Taste Representations in the Drosophila Brain

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的长期目标是增加对味觉识别和味觉感知的理解。果蝇的味觉系统为味觉识别的研究提供了一个很好的模型，因为它与明确的化学线索，强大的行为反应和一个复杂的神经系统，这是服从分子，遗传和电生理方法。果蝇的味觉识别是由吻、内口器、腿、翅膀和产卵器上的味觉神经元介导的。最近的研究已经确定了果蝇的三种味觉细胞群：糖，苦味和二氧化碳敏感细胞。拟议的研究扩展了这项工作，目的是确定检测特定味道的分子机制。在哺乳动物中，G蛋白偶联受体介导糖、氨基酸和苦味化合物的检测，而离子通道检测盐和酸。在果蝇中，一个大家族的候选味觉受体基因在糖和糖敏感细胞中表达，并可能介导这些味道的检测。然而，检测其他味道的分子机制尚未建立。在初步研究中，微阵列分析，结合原位杂交和转基因实验，确定了新的味道特异性分子。拟议的实验旨在确定这些味觉特异性分子的功能，目的是增加对周边味觉识别的理解。公共卫生相关性：这项研究的重点是昆虫味觉检测的分子机制。阐明果蝇味觉神经元检测化合物的分子机制将为昆虫的化学检测提供基本的见解。人类疾病的昆虫携带者利用化学识别来瞄准其人类宿主，并对疟疾、伤寒、霍乱和沙眼等毁灭性疾病的传播负责。确定化学检测的模式生物果蝇的分子机制是必不可少的，以确定携带疾病的昆虫，必要的第一步确定受体拮抗剂操纵主机识别同源。此外，识别果蝇的味觉受体将提示可能参与人类味觉检测的候选分子。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this proposal is to increase understanding of taste recognition and taste perception. The gustatory system of Drosophila provides an excellent model for studies of taste recognition because it is associated with well-defined chemical cues, robust behavioral responses and a complex nervous system that is amenable to molecular, genetic and electrophysiological approaches. Taste recognition in Drosophila is mediated by gustatory neurons on the proboscis, internal mouthparts, legs, wings and ovipositor. Recent studies have identified three taste cell populations in the fly: sugar-, bitter-, and carbon dioxide-sensing cells. The proposed studies expand on this work, with the aim of identifying molecular mechanisms underlying the detection of specific tastes. In mammals, G protein-coupled receptors mediate detection of sugars, amino acids, and bitter compounds, whereas ion channels detect salts and acids. In Drosophila, a large family of candidate gustatory receptor genes is expressed in sugar and bitter-sensing cells and is likely to mediate detection of these tastes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the detection of other tastes are not established. In preliminary studies, microarray analyses, combined with in situ hybridization and transgenic experiments, identified novel taste-specific molecules. The proposed experiments are designed to determine the function of these taste-specific molecules with the aim of increasing understanding of taste recognition in the periphery. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of taste detection in insects. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying detection of chemical compounds by Drosophila gustatory neurons will provide basic insight into chemical detection by insects. Insect carriers of human disease use chemical recognition to target their human hosts and are responsible for the spread of devastating diseases such as malaria, typhoid, cholera and trachoma. Defining the molecular mechanisms of chemical detection in the model organism Drosophila is essential in order to identify homologues in disease-carrying insects, a necessary first step toward identifying receptor antagonists to manipulate host recognition. In addition, identifying taste receptors in Drosophila will suggest candidate molecules that may participate in taste detection in humans.