defects measured as sensitivity to double-strand break inducing agents and chromosomal breaks. To investigate the role of PAXX in CSR, we generated and characterized Paxx-/- and Aid-/- murine lymphoid CH12F3 cells. CSR to IgA was nearly at wild-type levels in the Paxx-/- cells and completely ablated in the absence of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID). In addition, Paxx-/- CH12F3 cells were hypersensitive to zeocin when compared to wild-type controls. We concluded that Paxx-deficient mammalian cells maintain robust NHEJ and CSR.