2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Analysis of the molecular mechanism of signal transduction and identification of novel molecules in neural circuit-dependent odor adaptation in C. elegans
| Project/Area Number |
20700290
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Neuroscience in general
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| Research Institution | Kyushu University |
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Principal Investigator |
HIROTSU Takaaki Kyushu University, 大学院・理学研究院, 助教 (70404035)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2008 – 2009
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| Keywords | 嗅覚 / 線虫 / 神経可塑性 / 順応 / シグナル伝達経路 / グルタミン酸受容体 / Ras-MAPK経路 |
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| Research Abstract |
Animals decrease their sensitivity to continuous odorant stimuli to maintain their high sensitivity to changes in stimulus intensities. This phenomenon is referred to as olfactory adaptation, which occurs at two levels; the peripheral level and the central level. I have analyzed the latter type of adaptation, neural circuit-dependent adaptation, in C.elegans. In this study, I succeeded in live imaging of the activity of Ras, which plays major roles in this adaptation. I also found that AMP kinase and a translation initiation factor are involved in the adaptation. In addition, to reveal the mechanism of input of odorant stimuli, I tried to identify olfactory receptors for specific odorants and obtained some candidate receptor genes.
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