Genes underlying reproductive behavior physiology and neuronal development

项目摘要/摘要 要了解心理健康和疾病，我们需要在一个层面上了解大脑的功能 基因、基因调控网络、神经元、电路结构和生理学。果蝇有 作为解决这些问题的最强大的模型系统之一，考虑到工具和 在所有这些层面上分析复杂行为的可操作性。这项提议试图理解 果蝇的生殖行为。果蝇是一个如此强大的系统的一个原因是性行为- 指导生殖行为的特定主要调控转录因子是已知的。这有 为识别和操纵这些神经元提供了强大的分子途径 行为。这些工具还可以用来进行神经元特异性突变研究，以发现 指导行为的基因的功能，这利用了果蝇最大的优势之一 模型系统。此外，这个系统提供了一个无与伦比的模型，既可以检查特定性别的 这些神经元的发育，以及它们是如何被成人的经历改变的。使用 果蝇模型继续揭示了生物上重要的过程，这些过程已经在 人类健康和疾病，包括对神经系统和行为的研究。这项工作将建立 离开了我的实验室，NIGMS资助了15年的研究计划。我们将继续解决这些问题 使用尖端分子-遗传学、基因组、蛋白质组、行为和 显微镜工具可以洞察复杂的行为。

Project Summary/Abstract To understand mental health and disease, we need to understand the function of the brain at the level of genes, gene regulatory networks, neurons, circuit structure, and physiology. Drosophila has emerged as one of the most powerful model systems for these questions, given the range of tools and the tractability of analyzing complex behaviors at all these levels. This proposal seeks to understand Drosophila reproductive behaviors. One reason Drosophila is such a powerful system is that the sex- specific master regulatory transcription factors that direct reproductive behaviors are known. This has provided a powerful molecular inroad into identifying and manipulating the neurons that underlie these behaviors. These tools can also be used to perform neuron-specific mutational studies to discover the functions of genes that direct behaviors, which leverages one of the biggest strengths of the Drosophila model system. In addition, this system affords an unparalleled model to both examine the sex-specific development of these neurons and how they are modified by adult experiences. Research using the Drosophila model has continued to uncover biologically important processes that have informed on human health and disease, including studies of the nervous system and behavior. The work will build off of my laboratories 15-year NIGMS funded research program. We will continue to address these behavioral questions using cutting-edge molecular-genetic, genomic, proteomic, behavioral and microscopy tools to gain insights into complex behaviors.