Genetics & Circuits/ Innate Avoidance Behavior in Flies

我想研究基因是如何控制先天行为的。一些对行为至关重要的基因已经被克隆和鉴定。这些行为基因对特定的神经元底物施加影响，而神经底物反过来又调节行为的表现。我最近与西摩·本泽实验室合作，为果蝇的先天回避反应开发了一种新的行为测试--我们称其为“苍蝇恐惧”测试。在这项实验中，果蝇避开了T型迷宫中的管子，在T型迷宫中，一组果蝇之前受到了创伤。我假设，受到创伤的苍蝇会发出“警报”物质，这是响应者苍蝇能够识别和避免的。使用这项测试，我将从基因上筛选两组突变体，一组不能释放这种物质，另一组无法避免这种物质。为了为从屏幕上分离的基因提供神经解剖学基础，我将在苍蝇大脑中识别两组基因座，这两组基因座是释放物质和避免物质所需的。 为此，我将使用Gal4/UAS系统和Shibire的温度敏感等位基因进行无偏置电路筛选。一旦确定了基因和电路，我将通过在从电路屏幕识别的电路中表达从遗传屏幕识别的基因来挽救行为缺陷。这将统一我们在两个层面上的理解 吉恩和赛道。

I would like to study how innate behavior is controlled by genes. A number of genes essential for behaviors have been cloned and characterized. These behavior genes exert their influences on specific neuronal substrates which, in turn, mediate the manifestations of the behavior. I recently developed a novel behavior assay for an innate avoidance response in Drosophila in collaboration with Seymour Benzer laboratory- we call it "fly fear" assay. In this assay, fruit flies avoid a tube in a T-maze in which a set of flies were previously traumatized. I hypothesize that flies being traumatized emit "alarm" substance which is recognized and avoided by responder flies. Using this assay, I will genetically screen for two sets of mutants, one failing to emit the substance and another failing to avoid the substance. To provide neuroanatomical basis for genes isolated from the screen, I will identify two sets of loci in the fly brain required for emission of the substance and avoidance of the substance. To do this, I will perform an unbiased circuit screen using the Gal4/UAS system and the temperature sensitive allele of Shibire. Once the genes and circuits are identified, I will rescue the behavior defect by expressing the genes identified from the genetic screen in the circuits identified from the circuit screen. This will unify our understanding at both the level of the gene and of the circuit.