The Effect of Peripheral and Central Histamine Deficiency on Courtship Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Presentation Type

Poster/Portfolio

Presenter Major(s)

Biomedical Sciences

Mentor Information

Martin Burg

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Location

Kirkhof Center KC49

Start Date

10-4-2013 2:00 PM

End Date

10-4-2013 3:00 PM

Keywords

Life Science

Abstract

Histamine is a biogenic amine synthesized from L-histidine via decarboxylation using the enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC) and is present in photoreceptors and central brain neurons. It has not been possible to separate the function of the histaminergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) from that of the peripheral nervous system. An Hdc transgene was placed into flies with an Hdc mutant background that rescues the Hdc mutant phenotype, restoring histamine. Deletions in this gHdc transgene have been shown to restore histamine in the PNS but not the CNS, which allows the determination of whether histamine deficiency in the CNS could disrupt a complex behavior, such as courtship. Male and female flies were introduced into a small chamber and observations were recorded as various steps of the courtship process were exhibited. Results show that a lack of histamine disrupts specific components of the normal courtship behavioral repertoire that flies characteristically exhibit.

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Apr 10th, 2:00 PM Apr 10th, 3:00 PM

The Effect of Peripheral and Central Histamine Deficiency on Courtship Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Kirkhof Center KC49

Histamine is a biogenic amine synthesized from L-histidine via decarboxylation using the enzyme histidine decarboxylase (HDC) and is present in photoreceptors and central brain neurons. It has not been possible to separate the function of the histaminergic neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) from that of the peripheral nervous system. An Hdc transgene was placed into flies with an Hdc mutant background that rescues the Hdc mutant phenotype, restoring histamine. Deletions in this gHdc transgene have been shown to restore histamine in the PNS but not the CNS, which allows the determination of whether histamine deficiency in the CNS could disrupt a complex behavior, such as courtship. Male and female flies were introduced into a small chamber and observations were recorded as various steps of the courtship process were exhibited. Results show that a lack of histamine disrupts specific components of the normal courtship behavioral repertoire that flies characteristically exhibit.