Genetic Analysis of Neuropeptide Signaling

神经肽信号传导的遗传分析

• 批准号: 9730003
• 负责人: Paul Taghert
• 金额: $ 14.21万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-03-01 至 2000-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9730003&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Genetic; Analysis; Neuropeptide; Signaling

9730003 Taghert Neural communication leads to information processing and ultimately to the command of behavior. The chemistry of the brain is the currency by which communication is exchanged by brain cells. That chemistry is complex and includes several hundred different compounds that are used at different times and different places in the brain. In particular one class of "neural transmitters" are small peptide hormones called neuropeptides. These are very important for the direct regulatory control they appear to have on a variety of specific behaviors including appetitive and reproductive behavior, mood, stress, and anxiety. Dr. Taghert uses a model invertebrate system, the fruit fly Drosophila, to employ genetics to study the relation between neuropeptides and behavior. This use of genetics is important because it provides the means to manipulate gene expression in the animals and Drosophila offers the most comprehensive and sophisticated set of genetic tools. Indeed by manipulating these mechanisms genetically, Dr. Taghert can address neuropeptide functions in vivo. Given that neuropeptides rely on proper post-translational modifications for their correct structure and hence for their functions, he will examine a specific enzyme that is necessary for the synthesis of nearly all neuropeptides, and only neuropeptides. Since animals that are deficient in this enzyme die early indicating the importance of neuropeptides for development and survival, Dr. Taghert has devised two independent means to make animals that are mosaic for the enzyme. Using biochemical, anatomical and behavioral tools, he will fully evaluate these mosaics. The results from these studies will shed new light towards understanding the role that neuropeptides play in modulating how neurons communicate information.

9730003 Taghert 神经通讯导致信息处理并最终导致行为命令。 大脑的化学物质是脑细胞交换信息的货币。 这种化学反应很复杂，包括数百种不同的化合物，这些化合物在大脑的不同时间和不同位置使用。 特别地，一类“神经递质”是称为神经肽的小肽激素。 这些对于它们对各种特定行为（包括食欲和生殖行为、情绪、压力和焦虑）的直接调节控制非常重要。 塔格特博士使用模型无脊椎动物系统——果蝇——利用遗传学来研究神经肽和行为之间的关系。 遗传学的这种用途很重要，因为它提供了操纵动物基因表达的手段，而果蝇提供了最全面和最复杂的遗传工具集。 事实上，通过基因操纵这些机制，塔格特博士可以解决体内神经肽的功能。 鉴于神经肽依赖于适当的翻译后修饰来实现其正确的结构，从而实现其功能，他将检查一种特定的酶，该酶是合成几乎所有神经肽（而且仅限于神经肽）所必需的。 由于缺乏这种酶的动物会过早死亡，这表明神经肽对于发育和生存的重要性，塔格特博士设计了两种独立的方法来制造这种酶的马赛克动物。 他将使用生化、解剖和行为工具全面评估这些马赛克。 这些研究的结果将为理解神经肽在调节神经元如何传递信息方面发挥的作用提供新的线索。