scholarly journals The Neurotransmitters Involved in Drosophila Alcohol-Induced Behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie M. Chvilicek ◽  
Iris Titos ◽  
Adrian Rothenfluh
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Alcohol Response

Alcohol is a widely used and abused substance with numerous negative consequences for human health and safety. Historically, alcohol's widespread, non-specific neurobiological effects have made it a challenge to study in humans. Therefore, model organisms are a critical tool for unraveling the mechanisms of alcohol action and subsequent effects on behavior. Drosophila melanogaster is genetically tractable and displays a vast behavioral repertoire, making it a particularly good candidate for examining the neurobiology of alcohol responses. In addition to being experimentally amenable, Drosophila have high face and mechanistic validity: their alcohol-related behaviors are remarkably consistent with humans and other mammalian species, and they share numerous conserved neurotransmitters and signaling pathways. Flies have a long history in alcohol research, which has been enhanced in recent years by the development of tools that allow for manipulating individual Drosophila neurotransmitters. Through advancements such as the GAL4/UAS system and CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, investigation of specific neurotransmitters in small subsets of neurons has become ever more achievable. In this review, we describe recent progress in understanding the contribution of seven neurotransmitters to fly behavior, focusing on their roles in alcohol response: dopamine, octopamine, tyramine, serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine. We chose these small-molecule neurotransmitters due to their conservation in mammals and their importance for behavior. While neurotransmitters like dopamine and octopamine have received significant research emphasis regarding their contributions to behavior, others, like glutamate, GABA, and acetylcholine, remain relatively unexplored. Here, we summarize recent genetic and behavioral findings concerning these seven neurotransmitters and their roles in the behavioral response to alcohol, highlighting the fitness of the fly as a model for human alcohol use.

cGMP signalling in a transporting epithelium

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-A. Davies ◽  
J.P. Day
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Renal Tubule ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Cgmp Signalling

The biochemical aspects of cGMP signalling are well known, although in vivo roles of cGMP have only been recently discovered through work in genetic model organisms. The Drosophila melanogaster Malpighian (renal) tubule has been used to address the roles of cGMP in epithelial function. Here, we describe some of this work and outline recent progress in understanding the organotypic function of novel phosphodiesterases encoded by the D. melanogaster genome.

Apoptosis and development

2003 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 11-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin V McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Apoptotic Pathway ◽  
Genetic Pathways ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved process used by multicellular organisms to developmentally regulate cell number or to eliminate cells that are potentially detrimental to the organism. The large diversity of regulators of apoptosis in mammalian cells and their numerous interactions complicate the analysis of their individual functions, particularly in development. The remarkable conservation of apoptotic mechanisms across species has allowed the genetic pathways of apoptosis determined in lower species, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, to act as models for understanding the biology of apoptosis in mammalian cells. Though many components of the apoptotic pathway are conserved between species, the use of additional model organisms has revealed several important differences and supports the use of model organisms in deciphering complex biological processes such as apoptosis.

scholarly journals Let’s get back to work: Preventive biological cycle management of COVID-19 in the workplace

Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 713-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Jahangiri ◽  
Rosanna Cousins ◽  
Vahid Gharibi
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Biological Cycle ◽  
Worker Health And Safety ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Back To Work

BACKGROUND: The primary response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been to minimize social contact through lockdown measures. The closure of non-essential businesses to tackle the spread of the coronavirus has had negative consequences for the global economy, production, and employment. OBJECTIVE: To outline how known occupational health principles can be used for preventative management of the coronavirus in workplaces to support resumption of work. METHODS: A discussion of current knowledge of COVID-19, the cost of the lockdown strategy, and preventative biological cycle management. RESULTS: The evidence-based literature indicates that biological cycle management can control the risk of coronavirus infection, provide a suitable and sufficient exit strategy from lockdown, and support getting employees back to work. Adherence to personal protective equipment standards has been insufficient, indicating a need for workplace investment and education. CONCLUSION: Imposed restrictions on workplace operations can be lifted without compromising worker health and safety when a workplace commits to practicing the three principles of biological cycle management.

