Postdoc Talks
Dylan Ma
(Rosbash Lab)
A transcriptomic taxonomy of Drosophila circadian neurons around the clock
Whether we realize it or not, many functions of our bodies are run by an internal clock, the circadian rhythms. But not only humans – circadian rhythms are found in species down to the fruit fly. Dr. Ma discussed his work exploring the molecular basis of circadian rhythms in the fruit fly and how changes in protein levels are involved.
Many different functions are regulated by circadian rhythms, including those orchestrated by discrete clock neurons within animal brains. To comprehensively characterize and assign cell identity to the 75 pairs of Drosophila circadian neurons, we optimized a single cell RNA sequencing method and assayed clock neuron gene expression at different times of day. The data identify at least 17 clock neuron categories with striking spatial regulation of gene expression. Transcription factor regulation is prominent and likely contributes to the robust circadian oscillation of many transcripts, including those that encode cell-surface proteins previously shown to be important for cell recognition and synapse formation during development. We suggest that these molecules orchestrate the temporal regulation of synapse formation and/or strength between clock neurons or with other adult nervous system locations. The many regulated genes identified in this study constitute an important resource for future mechanistic and functional studies within the central circadian network.