Abstract
Comparative studies on cellular and molecular clock mechanisms have revealed striking similarities in the organization of the clocks among different animal groups. To gain evolutionary insight into the properties of the clock network within the Drosophila genus, we analyzed sequence identities and similarities of clock protein homologues and immunostained brains of 10 different Drosophila species using antibodies against vrille (VRI), PAR-protein domain1 (PDP1), and cryptochrome (CRY). We found that the clock network of both subgenera Sophophora and Drosophila consists of all lateral and dorsal clock neuron clusters that were previously described in Drosophila melanogaster. Immunostaining against CRY and the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), however, revealed species-specific differences. All species of the Drosophila subgenus and D. pseudoobscura of the Sophophora subgenus completely lacked CRY in the large ventrolateral clock neurons (lLNvs) and showed reduced PDF immunostaining in the small ventrolateral clock neurons (sLNvs). In contrast, we found the expression of the ion transport peptide (ITP) to be consistent within the fifth sLNv and one dorsolateral clock neuron (LNd) in all investigated species, suggesting a conserved putative function of this neuropeptide in the clock. We conclude that the general anatomy of the clock network is highly conserved throughout the Drosophila genus, although there is variation in PDF and CRY expression. Our comparative study is a first step toward understanding the organization of the circadian clock in Drosophila species adapted to different habitats.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 367-388 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Journal of Comparative Neurology |
| Volume | 521 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 1 2013 |
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Keywords
- Circadian
- Clock neurons
- Cryptochrome
- Immunostaining
- Neuropeptide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
The circadian clock network in the brain of different Drosophila species. / Hermann, Christiane; Saccon, Rachele; Senthilan, Pingkalai R.; Domnik, Lilith; Dircksen, Heinrich; Yoshii, Taishi; Helfrich-Förster, Charlotte.
In: Journal of Comparative Neurology, Vol. 521, No. 2, 01.02.2013, p. 367-388.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The circadian clock network in the brain of different Drosophila species
AU - Hermann, Christiane
AU - Saccon, Rachele
AU - Senthilan, Pingkalai R.
AU - Domnik, Lilith
AU - Dircksen, Heinrich
AU - Yoshii, Taishi
AU - Helfrich-Förster, Charlotte
PY - 2013/2/1
Y1 - 2013/2/1
N2 - Comparative studies on cellular and molecular clock mechanisms have revealed striking similarities in the organization of the clocks among different animal groups. To gain evolutionary insight into the properties of the clock network within the Drosophila genus, we analyzed sequence identities and similarities of clock protein homologues and immunostained brains of 10 different Drosophila species using antibodies against vrille (VRI), PAR-protein domain1 (PDP1), and cryptochrome (CRY). We found that the clock network of both subgenera Sophophora and Drosophila consists of all lateral and dorsal clock neuron clusters that were previously described in Drosophila melanogaster. Immunostaining against CRY and the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), however, revealed species-specific differences. All species of the Drosophila subgenus and D. pseudoobscura of the Sophophora subgenus completely lacked CRY in the large ventrolateral clock neurons (lLNvs) and showed reduced PDF immunostaining in the small ventrolateral clock neurons (sLNvs). In contrast, we found the expression of the ion transport peptide (ITP) to be consistent within the fifth sLNv and one dorsolateral clock neuron (LNd) in all investigated species, suggesting a conserved putative function of this neuropeptide in the clock. We conclude that the general anatomy of the clock network is highly conserved throughout the Drosophila genus, although there is variation in PDF and CRY expression. Our comparative study is a first step toward understanding the organization of the circadian clock in Drosophila species adapted to different habitats.
AB - Comparative studies on cellular and molecular clock mechanisms have revealed striking similarities in the organization of the clocks among different animal groups. To gain evolutionary insight into the properties of the clock network within the Drosophila genus, we analyzed sequence identities and similarities of clock protein homologues and immunostained brains of 10 different Drosophila species using antibodies against vrille (VRI), PAR-protein domain1 (PDP1), and cryptochrome (CRY). We found that the clock network of both subgenera Sophophora and Drosophila consists of all lateral and dorsal clock neuron clusters that were previously described in Drosophila melanogaster. Immunostaining against CRY and the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), however, revealed species-specific differences. All species of the Drosophila subgenus and D. pseudoobscura of the Sophophora subgenus completely lacked CRY in the large ventrolateral clock neurons (lLNvs) and showed reduced PDF immunostaining in the small ventrolateral clock neurons (sLNvs). In contrast, we found the expression of the ion transport peptide (ITP) to be consistent within the fifth sLNv and one dorsolateral clock neuron (LNd) in all investigated species, suggesting a conserved putative function of this neuropeptide in the clock. We conclude that the general anatomy of the clock network is highly conserved throughout the Drosophila genus, although there is variation in PDF and CRY expression. Our comparative study is a first step toward understanding the organization of the circadian clock in Drosophila species adapted to different habitats.
KW - Circadian
KW - Clock neurons
KW - Cryptochrome
KW - Immunostaining
KW - Neuropeptide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84870712293&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84870712293&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/cne.23178
DO - 10.1002/cne.23178
M3 - Article
C2 - 22736465
AN - SCOPUS:84870712293
VL - 521
SP - 367
EP - 388
JO - Journal of Comparative Neurology
JF - Journal of Comparative Neurology
SN - 0021-9967
IS - 2
ER -