The BMP pathway modulates the interactions of the neural network that drives circadian behavior in Drosophila

POLCOWÑUK, S; CERIANI MF

Mar del Plata, 27 Septiembre al 1 Octubre 2015.

Congreso; XXX Congreso anual de la SAN; 2015

Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Neurociencias

Circadian behavior is controlled by an endogenous clock that enables organisms to adapt to the daily environmental changes, driving various aspects of their physiology and activity. In Drosophila this clock relies in a cluster of neurons, the sLNvs and lLNvs, which release the PDF neuropeptide onto other circadian clusters and thus set their period. To improve our understanding about the role of the pathways involved in the communication among different circadian clusters as well as identify additional components involved in sending or receiving information relevant for synchronization of the circadian network a missexpression screen was carried out. This screen identified an insertion that produces a long period phenotype. The affected gene is a positive regulator of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway, a highly conserved retrograde signaling pathway that influences synaptic connectivity, ultimately controlling transcription. While activation of different members of the signaling cascade triggers a long period phenotype, ligand downregulation (dpp, gbb, actb, scw, daw, myo and mav) in a broad circadian domain generates arrhythmicity. Next we attempted to define the source of each specific ligand within the circadian network. In this context, we are characterizing the contribution of the BMP cascade, as well as it ligands, in different clusters and their relative relevance in the communication with the sLNvs through RNAi- mediated downregulation.