RUI: The Neurobiology and Behavior of Slime Trail Tracking in a Predatory Snail

Melissa A.Harrington Proposal#0315551 RUI：捕食性蜗牛Euglandina roSea的神经生物学和粘液踪迹跟踪行为Euglandina roSea是一种原产于东南部的肉食性蜗牛，吃鼻涕和其他蜗牛。它通过跟随动物移动时留下的粘液痕迹来寻找猎物和潜在的配偶。Euglandina能够区分猎物蜗牛的踪迹和其他Euglandina留下的踪迹，并能够区分偏好和不偏好的猎物的踪迹。个别的尤格兰迪纳人不会走自己的路。此外，如果捕食者与捕食猎物或接触潜在配偶有关，则可以训练捕食者跟随新化学物质的人工踪迹。Euglandina检测到粘液踪迹会产生两种行为输出：改变跟随踪迹的方向；一旦遇到离开踪迹的动物，就会在攻击性和激励性相互作用(捕食和交配)之间做出选择。这些可靠和易于检测的行为变化为研究感觉辨别和行为控制的机制提供了一个很好的模型系统。实验被用来识别和表征代表粘液尾巴刺激的神经系统和信号，并确定蜗牛的反应。电生理学和成像技术将被用来识别和记录真神经节中粘液反应神经元。研究粘液尾迹跟踪的生理基础将有助于识别粘液尾迹刺激控制整个动物行为的神经回路。这一提议的资助将进一步发展一种新的、有用的模型系统，用于研究感觉加工和学习的神经生物学。此外，由于特拉华州立大学是一所历史悠久的黑人本科院校，非洲裔美国人的入学率为78%，这项研究将增加少数族裔本科生通过参与实验室基础研究直接体验科学过程的机会。

Melissa A. HarringtonProposal # 0315551RUI: The Neurobiology and Behavior of Slime Trail Tracking in a Predatory SnailEuglandina rosea, a carnivorous snail native to the South East, eats slugs and other snails. It finds its prey and potential mates by following slime trails laid down as the animals move. Euglandina are capable of discriminating trails of prey snails from trails left by other Euglandina, and can distinguish trails of preferred from less preferred prey. Individual Euglandina do not follow their own trails. In addition, the predators can be trained to follow artificial trails of novel chemicals if they are associated with eating prey or with exposure to a potential mate. Detection of slime trails by Euglandina results in two behavioral outputs: a change in direction to follow the trail; and once the animal leaving the trail is encountered, a choice between an aggressive versus an agonistic interaction (predation versus mating). These reliable and easily detected behavioral changes provide an excellent model system for studying the mechanisms of sensory discrimination and control of behavior. Experiments are proposed to identify and characterize the neural systems and signals that represent slime trail stimuli, and determine a snail's response. Electrophysiological and imaging techniques will be used to identify and record from slime-responsive neurons in the ganglia of Euglandina. Studying the physiological basis of slime trail tracking will lead to identification of the neural circuits through which slime trail stimuli control the behavior of the whole animal Funding of this proposal will further the development of a novel and useful model system for studying the neurobiology of sensory processing and learning. Moreover, since Delaware State University is an historically black, undergraduate institution with a 78% African-American enrollment, this research will increase opportunities for minority undergraduates to directly experience the scientific process by taking part in basic research in a laboratory.