Eric Sun
Garrity Laboratory
Department of Biology
Brandeis University
The Effects of Neuropeptide Signaling on Hygrosensation in Drosophila
Poster Abstract
Hygrosensation (humidity sensing) is a critically important sensory modality for animals that have large surface area to volume ratios (Knecht et al., 2017), as they are easily prone to desiccation. This is more evident in vectors like mosquitos, as hygrosensation is also used in part for host-seeking. To understand the behaviors driven by hygrosensation in mosquitos, Drosophila can be used as a simpler model organism, with an amendable genetic toolkit and conserved receptors. The fundamental regulators of various physiological processes and behaviors in all living animals are neuropeptides (NP). Diuretic hormones (DH) and antidiuretic hormones (ADH) in animals, for example, work together to maintain homeostasis and ion balance within the body, thus influencing behaviors such as water intake. Previous work in our lab and others has identified that within the antenna of Drosophila, dry-air-activated neurons expressing three highly conserved receptors IR25a, IR93a, and IR40a along with moist-air-activated neurons expressing IR68a/IR25a/IR93a are required for hygrosensation (Knecht et al., 2016, 2017). However, the NPs involved in driving behavior that contribute to regulating the behavioral output following this sensory modality remains unclear. Here, classes of NPs such as DH, ADH, Hunger/Thirst Peptides, and Neuropeptide-like Precursors (NPLP) that are known to have some impact on hydration in flies are screened for their roles in regulating hygrosensory behavior.
Personal Statement
Having worked in the Garrity Lab since freshman year, I was fortunate enough to continue my research over the summer thanks to the M.R. Bauer Foundation. Over the years I have had the pleasure of working under three different mentors, with the general focus being on temperature and humidity sensation in Drosophila. Behavior screening has been my main focus since joining the lab, and has proved to be an extremely meticulous task that is easily influenced by environmental factors. Over the years, this has made me become inventive in order to change the past methodology into one that is more efficient and consistent. Through this process, I learned 3-D CAD design and also worked in collaboration with an undergraduate within the Rosbash lab to make custom behavioral boxes that could standardize our lab’s behavioral assays further. My experiences in the Garrity lab have shown me that there are many great sides to science.