scholarly journals FMRFa receptor stimulated Ca2+ signals alter the activity of flight modulating central dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila melanogaster

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preethi Ravi ◽  
Deepti Trivedi ◽  
Gaiti Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Insect Flight ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Membrane Excitability ◽  
Release Channel

AbstractNeuropeptide signaling influences animal behavior by modulating neuronal activity and thus altering circuit dynamics. Insect flight is a key innate behavior that very likely requires robust neuromodulation. Cellular and molecular components that help modulate flight behavior are therefore of interest and require investigation. In a genetic RNAi screen for G-protein coupled receptors that regulate flight bout durations, we earlier identified several receptors, including the receptor for the neuropeptide FMRFa (FMRFaR). To further investigate modulation of insect flight by FMRFa we generated CRISPR-Cas9 mutants in the gene encoding the Drosophila FMRFaR. The mutants exhibit significant flight deficits with a focus in dopaminergic cells. Expression of a receptor specific RNAi in adult central dopaminergic neurons resulted in progressive loss of sustained flight. Further, genetic and cellular assays demonstrated that FMRFaR stimulates intracellular calcium signaling through the IP3R and helps maintain neuronal excitability in a subset of dopaminergic neurons for positive modulation of flight bout durations.Author summaryNeuropeptides play an important role in modulating neuronal properties such as excitability and synaptic strength and thereby influence innate behavioral outputs. In flying insects, neuromodulation of flight has been primarily attributed to monoamines. In this study, we have used the genetically amenable fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster to identify a neuropeptide receptor that is required in adults to modulate flight behavior. We show from both knockdown and knockout studies that the neuropeptide receptor, FMRFaR, present on a few central dopaminergic neurons, modulates the duration of flight bouts. Overexpression of putative downstream molecules, the IP3R, an intracellular Ca2+-release channel, and CaMKII, a protein kinase, significantly rescue the flight deficits induced by knockdown of the FMRFaR. Our data support the idea that FMRFaR and CaMKII help maintain optimal membrane excitability of adult dopaminergic neurons required to sustain longer durations of flight bouts. We speculate that the ability to maintain longer flight bouts in natural conditions enhances the individual’s capacity to search and reach food sources as well as find sites suitable for egg laying.

scholarly journals Social modulation of oogenesis and egg-laying in Drosophila melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bailly Tiphaine ◽  
Philip Kohlmeier ◽  
Rampal Etienne ◽  
Bregje Wertheim ◽  
Jean-Christophe Billeter
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Physiological Adaptation ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Gravid Females

Being part of a group facilitates cooperation between group members, but also creates competition for limited resources. This conundrum is problematic for gravid females who benefit from being in a group, but whose future offspring may struggle for access to nutrition in larger groups. Females should thus modulate their reproductive output depending on their social context. Although social-context dependent modulation of reproduction is documented in a broad range of species, its underlying mechanisms and functions are poorly understood. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, females actively attract conspecifics to lay eggs on the same resources, generating groups in which individuals may cooperate or compete. The tractability of the genetics of this species allows dissecting the mechanisms underlying physiological adaptation to their social context. Here, we show that females produce eggs increasingly faster as group size increases. By laying eggs faster in group than alone, females appear to reduce competition between offspring and increase their likelihood of survival. In addition, females in a group lay their eggs during the light phase of the day, while isolated females lay them during the night. We show that responses to the presence of others are determined by vision through the motion detection pathway and that flies from any sex, mating status or species can trigger these responses. The mechanisms of this modulation of egg-laying by group is connected to a lifting of the inhibition of light on oogenesis and egg-laying by stimulating hormonal pathways involving juvenile hormone. Because modulation of reproduction by social context is a hallmark of animals with higher levels of sociality, our findings represent a protosocial mechanism in a species considered solitary that may have been the target of selection for the evolution of more complex social systems.

scholarly journals Next-Generation Sequencing reveals relationship between the larval microbiome and food substrate in the polyphagous Queensland fruit fly

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajib Majumder ◽  
Brodie Sutcliffe ◽  
Phillip W. Taylor ◽  
Toni A. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
North East ◽  
Host Fruit ◽  
Generation Sequencing

Abstract Insects typically host substantial microbial communities (the ‘microbiome’) that can serve as a vital source of nutrients and also acts as a modulator of immune function. While recent studies have shown that diet is an important influence on the gut microbiome, very little is known about the dynamics underpinning microbial acquisition from natural food sources. Here, we addressed this gap by comparing the microbiome of larvae of the polyphagous fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni (‘Queensland fruit fly’) that were collected from five different fruit types (sapodilla [from two different localities], hog plum, pomegranate, green apple, and quince) from North-east to South-east Australia. Using Next-Generation Sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform, we addressed two questions: (1) what bacterial communities are available to B. tryoni larvae from different host fruit; and (2) how does the microbiome vary between B. tryoni larvae and its host fruit? The abundant bacterial taxa were similar for B. tryoni larvae from different fruit despite significant differences in the overall microbial community compositions. Our study suggests that the bacterial community structure of B. tryoni larvae is related less to the host fruit (diet) microbiome and more to vertical transfer of the microbiome during egg laying. Our findings also suggest that geographic location may play a quite limited role in structuring of larval microbiomes. This is the first study to use Next-Generation Sequencing to analyze the microbiome of B. tryoni larvae together with the host fruit, an approach that has enabled greatly increased resolution of relationships between the insect’s microbiome and that of the surrounding host tissues.

scholarly journals Chemical entrapment and killing of insects by bacteria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Ho ◽  
Martin Daniel-Ivad ◽  
Swathi Jeedigunta ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Konstantin Iliadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Significant Risk ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Rapid Onset ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Specialized Metabolites ◽  
Contaminated Food ◽  
Antibacterial And Antifungal ◽  
Volatile Terpene

Abstract Actinobacteria such as the filamentous streptomycetes are widely known for their ability to produce specialized metabolites that include antibacterial and antifungal compounds. In addition, a growing body of work demonstrates that many insects harbour actinobacteria on their bodies and in their nests. The result of these mutualistic relationships is the protection of their offspring or food sources by virtue of the bacterially encoded specialized metabolites. However, some actinobacteria produce molecules that are toxic to insects and the relevance of this toxicity in nature is unknown. We have explored interactions between streptomycetes and the fruit fly Drosophila. We find that many streptomycetes produce specialized metabolites that have potent larvicidal effects against the fly. Larvae that ingest spores of the species that produce these toxic molecules die as a result. Strikingly, the mechanism of toxicity is specific to the bacterium’s chemical arsenal: cosmomycin D producing cells induce a relatively slow-acting cell death-like response in the larval digestive tract and avermectin producing cells induce rapid onset, whole-body paralysis. We further show that fruit flies are attracted to the volatile terpene 2-methylisoborneol that is produced by most streptomycetes. This interaction can influence their food choice and egg-laying destination such that they preferentially deposit their eggs on contaminated food sources. As a result, the larvae that hatch in these toxic environments are subsequently killed. This phenomena of terpene-mediated attraction and specialized metabolite toxicity must pose a significant risk to insects in nature.

scholarly journals Regulation of Mating-Induced Increase in Female Germline Stem Cells in the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryo Hoshino ◽  
Ryusuke Niwa
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Seminal Fluid ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Germline Stem Cells ◽  
Humoral Factors ◽  
Mating Response ◽  
Sex Peptide

