CAREER: Neurogenetic Analyses of the Corazonin Gene in Drosophila

University Of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville TN

Investigators

Abstract

Neuropeptides are compounds that are essential for regulating a wide array of cellular physiological functions. Many have been isolated from insect species, and the fruitfly, Drosophila, offers an exceptional model system in which to study the functions of neuropeptides at the level of molecular genetics. Corazonin (CRZ) is a neuropeptide that regulates cardiac function in some insects but not others, and its gene (Crz) also has a potential but not yet clear role in the biological clock of Drosophila. During development, a portion of corazonin-producing neurons appears to undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis). This project uses molecular biological and physiological approaches to examine the gene expression patterns of the corazonin gene, to manipulate its activities, to identify regulatory elements in the genetic promoter of Crz, and to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying the cell death of neurons expressing the corazonin gene. The experiments address the important question of how these peptidergic neurons are regulated by genetic and external factors such as hormones and photoperiod during development. Results will be extremely important to understanding the little-studied genetic mechanisms of neuropeptide function. The impact will extend to the fields of biological rhythms, developmental neuroscience, and neuroendocrinology. As a CAREER grant, the project will promote the career of an excellent young investigator, and will have a substantial impact on undergraduate biology by training undergraduates in modern techniques of molecular genetics and by developing new curricular offerings in the rapidly growing field of molecular neuroscience.