scholarly journals Recent Progress in Manufacturing Techniques of Printed and Flexible Sensors: A Review

Biosensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 199
Author(s):  
Dinesh Maddipatla ◽  
Binu B. Narakathu ◽  
Massood Atashbar
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Materials Characterization ◽  
Characterization Methods ◽  
Flexible Sensors ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Printed Sensors ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Work Done

This review provides an outlook on some of the significant research work done on printed and flexible sensors. Printed sensors fabricated on flexible platforms such as paper, plastic and textiles have been implemented for wearable applications in the biomedical, defense, food, and environmental industries. This review discusses the materials, characterization methods, and fabrication methods implemented for the development of the printed and flexible sensors. The applications, challenges faced and future opportunities for the printed and flexible sensors are also presented in this review.

Conservation of the Ethanol-Induced Locomotor Stimulant Response among Arthropods

2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Kliethermes
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Wolf Spider ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Ethanol Sensitivity ◽  
Locomotor Stimulation ◽  
Arthropod Species ◽  
Acute Ethanol ◽  
Reinforcing Effects

Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation has been variously described as reflective of the disinhibitory, euphoric, or reinforcing effects of ethanol and is commonly used as an index of acute ethanol sensitivity in rodents. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster also shows a locomotor stimulant response to ethanol that is believed to occur via conserved, ethanol-sensitive neurobiological mechanisms, but it is currently unknown whether this response is conserved among arthropod species or is idiosyncratic to D. melanogaster. The current experiments surveyed locomotor responses to ethanol in a phylogenetically diverse panel of insects and other arthropod species. A clear ethanol-induced locomotor stimulant response was seen in 9 of 13 Drosophilidae species tested, in 8 of 10 other species of insects, and in an arachnid (wolf spider) and a myriapod (millipede) species. Given the diverse phylogenies of the species that showed the response, these experiments support the hypothesis that locomotor stimulation is a conserved behavioral response to ethanol among arthropod species. Further comparative studies are needed to determine whether the specific neurobiological mechanisms known to underlie the stimulant response in D. melanogaster are conserved among arthropod and vertebrate species.

scholarly journals Mammalian genes induce partially reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells in non-mammalian vertebrate and invertebrate species

eLife ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Antonio Rosselló ◽  
Chun-Chun Chen ◽  
Rui Dai ◽  
Jason T Howard ◽  
Ute Hochgeschwender ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Differentiated Cells ◽  
Transcription Factor Genes ◽  
Induced Pluripotent

Cells are fundamental units of life, but little is known about evolution of cell states. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are once differentiated cells that have been re-programmed to an embryonic stem cell-like state, providing a powerful platform for biology and medicine. However, they have been limited to a few mammalian species. Here we found that a set of four mammalian transcription factor genes used to generate iPSCs in mouse and humans can induce a partially reprogrammed pluripotent stem cell (PRPSCs) state in vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms, in mammals, birds, fish, and fly, which span 550 million years from a common ancestor. These findings are one of the first to show cross-lineage stem cell-like induction, and to generate pluripotent-like cells for several of these species with in vivo chimeras. We suggest that the stem-cell state may be highly conserved across a wide phylogenetic range.

scholarly journals Measuring the repertoire of age-related behavioral changes in Drosophila melanogaster

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine E. Overman ◽  
Daniel M. Choi ◽  
Kawai Leung ◽  
Joshua W. Shaevitz ◽  
Gordon J. Berman
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Energy Budget ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Almost All ◽  
And Behavior

Aging affects almost all aspects of an organism – its morphology, its physiology, its behavior. Isolating which biological mechanisms are regulating these changes, however, has proven difficult, potentially due to our inability to characterize the full repertoire of an animal’s behavior across the lifespan. Using data from fruit flies (D. melanogaster) we measure the full repertoire of behaviors as a function of age. We observe a sexually dimorphic pattern of changes in the behavioral repertoire during aging. Although the stereotypy of the behaviors and the complexity of the repertoire overall remains relatively unchanged, we find evidence that the observed alterations in behavior can be explained by changing the fly’s overall energy budget, suggesting potential connections between metabolism, aging, and behavior.