In many insect species, mating stimuli can lead to changes in various behavioral and physiological responses, including feeding, mating refusal, egg-laying behavior, energy demand, and organ remodeling, which are collectively known as the post-mating response. Recently, an increase in germline stem cells (GSCs) has been identified as a new post-mating response in both males and females of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. We have extensively studied mating-induced increase in female GSCs of D. melanogaster at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels. After mating, the male seminal fluid peptide [e.g. sex peptide (SP)] is transferred to the female uterus. This is followed by binding to the sex peptide receptor (SPR), which evokes post-mating responses, including increase in number of female GSCs. Downstream of SP-SPR signaling, the following three hormones and neurotransmitters have been found to act on female GSC niche cells to regulate mating-induced increase in female GSCs: (1) neuropeptide F, a peptide hormone produced in enteroendocrine cells; (2) octopamine, a monoaminergic neurotransmitter synthesized in ovary-projecting neurons; and (3) ecdysone, a steroid hormone produced in ovarian follicular cells. These humoral factors are secreted from each organ and are received by ovarian somatic cells and regulate the strength of niche signaling in female GSCs. This review provides an overview of the latest findings on the inter-organ relationship to regulate mating-induced female GSC increase in D. melanogaster as a model. We also discuss the remaining issues that should be addressed in the future.

scholarly journals The influence of visual landscape on the free flight behavior of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance F. Tammero ◽  
Michael H. Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Flight Control ◽  
Optic Flow ◽  
Visual Motion ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Flight Behavior ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Visual Environment ◽  
Free Flight ◽  
Visual Contrast

SUMMARY To study the visual cues that control steering behavior in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, we reconstructed three-dimensional trajectories from images taken by stereo infrared video cameras during free flight within structured visual landscapes. Flies move through their environment using a series of straight flight segments separated by rapid turns, termed saccades, during which the fly alters course by approximately 90° in less than 100 ms. Altering the amount of background visual contrast caused significant changes in the fly’s translational velocity and saccade frequency. Between saccades, asymmetries in the estimates of optic flow induce gradual turns away from the side experiencing a greater motion stimulus, a behavior opposite to that predicted by a flight control model based upon optomotor equilibrium. To determine which features of visual motion trigger saccades, we reconstructed the visual environment from the fly’s perspective for each position in the flight trajectory. From these reconstructions, we modeled the fly’s estimation of optic flow on the basis of a two-dimensional array of Hassenstein–Reichardt elementary motion detectors and, through spatial summation, the large-field motion stimuli experienced by the fly during the course of its flight. Event-triggered averages of the large-field motion preceding each saccade suggest that image expansion is the signal that triggers each saccade. The asymmetry in output of the local motion detector array prior to each saccade influences the direction (left versus right) but not the magnitude of the rapid turn. Once initiated, visual feedback does not appear to influence saccade kinematics further. The total expansion experienced before a saccade was similar for flight within both uniform and visually textured backgrounds. In summary, our data suggest that complex behavioral patterns seen during free flight emerge from interactions between the flight control system and the visual environment.

scholarly journals The Drosophila Suzukii Mating Rate Decrease for the Reproductive Interference of Drosophila Melanogaster

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongzhuo Chen ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
Wei Hu ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Pengcheng Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Reproductive Interference ◽  
Drosophila Suzukii ◽  
Mating Rate ◽  
Offspring Number ◽  
Successful Mating

Abstract Background: Drosophila suzukii has been widely distributed all over the world since 2008, and it is a harmful pest causing great economic loss in many countries. Previous research has found that the presence of Drosophila melanogaster could reduce the emergence and egg laying of Drosophila suzukii. In order to figure out the potential mechanism of this phenomenon, we studied three potential factors including lifetime, larval interspecific competition, and reproductive interference. Results: The results show that the Drosophila suzukii offspring number was significantly decreased when reared with Drosophila melanogaster. The lifetime and larval interspecific competition have no significant effect on the Drosophila suzukii population. Surprisingly, Drosophila melanogaster can cause reproductive interference with male Drosophila suzukii, which leads to a significant decline in the successful mating rate of the latter fruit fly. Conclusions: The presence of Drosophila melanogaster causes the Drosophila suzukii population to decrease through the effect of reproductive interference, and the Drosophila suzukii successful mating rate is significantly decreased for the existence of Drosophila melanogaster.

scholarly journals Hox dosage contributes to flight appendage morphology in Drosophila

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Paul ◽  
Guillaume Giraud ◽  
Katrin Domsch ◽  
Marilyne Duffraisse ◽  
Frédéric Marmigère ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Differential Expression ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Hox Proteins ◽  
Spatial Expression ◽  
Flying Insects

