Effects of invertebrate neuropeptides and biogenic amines on synapses and behavior

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Nerve cells communicate with each other by releasing chemical signals that alter electrical activity in their target cells. Most of these chemical signals are “peptides” (short chains of amino acids), and some are “biogenic amines”, smaller compounds derived from amino acids. The human brain contains over 100 different peptides, and much about their functions is still not understood. My lab examines how these signaling molecules function and how they give rise to behaviour. We use crayfish and fruit flies as model experimental systems because they contain fewer nerve cells than humans and most other animals, and many of the nerve cells can be identified easily from one specimen to another. The fruit fly genome is fully sequenced, providing an array of “molecular tools” that allow us to determine how specific genes and proteins allow peptides and biogenic amines to alter the activity of nerve and muscle cells. Crayfish have the advantage of larger size, providing more material for biochemical analysis. We use these two model systems to determine the mechanisms through which specific signaling molecules alter the electrical properties of neurons, contraction of muscles and, ultimately, behaviour.