CHOLINERGIC TRANSMISSION IN THE CIRCADIAN PACEMAKER OF DROSOPHILA

MILDINER SEBASTIAN; MARÍA FERNANDA CERIANI; FRENKEL L

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XXX Congreso anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencia; 2015

SAN

CHOLINERGIC TRANSMISSION IN THE CIRCADIAN PACEMAKER OF DROSOPHILAThe lateral ventral neurons (LNvs) are central in the temporal organization of the y´s daily locomotor activity and include two groups of neurons, the largeand small LNvs. These neurons release a neuropeptide called Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF). While the relevance of PDF in the synchronization of the circadiannetwork is well established, the role of fast neurotransmission has only recently been addressed. We have found that LNvs release glycine to other circadianclusters and postulated that it organizes the ring pattern of clock neurons. Notwithstanding, excitatory cholinergic transmission also seems to be implicated.Objective: to assess the relevance of acetylcholine (Ach) for the synchronization of the circadian network downregulating the expression of its vesiculartransporter specically in the LNvs.