Molecular basis of the biogenic amine system in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus
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1
Hokkaido University, 1Research Institute for Electronic Science, Japan
Male cricket shows intensive aggressive behavior when he encounter another male. Behavioral pharmacological studies showed that biogenic amines are involved in regulating aggression in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus DeGeer. Recently, transgenic technique became applicable in G. bimaculatus, therefore physiological roles of the cricket biogenic amine system can be analyzed using neuro-genetic approach. However, although physiological and pharmacological studies have been extensively carried out to elucidate the functional roles of the cricket biogenic amine system, little is known about its molecular basis. To elucidate the molecular basis of the cricket biogenic amine system, we identified genes involved in synthesis, transport and transduction of serotonin (5-HT), octopamine (OA) and dopamine (DA) in G. bimaculatus. We identified seven genes involved in biogenic amine synthesis (tryptophan hydroxylases [TRH and TPH], tyrosine hydroxylase [TH], aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase [AADC], tyrosine decarboxylases [Tdc1 and Tdc2] and tyramine β-hydroxylase [TβH]), as well as fourteen GPCR-type biogenic amine receptor genes including five 5-HT receptors (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2α, 5-HT2β and 5-HT7), five OA receptors (OAα, OAβ1, OAβ2, OAβ3 and OA/TA receptor) and four DA receptors (Dop1, Dop2, Dop3 and DopEcR). Next, we examined tissue-specific expression patterns of biogenic amine-related genes by using RT-PCR. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of the biogenic amine-related genes in insects.
To elucidate the functional roles of the biogenic amine system in cricket aggression, we attempt to perform behavioral neurogenetic experiments on genetically modified crickets. To perform functional analyses of the biogenic amine-related genes in the nervous system in the transgenic crickets, we need gene regulatory regions of neuron-specific genes to drive transgene expression in a neuron-specific manner. In search for neuron-specific genes in the cricket, we identified cricket elav homologue found in neurons (fne) and examined its expression in various cricket tissues. We have identified two alternative first exons of the Gryllus fne gene, and more than 20 different splice variants encoding different proteins. In addition, we identified fne isoforms predominantly expressed in the central nervous system by using RT-PCR. The gene regulatory region of neuron-specific fne isoforms might be useful for neurogenetics in the cricket.
Keywords:
biogenic amine-related genes,
Dopamine,
elav homologue,
found in neurons,
Gryllus bimaculatus,
octopmine,
Serotonin
Conference:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster (but consider for participant symposium and student poster award)
Topic:
Genes and Behavior
Citation:
Watanabe
T and
Aonuma
H
(2012). Molecular basis of the biogenic amine system in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus.
Conference Abstract:
Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00178
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Received:
28 Apr 2012;
Published Online:
07 Jul 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Hitoshi Aonuma, Hokkaido University, 1Research Institute for Electronic Science, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan, aon@ncp8.es.hokudai.ac.jp