AbstractFlying insects have invaded all the aerial space on Earth and this astonishing radiation could not have been possible without a remarkable morphological diversification of their flight appendages. Here, we show that characteristic spatial expression profiles and levels of the Hox genes Antennapedia (Antp) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx) underlie the formation of two different flight organs in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We further demonstrate that flight appendage morphology is dependent on specific Hox doses. Interestingly, we find that wing morphology from evolutionary distant four-winged insect species is also associated with a differential expression of Antp and Ubx. We propose that variation in the spatial expression profile and dosage of Hox proteins is a major determinant of flight appendage diversification in Drosophila and possibly in other insect species during evolution.

scholarly journals A Flavonoid-Rich Extract of Mandarin Juice Counteracts 6-OHDA-Induced Oxidative Stress in SH-SY5Y Cells and Modulates Parkinson-Related Genes

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 539
Author(s):  
Santa Cirmi ◽  
Alessandro Maugeri ◽  
Giovanni Enrico Lombardo ◽  
Caterina Russo ◽  
Laura Musumeci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Specific Interaction ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Human Neuroblastoma Cell ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Human Neuroblastoma ◽  
Mandarin Juice

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the nervous system due to unceasing impairment of dopaminergic neurons situated in the substantia nigra. At present, anti-PD drugs acting on dopamine receptors are mainly symptomatic and have only very limited neuroprotective effects, whereas drugs slowing down neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons and deterioration of clinical symptoms are not yet available. Given that, the development of more valuable pharmacological strategies is highly demanded. Comprehensive research on innovative neuroprotective drugs has proven that anti-inflammatory and antioxidant molecules from food sources may prevent and/or counteract neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD. The present study was aimed at the evaluation the protective effect of mandarin juice extract (MJe) against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell death. Treatment of differentiated SH-SY5Y cells with 6-OHDA brought cell death, and specifically, apoptosis, which was significantly inhibited by the preincubation with MJe through caspase 3 blockage and the modulation of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 genes. In addition, it showed antioxidant properties in abiotic models as well as in vitro, where it reduced both reactive oxygen and nitrogen species induced by 6-OHDA, along with restored mitochondrial membrane potential, and prevented the oxidative DNA damage evoked by 6-OHDA. Furthermore, MJe restored the impaired balance of SNCA, LRRK2, PINK1, parkin, and DJ-1 gene levels, PD-related factors, caused by 6-OHDA oxidative stress. Overall, these results indicate that MJe exerts neuroprotective effects against 6-OHDA-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells by mechanisms involving both the specific interaction with intracellular pathways and its antioxidant capability. Our study suggests a novel possible strategy to prevent and/or ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD.

scholarly journals Quantitative investigation reveals distinct phases in Drosophila sleep

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochan Xu ◽  
Wei Yang ◽  
Binghui Tian ◽  
Xiuwen Sui ◽  
Weilai Chi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Genetic Dissection ◽  
Power Law Distribution ◽  
Quantitative Investigation ◽  
Waking Up ◽  
Set Up

AbstractThe fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been used as a model organism for the molecular and genetic dissection of sleeping behaviors. However, most previous studies were based on qualitative or semi-quantitative characterizations. Here we quantified sleep in flies. We set up an assay to continuously track the activity of flies using infrared camera, which monitored the movement of tens of flies simultaneously with high spatial and temporal resolution. We obtained accurate statistics regarding the rest and sleep patterns of single flies. Analysis of our data has revealed a general pattern of rest and sleep: the rest statistics obeyed a power law distribution and the sleep statistics obeyed an exponential distribution. Thus, a resting fly would start to move again with a probability that decreased with the time it has rested, whereas a sleeping fly would wake up with a probability independent of how long it had slept. Resting transits to sleeping at time scales of minutes. Our method allows quantitative investigations of resting and sleeping behaviors and our results provide insights for mechanisms of falling into and waking up from sleep.

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