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Articles 1 - 8 of 8
Full-Text Articles in Genetics and Genomics
Recovery From Social Isolation In Drosophila: The Role Of Dopamine And The Autism-Related Gene Nlg3., Ryley T. Yost
Recovery From Social Isolation In Drosophila: The Role Of Dopamine And The Autism-Related Gene Nlg3., Ryley T. Yost
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Within a group, individuals establish their preferred distance from each other, or social space, a form of social behaviour. The resulting distance depends on the exchange of social cues from others that needs to be perceived and integrated within the organism’s neural circuitry. In humans, social spacing can be impaired in neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. When organisms are subject to social isolation, profound changes in social behaviour are observed in a variety of species from insects to mammals, including social space. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms modulating a behavioural response to isolation and possible recovery remain …
Elucidating The Neural Circuitry Underlying Social Spacing In Drosophila Melanogaster Through The Lens Of Neuroligin 3, Abigail T. Bechard
Elucidating The Neural Circuitry Underlying Social Spacing In Drosophila Melanogaster Through The Lens Of Neuroligin 3, Abigail T. Bechard
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Social interactions among animals can be complex, and abnormal social behaviours may result in negative fitness consequences for both the individual displaying them, and the entire group. To understand the neural basis of complex social behaviour, we can study simpler behaviours that precede and mediate them. Social spacing, the typical distance between individuals in a group, is an easily quantifiable behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, I investigated the neural circuitry underlying social spacing through the lens of Autism-candidate gene neuroligin 3. Based on the Nlg3 enrichment pattern in adult fly brains, I hypothesized that nlg3-expressing neurons, along …
Investigation Of Neurotransmitter’S Knockdown Effect On Drosophila Melanogaster Female Aggression, Asil N. El Galad
Investigation Of Neurotransmitter’S Knockdown Effect On Drosophila Melanogaster Female Aggression, Asil N. El Galad
Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference
Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) is a popular model organism in neurobiology. While aggression has been studied heavily in male drosophila, there's minimal research on aggression in female drosophila. Neurotransmitters influencing aggressive behaviour in female D. melanogaster are poorly understood. Various neurotransmitters such as dopamine, octopamine, and serotonin influence aggression in D. melanogaster Further investigation of the role of neurotransmitters on aggression is thus important. The purpose of our experiment is to observe the effect of the knockdown of dopamine, octopamine and glutamate on aggression in female D. melanogaster.
Neuroanatomical Characterization Of Fruitless P2 Neurons And Assessment Of Their Role In Female Mate Receptivity, William Yeung
Neuroanatomical Characterization Of Fruitless P2 Neurons And Assessment Of Their Role In Female Mate Receptivity, William Yeung
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
In behaviourally isolated species, preferential mate choice for conspecifics over heterospecifics is a primary isolating barrier for reducing interspecific gene flow. Drosophila males court heterospecific females more frequently than females are sexually receptive to courting heterospecific males, emphasizing the importance of female mate preference in reproductive isolation. The neurogenetic bases of female mate preference have been elusive historically, but recent research identified the D. melanogaster fruitless (fru) P2 exon to influence both conspecific and heterospecific female receptivity. I have expanded on these findings by creating a transgenic line that expresses Gal4 under fruP2 regulation. Driving a fluorescent …
Assessing The Role Of Drosophila Melanogaster Neuroligin 3 On Social Spacing And Climbing Behaviour, J. Wesley Robinson
Assessing The Role Of Drosophila Melanogaster Neuroligin 3 On Social Spacing And Climbing Behaviour, J. Wesley Robinson
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Autism spectrum disorders can be clinically defined in part by impairments of social interactions. Social interactions can be modeled in Drosophila melanogaster with behaviours such as social spacing. Here, I examined the effects of autism-related gene neuroligin 3 on fly social spacing. I hypothesized if neuroligin 3 is mutated or gene expression is targeted for knockdown, then flies will have altered social space in males and females at different ages. Using the social space assay, I found that different mutations to neuroligin 3 change the fly’s behavior, in a mutation and sex-specific manner. Using an antibody against Nlg3, I localized …
Characterizing Mekk1: Candidate Behavioural Isolation Gene, Caryn Dooner
Characterizing Mekk1: Candidate Behavioural Isolation Gene, Caryn Dooner
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Behavioural isolation can occur due to divergence in aspects of courtship and mating, and can contribute to reproductive isolation. The purpose of this study is to determine how a gene, Mekk1, contributes to female rejection behaviour between D. melanogaster and D. simulans. Unique polymorphisms were identified within D. simulans Mekk1 that could contribute to behaviour, most of which are non-coding. Both transcripts of Mekk1 appear to be expressed at similar levels in D. simulans and D. melanogaster. These data also indicate that Mekk1 may be expressed in a specific region of the brain called the mushroom body, …
Amelioration Of Prenatal Alcohol Effects By Environmental Enrichment In A Mouse Model Of Fasd, Aniruddho Chokroborty-Hoque
Amelioration Of Prenatal Alcohol Effects By Environmental Enrichment In A Mouse Model Of Fasd, Aniruddho Chokroborty-Hoque
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy results in a spectrum of behavioural and cognitive deficits collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Currently, little is know about if and how the external environment may modulate these deficits. I have used C57BL/6 mice to study this interaction between prenatal alcohol exposure and the postnatal environment. Alcohol exposure during synaptogenesis produces high levels of anxiety-like traits and decreased memory performance. Alcohol-exposed mice (and matched unexposed controls) were put in 'environmentally-enriched' conditions of voluntary exercise, physical activities and cognitive stimulation to ascertain the effects of a positive postnatal environment. The results show that …
Associations Between Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis System Gene Variants And Cortisol Reactivity In Preschoolers: Main Effects And Gene-Environment Interactions, Haroon I. Sheikh
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Exposure to stressful events during early development has consistently been shown to produce long lasting effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may increase vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders. Recently reported genetic association studies indicate that these disorders may be influenced, in part, by gene-environment interactions (GxE) involving polymorphisms within the corticotrophin-releasing hormone and monoaminergic system genes. However, little is known about how genetic variants and life stress work to shape children’s neuroendocrine reactivity and emerging symptoms. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to examine main effects of candidate genes and GxE on the neuroendocrine stress response and …