Neuronal mechanisms of visual prey recognition in zebirafish

• Project/Area Number: 17K07494
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Akira Muto 国立遺伝学研究所, 遺伝形質研究系, 客員研究員 (00525991)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000)
• Keywords: 神経科学 / 視覚 / 捕獲行動 / 動物行動 / カルシウムイメージング / GCaMP / ゼブラフィッシュ / 摂食行動 / Gal4/UASシステム / 稚魚 / 神経細胞 / 神経回路 / 視覚系 / カルシウムイメージグ / 獲物検出器 / 味覚 / 物体認識 / 記憶学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many diurnal animals show prey capture behavior based on visual information of the prey. The entire functional neuronal circuits for this visual behavior is not characterized. We aimed to identify brain areas that are involved in the process of prey capture, from visual perception of the prey to capturing of the prey, utilizing calcium imaging. We screened zebrafish gal4 strains with specific brain expression for neuronal activity during prey capture, by crossing it with UAS:GCaMP line. In the screen we observed that midbrain optic tectum, pretecal area, inferior lobes of the hypothalamus, and vagal lobes are activated during prey capture in free swimming larval zebrafish.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳の働きをリアルタイムで可視化することは、脳がどのような仕組みで動作しているのかを調べるうえで非常に有効な手法である。稚魚の時期にはまだ体や脳が透明であるゼブラフィッシュと、タンパク質性の蛍光カルシウム指示薬GCaMPを利用して、脳活動の脳活動の計測を行い、一つの動物行動がどのような神経回路により作り出されているのかを網羅的に示すことができた。脳活動が、感覚情報の処理から判断、運動という出力を作りだす過程を可視化することで、感覚情報処理と動機を伴う行動発現とがどのような神経回路の接続によりつながっているのかの一端を明らかにすることができた。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Six6 and Six7 coordinately regulate expression of middle-wavelength opsins in zebrafish (2019)
  • Author(s): Ogawa Y, Shiraki T, Asano Y, Muto A, Kawakami K, Suzuki Y, Kojima D, Fukada Y.
  • Journal Title: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Volume: 116 (10) Issue: 10 Pages: 4651-4660
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812884116
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Ablation of a Neuronal Population Using a Two-photon Laser and Its Assessment Using Calcium Imaging and Behavioral Recording in Zebrafish Larvae (2018)
  • Author(s): Muto A, Kawakami K.
  • Journal Title: J Vis Exp. Volume: 136 Issue: 136
  • DOI: 10.3791/57485
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Identification of a neuronal population in the telencephalon essential for fear conditioning in zebrafish. (2018)
  • Author(s): Lal P, Tanabe H, Suster ML, Ailani D, Kotani Y, Muto A, Itoh M, Iwasaki M, Wada H, Yaksi E, Kawakami K.
  • Journal Title: BMC Biol. Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Pages: 45-45
  • DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0502-y
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Ablation of a Neuronal Population Using a Two-photon Laser and Its Assessment Using Calcium Imaging and Behavioral Recording in Zebrafish Larvae (2018)
  • Author(s): Akira Muto and Koichi Kawakami
  • Journal Title: JoVE Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Visualization of neuronal activity during prey capture behavior in zebrafish larvae (2017)
  • Author(s): Akira Muto
  • Organizer: The 12th domestic Symposium on Behavior and Nervous System in Aquatic Animals
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Book] ゼブラフィッシュ実験ガイド 第7章 仔魚の行動 (2020)
  • Author(s): 武藤彩
  • Total Pages: 148
  • Publisher: 朝倉書店
  • ISBN: 9784254171730