Molecular Genetic Analysis of Neuropeptide Function

神经肽是由神经细胞释放的信号，用于将信息传递给其他神经细胞和身体的其他细胞，如肌肉、腺体和皮肤。通常在单个神经元内，神经肽与特定的神经递质一起释放，并调节它们的后续行为。事实上，神经系统是用来接收和传递信息的，而神经肽是这些基本过程的核心。据估计，神经细胞可以产生100多种神经肽，但只有1%的神经细胞表达特定的神经肽基因。Taghert博士将使用一种创新的分子遗传学方法来研究神经肽表达和释放的基本机制。他将创造并恢复一种编码13种相关神经肽的前体蛋白的特定基因的功能缺失突变。通过研究长期缺乏这些分子产生的个体，塔赫特博士将确定其功能以及其他神经肽是否有重叠的作用。此外，他还开发了一种方法来恢复基因，从而评估编码神经肽亚群恢复失去功能的具体能力。这些实验将有助于更好地理解神经肽基因在单个神经元中所起的作用。由于果蝇被用作模型系统，证明神经肽编码基因突变的致死性可能有助于促进对通过抑制神经肽合成或神经肽刺激神经传递来起作用的杀虫剂的研究。

Neuropeptides are signals that are released by nerve cells to transmit information to other nerve cells and to other cells in the body, like muscle, glands and skin. Very often within a single neuron, neuropeptides are released along with specific neurotransmitters and modulate their subsequent action. Indeed, the nervous system is designed to received and transmit information and neuropeptides are central to those basic processes. While it is estimated that 100's of neuropeptides are made by nerve cells, only 1% of all nerve cells express a given neuropeptide gene. Dr. Taghert will use an innovative molecular genetic approach to examine the fundamental mechanisms underlying the expression and release of neuropeptides. He will create and recover loss-of-function mutations in a specific gene for a precursor protein that encodes 13 related neuropeptides. By studying individuals that are chronically deficient in the production of these molecules, Dr. Taghert will determine function and whether other neuropeptides share overlapping roles. In addition, he has developed methodology to put genes back and thus, will assess the specific capacity of subsets of encoded neuropeptides to restore lost functions. These experiments will lead to a better understanding of the roles played by the neuropeptide gene in individual neurons. Since Drosophila is used as the model system, demonstrating the lethal nature of mutations in the neuropeptide encoding gene may help stimulate research into insecticides that act by inhibiting neuropeptide synthesis or neuropeptide stimulated neurotransmission.