IBN-9409623 Ruthann Nichols Over the past few decades researchers have discovered numerous peptides present in the central nervous systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. These peptides are referred to as neuropeptides. Frequently similar neuropeptides are found in widely divergent species of both invertebrates and in vertebrates. While the function of a few of these neuropeptides has been determined, very little is known about the role that the vast majority of neuropeptides play in the nervous system. The goal of this research project is to determine the physiological function of a neuropeptide called sulfakinin in the fruitfly, Drosophila. Sulfakinin is very similar to another peptide, cholecystokinin, that is found in the brains of vertebrates. The fruitfly is an excellent animal in which to do these studies because it is possible to look at Drosophila that have mutations in the genes that code for the neuropeptide sulfakinin. By determining the effect these mutations have on the behavior of the animal, one can hope to figure out what role this neuropeptide plays in the central nervous system. Since similar peptides exist in a wide variety of animals and humans, the results of these studies will be applicable to those organisms as well.
