Genetic Analysis of Neuropeptide Signaling

小行星9730003 神经通信导致信息处理，并最终导致行为的命令。 大脑的化学物质是脑细胞进行交流的货币。 这种化学成分很复杂，包括数百种不同的化合物，它们在大脑的不同时间和不同位置使用。 特别是一类“神经递质”是称为神经肽的小肽激素。 这些都是非常重要的直接监管控制，他们似乎对各种具体的行为，包括食欲和生殖行为，情绪，压力和焦虑。 Taghert博士使用一种无脊椎动物模型系统，果蝇，利用遗传学研究神经肽和行为之间的关系。 遗传学的这种应用很重要，因为它提供了操纵动物基因表达的手段，而果蝇提供了最全面和最复杂的遗传工具。 事实上，通过遗传操纵这些机制，Taghert博士可以解决体内神经肽功能。 鉴于神经肽依赖于适当的翻译后修饰来获得正确的结构，因此也就依赖于它们的功能，他将研究一种特定的酶，这种酶对于几乎所有神经肽的合成都是必需的，而且只有神经肽。 由于缺乏这种酶的动物死亡早，表明神经肽对发育和生存的重要性，Taghert博士设计了两种独立的方法来制造这种酶的嵌合体动物。 利用生物化学、解剖学和行为学的工具，他将全面评估这些马赛克。 这些研究的结果将为理解神经肽在调节神经元如何传递信息方面的作用提供新的思路。

9730003 Taghert Neural communication leads to information processing and ultimately to the command of behavior. The chemistry of the brain is the currency by which communication is exchanged by brain cells. That chemistry is complex and includes several hundred different compounds that are used at different times and different places in the brain. In particular one class of "neural transmitters" are small peptide hormones called neuropeptides. These are very important for the direct regulatory control they appear to have on a variety of specific behaviors including appetitive and reproductive behavior, mood, stress, and anxiety. Dr. Taghert uses a model invertebrate system, the fruit fly Drosophila, to employ genetics to study the relation between neuropeptides and behavior. This use of genetics is important because it provides the means to manipulate gene expression in the animals and Drosophila offers the most comprehensive and sophisticated set of genetic tools. Indeed by manipulating these mechanisms genetically, Dr. Taghert can address neuropeptide functions in vivo. Given that neuropeptides rely on proper post-translational modifications for their correct structure and hence for their functions, he will examine a specific enzyme that is necessary for the synthesis of nearly all neuropeptides, and only neuropeptides. Since animals that are deficient in this enzyme die early indicating the importance of neuropeptides for development and survival, Dr. Taghert has devised two independent means to make animals that are mosaic for the enzyme. Using biochemical, anatomical and behavioral tools, he will fully evaluate these mosaics. The results from these studies will shed new light towards understanding the role that neuropeptides play in modulating how neurons communicate information.