Regulation of Lateral Neuron function in Drosophila larvae

描述（由申请人提供）：所有高等生物处理来自环境的感官线索，并相应地调整其行为以生存。理解构成感觉处理的神经回路是神经科学的一个基本目标，并将有助于理解许多人类疾病的基础。果蝇特别适合这样的研究，最近开发的遗传工具允许对基因和神经回路进行精确的操作。迄今为止，我们所知道的大部分关于昼夜节律行为和视觉系统组织的知识都来自果蝇的研究。该建议利用幼虫中定义良好的避光试验来绘制视觉行为背后的神经回路。避光需要侧边神经元（LNs）的功能，侧边神经元作为昼夜节律中枢神经元的作用已被主要研究。这种行为分析的简单性和稳健性，加上幼虫大脑的复杂性降低，使其成为绘制行为背后神经回路的理想系统。通过对视觉神经元、LNs和潜在LN目标神经元的基因操作，本研究旨在确定视觉线索传递到高阶大脑结构的精确电路和神经递质。了解神经元控制避光的机制将为神经回路如何控制行为提供有价值的见解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): All higher organisms process sensory cues from the environment and adjust their behavior accordingly in order to survive. Understanding the neural circuits that underlie sensory processing is a fundamental aim of neuroscience, and will help in understanding the basis of many human diseases. Drosophila is particularly amenable to such study and recently developed genetic tools allow for precise manipulation of genes and neural circuits. To date, much of what is known of circadian behavior and visual system organization comes from work in Drosophila. This proposal utilizes a well-defined light avoidance assay in larvae to map the neural circuitry underlying visual behavior. Light avoidance requires function of the lateral neurons (LNs), which have been primarily studied for their role as neurons central to circadian rhythms. The simplicity and robustness of this behavioral assay, in combination with the diminished complexity of the larval brain makes this an ideal system for the mapping of neural circuits underlying behavior. Through genetic manipulation of visual neurons, LNs, and potential LN target neurons, this proposal seeks to determine the precise circuitry and neurotransmitters by which visual cues are transmitted to higher order brain structures. Understanding the mechanism by which LNs govern light avoidance should provide valuable insight into how neural circuits control behavior.