Development and function of an adult locomotion circuit in Drosophila

描述(申请人提供)：动物的运动需要运动神经元的协调激发，从而触发附肢肌肉的收缩，如腿。此外，协调需要来自位于附件的感觉神经元的反馈。为了了解功能运动神经元电路是如何形成的，本项目将研究成年果蝇行走时使用的运动电路的发展和功能。赋予每个运动神经元特定身份所需的组合转录因子密码将使用新的遗传学和分子生物学方法进行破译。一旦确定，将分析干扰少量运动神经元对行走的影响。最后，将描述腿部机械感觉器官的感觉反馈的作用。总之，这些研究将为一种新的模型遗传系统奠定基础，该系统用于研究一种遗传上易驯化的动物的运动神经回路，这种动物与其幼虫不同，它使用附肢进行运动。 与公共健康相关：动物的运动需要运动神经元的协调激发，从而触发腿部等附肢肌肉的收缩。本项目将研究成年果蝇行走时所使用的运动回路的发展和功能。这个模型系统的使用将有助于破译协调运动所需的基因和神经元，从而最终治疗由神经退行性疾病和衰老引起的运动神经元相关功能障碍。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Animal locomotion requires the coordinated firing of motor neurons that trigger the contraction of muscles in the appendages, such as the legs. In addition, coordination requires feedback from sensory neurons located in the appendages. To understand how functional motor neuron circuits form, this project will investigate the development and function of the motor circuit used by the adult fruit fly for walking. The combinatorial transcription factor code required to give each motor neuron its particular identity will be deciphered using both novel genetic and molecular biology approaches. Once identified, the consequences on walking of perturbing small numbers of motor neurons will be analyzed. Finally, the role of sensory feedback from mechanosensory organs in the legs will be characterized. Together, these studies will lay the ground work for a new model genetic system for studying motor circuits in a genetically tractable animal that, unlike its larval counterpart, uses appendages for locomotion. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Animal locomotion requires the coordinated firing of motor neurons that trigger the contraction of muscles in the appendages, such as the legs. This project will investigate the development and function of the motor circuit used by the adult fruit fly for walking. The use of this model system will help to decipher the genes and neurons required for coordinated locomotion and, therefore, the eventual treatment of motor neuron-related dysfunction resulting from neurodegenerative diseases and aging.