Genetics & Circuits/ Innate Avoidance Behavior in Flies

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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.