39th Annual Student Research Conference
Cyclophilin 1 mutations alter Drosophila larval crawling
Aleece Walker* and Molly Cernich
Dr. Brett A. Berke, Faculty Mentor
Drosophila larvae crawl via peristalsis, a wave of muscle contraction that moves from posterior to anterior. The reverse occurs during backward locomotion. Crawling is interrupted when larvae search, pausing to swing their head and choose a new direction. Cyclophilin 1 (Cyp1) may be a mitochondrial protein that regulates cell death and cell signaling. Searching behavior and backward crawling are increased when Cyp1 is knocked down in either all neurons or all glial cells. The neural circuitry for searching behavior is unknown. Glia help to establish neural circuits during embryonic development and modulate circuit activity in the mature CNS. Because glia contribute to both neural circuit development and function, we are attempting to identify when Cyp1 is required in glia for normal crawling behavior. While we don’t know if this crawling defect comes from cell death or altered signaling, this work reflects how mitochondria can influence animal behavior.
Keywords: Drosophila, Cyclophilin, Mitochondria, Glia, Locomotion
Topic(s):Biology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA