Our long-term goal is the development of tools for characterizing the functions of neuropeptides in neural circuits and non-neuronal tissues in vivo in intact behaving animals. We have developed a new technology, where neuropeptides are transgenically expressed as chimeric fusion proteins tethered to the plasma membrane via hydrophobic anchors (""""""""t-peptides""""""""). T-peptides activate their cognate G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) with expected specificity in t-peptide-expressing cells, but without activating their GPCRs in the membranes of neighboring cells not expressing the t-peptide. T- peptides thus provide genetically encoded tools for the cell-autonomous gain-of-function analysis of neuropeptide function in transgenic animals.
The Specific Aims are designed to provide a genome-wide toolkit of genetically encoded cell-autonomous pharmacologically specific activators of neuropeptide GPCRs. Because this toolkit will be based on the UAS-GAL4 binary expression system that separates cell- and circuit- specific promoter GAL4 driver transgenes from UAS transgenes containing cDNAs that encode effectors such as t-peptides, it will be of direct utility to Drosophila biologists interested in cell-specific physiological and behavioral functions of neuropeptides. More generally, the development and validation of t-peptide libraries will also provide invaluable insights enabling the generation of tools for use in addressing mammalian neuropeptide function in vivo in health and disease, including potential clinical utility in gene therapy applications.

Public Health Relevance

Bioactive secreted neuropeptides are key regulators of many developmental, physiological, and behavioral processes: metabolism, lifespan, pain sensation, circadian rhythms, sleep, sexual behavior, etc. Human disorders caused by dysfunction of neuropeptide signaling mechanisms-such as narcolepsy, obesity, addiction, post- traumatic stress disorder, intractable pain, etc-are a major source of morbidity, mortality, and economic hardship. Their amelioration will be facilitated by understanding the normal in vivo functions served by the numerous neuropeptides encoded in metazoan genomes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01NS056443-06
Application #
8050389
Study Section
Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section (MNG)
Program Officer
Whittemore, Vicky R
Project Start
2006-08-02
Project End
2015-01-31
Budget Start
2011-02-01
Budget End
2012-01-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$398,676
Indirect Cost
Name
Yale University
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
043207562
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06520
Chen, Dandan; Sitaraman, Divya; Chen, Nan et al. (2017) Genetic and neuronal mechanisms governing the sex-specific interaction between sleep and sexual behaviors in Drosophila. Nat Commun 8:154
Ghosh, D Dipon; Sanders, Tom; Hong, Soonwook et al. (2016) Neural Architecture of Hunger-Dependent Multisensory Decision Making in C. elegans. Neuron 92:1049-1062
Raccuglia, Davide; McCurdy, Li Yan; Demir, Mahmut et al. (2016) Presynaptic GABA Receptors Mediate Temporal Contrast Enhancement in Drosophila Olfactory Sensory Neurons and Modulate Odor-Driven Behavioral Kinetics. eNeuro 3:
Sitaraman, Divya; Aso, Yoshinori; Rubin, Gerald M et al. (2015) Control of Sleep by Dopaminergic Inputs to the Drosophila Mushroom Body. Front Neural Circuits 9:73
Sitaraman, Divya; Aso, Yoshinori; Jin, Xin et al. (2015) Propagation of Homeostatic Sleep Signals by Segregated Synaptic Microcircuits of the Drosophila Mushroom Body. Curr Biol 25:2915-27
Kunst, Michael; Tso, Matthew C F; Ghosh, D Dipon et al. (2015) Rhythmic control of activity and sleep by class B1 GPCRs. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 50:18-30
Aso, Yoshinori; Sitaraman, Divya; Ichinose, Toshiharu et al. (2014) Mushroom body output neurons encode valence and guide memory-based action selection in Drosophila. Elife 3:e04580
Kunst, Michael; Hughes, Michael E; Raccuglia, Davide et al. (2014) Calcitonin gene-related peptide neurons mediate sleep-specific circadian output in Drosophila. Curr Biol 24:2652-64
Gui, Junhong; Liu, Boyi; Cao, Guan et al. (2014) A tarantula-venom peptide antagonizes the TRPA1 nociceptor ion channel by binding to the S1-S4 gating domain. Curr Biol 24:473-83
Aso, Yoshinori; Sitaraman, Divya; Ichinose, Toshiharu et al. (2014) Mushroom body output neurons encode valence and guide memory-based action selection in Drosophila. Elife 4:e04580

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