IIBBA   05544
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES BIOQUIMICAS DE BUENOS AIRES
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Developmental switch in signaling pathways involved in the circadian clock.
Autor/es:
CERIANI, MF
Lugar:
Buenos Aires
Reunión:
Congreso; Molecular mechanisms in cell signaling and gene expression- Reunión anual de SAIB; 2013
Institución organizadora:
SAIB
Resumen:
Living organisms use biological clocks to maintain their internal tempo and anticipate daily environmental changes. In Drosophila, circadian regulation of rest-activity cycles is controlled by 150 neurons; among them, the sLNvs expressing the PIGMENT DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) neuropeptide define key circadian properties in the absence of external cues. However, it remains unclear how different clusters communicate to result in a coherent output. Through a forward genetic screen we identified a new acute regulator of circadian period. Manipulation of gene expression levels showed that retrograde BMP signaling is necessary for normal circadian behavior. Importantly, pathway activation is crucial for period determination in an adult-specific fashion through downregulation of Clk transcription, providing evidence for a novel function of this pathway in the adult brain. We also showed that proper sLNv circuitry requires PDF signaling during early development, yet, in its absence axonal defects become apparent only after metamorphosis, suggesting a delayed retrograde signaling pathway turned early on. We have uncovered a novel mechanism that provides an early ?tagging? of synaptic targets that will guide axonal re-extension later in development. Thus, throughout development, the PDF and BMP signaling pathways act in concert to define essential properties of circadian pacemakers.