Peptidergic Regulation of Body Patterning Behavior in the Cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis

NJ Tublitz 99 -05989本研究项目的长期目标是获得行为可塑性的机械理解，根据有机体的内部状态或环境条件改变个体行为表现的能力。 这种行为可塑性是由于中枢和外周运动网络的微小变化导致运动输出的微妙变化的结果。行为可塑性的问题将通过研究一个独特的行为，身体图案行为，在欧洲乌贼乌贼，章鱼和鱿鱼相关的头足类软体动物进行实验探索。乌贼和其他无壳头足类动物产生了一个迷人的丰富的剧目短暂和持续的身体模式，用于许多目的，如伪装，猎物捕获，求偶，和种内通信。头足类动物的身体模式行为是动物界中最有趣的行为之一，由于模式的复杂性和多样性以及模式形成的速度（通常在500 ms内），因此头足类动物的身体模式行为是独特的。本研究的最终目标是阐明这些复杂模式产生的核心机制，并了解神经肽在调节这种行为中的作用。 在即将到来的一年里，我们的工作将集中在神经调质在调节色素细胞活性中的作用。 我们已经证明，FMRFamide家族的神经肽，被称为FMRFamide相关肽（FaRPs），刺激色素细胞肌肉，这反过来又导致色素细胞的扩张。以前的工作已经确定了编码FMRFamide和其他三种FaRP的大脑转录本。一个重点是使用原位杂交方法确定乌贼脑中FMRFamide编码转录物的空间分布，并确定转录物表达和FMRFamide表达之间的重叠程度，如通过免疫细胞化学技术评估的。第二个目标将是使用分子方法鉴定乌贼中的其他FaRP编码基因。从这些实验的结果将提供新的信息，这些肽在调制方面的头足类动物的身体模式行为的作用。

NJ Tublitz99-05989 The long term goal of this research project is to obtain a mechanistic understanding of behavioral plasticity, the ability to vary the performance of an individual behavior depending upon the internal state of the organism or on environmental conditions. This behavioral plasticity is the result of subtle variations in the motor output due to small changes in the motor network both centrally and peripherally. The issue of behavioral plasticity will be explored experimentally by studying a unique behavior, Body Patterning Behavior , in the European cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, a cephalopod mollusc related to octopus and squid. Cuttlefish and other unshelled cephalopods generate a fascinatingly rich repertoire of transient and sustained body patterns that are used for numerous purposes such as camouflage, prey capture, courtship, and intraspecific communication. One of the most intrinsically interesting behaviors in the animal kingdom, body patterning behavior in cephalopods is unique due to the complexity and variety of patterns as well as the speed of pattern formation, usually within 500 ms. The ultimate objective of this research is to elucidate the central mechanisms underlying the production of these complicated patterns, and to understand the role of neuropeptides in modulating this behavior. The work to be performed in the up-coming year will focus on the role of neuromodulators in mediating chromatophore activity. We have demonstrated that the FMRFamide family of neuropeptides, known as FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs), stimulate the chromatophore muscles, which in turn causes expansion of the pigmented chromatophores. Previous work has identified a brain transcript that encodes FMRFamide and three other FaRPs. One focus will be to determine the spatial distribution of the FMRFamide-coding transcript in the Sepia brain using in situ hybridization methods and to determine the extent of the overlap between transcript expression and FMRFamide expression as assessed by immunocytochemical techniques. The second goal will be to identify other FaRP coding genes in Sepia using molecular methods. The results from these experiments will provide new information on the role of these peptides in modulating aspects of body pattern behavior in cephalopods.