Pleiotropic expression of genes involved in neurotransmitters metabolism

SABIO, G,; ROSSI, F.; QUESADA ALLUE, L.A.; PÉREZ, M.

Puerto Madryn

Congreso; Congreso SAIB; 2010

SAIB

The acylation of neurotransmitters is important for the homeostasis ofneural system but also gives rise to important metabolites in insects. The bestknown are N-β-alanyldopamine (NBAD), the main sclerotization precursor ofinsect brown cuticles, and carcinine (N-β-alanylhistamine), an essentialcompound of the visual system. Key enzymes of this metabolism are NBADsynthase(NBAD-S) and NBAD-hydrolase (NBAD-H) which synthesizes andhydrolyzes β-alanyl derivatives respectively. These enzymes seem to functiontogether in a system regulating the levels of NBAD and dopamine during cuticlesclerotization and of neurotransmitters in nervous tissue. Our aim was to studythe expression of NBAD-S and NBAD-H in different tissues during the life cycleof flies. We also attempt to decipher the role of β-alanyl derivatives. We studiedprotein expression by western blots, immunohistochemistry and enzymaticactivities. Mutant flies were subjected to behavioral studies. We found that thetwo enzymes are expressed during the whole life cycle, from embryo to adult.NBAD-S is expressed periodically in epidermis whereas NBAD-H is active in aconstitutive manner. Both enzymes are expressed constitutively in neuraltissue. Our results show that NBAD-S and NBAD-H are significant during thedevelopment of insects and for the physiological balance of neural tissue.