scholarly journals Testing Laser-Structured Antimicrobial Surfaces Under Space Conditions: The Design of the ISS Experiment BIOFILMS

2022 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Siems ◽  
Daniel W. Müller ◽  
Laurens Maertens ◽  
Aisha Ahmed ◽  
Rob Van Houdt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Antimicrobial Surfaces ◽  
Microbial Biofilms ◽  
Staphylococcus Capitis ◽  
Antimicrobial Materials ◽  
Direct Laser ◽  
Inert Surfaces

Maintaining crew health and safety are essential goals for long-term human missions to space. Attaining these goals requires the development of methods and materials for sustaining the crew’s health and safety. Paramount is microbiological monitoring and contamination reduction. Microbial biofilms are of special concern, because they can cause damage to spaceflight equipment and are difficult to eliminate due to their increased resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. The introduction of antimicrobial surfaces for medical, pharmaceutical and industrial purposes has shown a unique potential for reducing and preventing biofilm formation. This article describes the development process of ESA’s BIOFILMS experiment, that will evaluate biofilm formation on various antimicrobial surfaces under spaceflight conditions. These surfaces will be composed of different metals with and without specified surface texture modifications. Staphylococcus capitis subsp. capitis, Cupriavidus metallidurans and Acinetobacter radioresistens are biofilm forming organisms that have been chosen as model organisms. The BIOFILMS experiment will study the biofilm formation potential of these organisms in microgravity on the International Space Station on inert surfaces (stainless steel AISI 304) as well as antimicrobial active copper (Cu) based metals that have undergone specific surface modification by Ultrashort Pulsed Direct Laser Interference Patterning (USP-DLIP). Data collected in 1 x g has shown that these surface modifications enhance the antimicrobial activity of Cu based metals. In the scope of this, the interaction between the surfaces and bacteria, which is highly determined by topography and surface chemistry, will be investigated. The data generated will be indispensable for the future selection of antimicrobial materials in support of human- and robotic-associated activities in space exploration.

scholarly journals Acetic acid activates distinct taste pathways in Drosophila to elicit opposing, state-dependent feeding responses

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita V Devineni ◽  
Bei Sun ◽  
Anna Zhukovskaya ◽  
Richard Axel
Keyword(s):  
Acetic Acid ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Taste Aversion ◽  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Internal State ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Aversive Response ◽  
Genetically Determined ◽  
Appetitive Response

Taste circuits are genetically determined to elicit an innate appetitive or aversive response, ensuring that animals consume nutritious foods and avoid the ingestion of toxins. We have examined the response of Drosophila melanogaster to acetic acid, a tastant that can be a metabolic resource but can also be toxic to the fly. Our data reveal that flies accommodate these conflicting attributes of acetic acid by virtue of a hunger-dependent switch in their behavioral response to this stimulus. Fed flies show taste aversion to acetic acid, whereas starved flies show a robust appetitive response. These opposing responses are mediated by two different classes of taste neurons, the sugar- and bitter-sensing neurons. Hunger shifts the behavioral response from aversion to attraction by enhancing the appetitive sugar pathway as well as suppressing the aversive bitter pathway. Thus a single tastant can drive opposing behaviors by activating distinct taste pathways modulated by internal state.

scholarly journals Valuing the Impacts of Landslides: A Choice Experiment Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Spegel ◽  
Kristina Ek
Keyword(s):  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Equal Weight ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Environmental Status ◽  
Negative Impacts

AbstractThis paper analyzes the preferences for reducing the negative impacts of landslides. Negative consequences of landslides include impacts on transport infrastructure, humans, the environment and important societal services. We apply a choice experiment. The analysis is based on 6048 observations from 504 participants in a web panel. The overall finding is that reducing the risk of landslides would have a positive impact on individuals’ utility, and that individuals prioritize preventing negative consequences on human health and safety over maintaining societal services, environmental status, and preventing damages to transport infrastructure, which seems to be least pressing. Results indicate that prioritizations of citizens differ from the prioritizations of public authorities, whose risk assessment model for evaluating the consequences of landslides gives equal weight to the different impacts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document