Abstract

We have pursued our objective of applying pharmacological and genetic techniques to the neurobiology of Drosophila melanogaster. We explored protocols for chemical mutagenesis of adult male flies; improvements in these protocols are being tested. We have also examined the suitability of several pharmacologic compounds as selective agents in a hunt for mutants with altered synaptic transmission. The capacity of amitraz, an insecticide with octopamine agonist properties, to alter the behavior of Drosophila was demonstrated. However, the effect of amitraz was modest and could not be enhanced by exogenous octopamine. To study the affect of general anesthetics on Drosophila, we assembled an apparatus for the administration of reproducible concentrations of gas and volatile liquids to large numbers of flies. The dose-response curve for Halothane anesthesia of Drosophila was established and a search for mutants with altered susceptibility to this anesthetic is underway.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01MH002228-01
Application #
3968545
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
U.S. National Institute of Mental Health
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Burg, E D; Langan, S T; Nash, H A (2013) Drosophila social clustering is disrupted by anesthetics and in narrow abdomen ion channel mutants. Genes Brain Behav 12:338-47
Peabody, Nathan C; Pohl, Jascha B; Diao, Fengqiu et al. (2009) Characterization of the decision network for wing expansion in Drosophila using targeted expression of the TRPM8 channel. J Neurosci 29:3343-53
Sandstrom, David J (2008) Isoflurane reduces excitability of Drosophila larval motoneurons by activating a hyperpolarizing leak conductance. Anesthesiology 108:434-46
Cheng, Yuzhong; Nash, Howard A (2008) Visual mutations reveal opposing effects of illumination on arousal in Drosophila. Genetics 178:2413-6
Cheng, Yuzhong; Nash, Howard A (2007) Drosophila TRP channels require a protein with a distinctive motif encoded by the inaF locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:17730-4
Humphrey, John A; Hamming, Kevin S; Thacker, Colin M et al. (2007) A putative cation channel and its novel regulator: cross-species conservation of effects on general anesthesia. Curr Biol 17:624-9
Yu, James X; Guan, Zhonghui; Nash, Howard A (2006) The mushroom body defect gene product is an essential component of the meiosis II spindle apparatus in Drosophila oocytes. Genetics 173:243-53
Rajaram, Shantadurga; Scott, Robert L; Nash, Howard A (2005) Retrograde signaling from the brain to the retina modulates the termination of the light response in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102:17840-5
Sandstrom, David J; Nash, Howard (2004) Drug targets: turning the channel (on) for sedation. Curr Biol 14:R185-6
Sandstrom, David J (2004) Isoflurane depresses glutamate release by reducing neuronal excitability at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. J Physiol 558:489-502

Showing the most recent 10 out of 17 publications