Physiological function of dormancy-regulating brain neural circuit

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15155
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (2018-2019); Tohoku University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Hara Yusuke 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 未来ICT研究所フロンティア創造総合研究室, 研究員 (20749064)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 休眠 / 環境適応 / ショウジョウバエ / 脳 / 神経生理 / インスリン / 味覚受容体 / K2Pチャネル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Brain insulin-producing cells (IPCs) play a key role in controlling reproductive dormancy in Drosophila. We found that IPCs in females raised under non-dormant condition acquire strong responsiveness to cold stimuli while IPCs in females raised under dormant condition do not. A gustatory receptor and a K2P channel were identified to be involved in the temperature response of IPCs which is observed in females raised under non-dormant condition. Furthermore, we found that the expression of insulin genes changes in IPCs depending on the breeding conditions. Together, these results suggest that IPCs adjust their membrane properties and insulin-gene expression depending on the environmental conditions. These features of IPCs would enable them to function as a key regulator of reproductive dormancy.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

休眠は生物が進化させた普遍的な季節適応戦略の一つであるが、その体内機構はほとんどが謎に包まれていた。今回の研究成果により、休眠を司るIPCの遺伝子発現や膜特性が環境に応じて柔軟に変化する事が明らかとなり、生物の環境適応を担う細胞機構の実像が見えてきた。IPCは膵β細胞と機能的に相同な細胞と位置付けられている。したがって、膵β細胞においても同様な未知の機能が隠されている可能性も考えられ、我々ヒトを含む多様な生物の環境適応のしくみや、人工的なストレス耐性賦与技術の開発を考える上で本研究の成果は重要な知見となり得る。