Elucidation of neural mechanisms underlying modification of instinct behavior by internal brain state changes by multi-scale analysis of the silkmoth brain

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24370031
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KANZAKI Ryohei 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 教授 (40221907)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KAZAWA Tomoki 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 特任研究員 (00507824) ; SAKURAI Takeshi 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 特任講師 (20506761)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 神経行動 / 昆虫 / 脳 / 行動修飾

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To understand neural mechanisms underlying how internal brain state modulates animal behaviors, we focused on serotonergic modulation in pheromone processing system of the silkmoth Bombyx mori. We generated transgenic silkmoth lines that were designed to express a transgene under the upstream sequence of a tryptophan hydroxylase gene that encodes an enzyme involved in serotonin biosynthesis. One of the lines labeled serotonergic neurons innervating the lateral accessory lobe, a premotor center for pheromone-source searching behavior. For functional analysis of these neurons by optogenetic approaches, we established a light emission system to locally stimulate biological tissues.
We also found a previously unrecognized transformation of pheromone concentration information that indicates the antennal lobe encodes odorant concentration changes rather than absolute concentration in pulse trains of pheromone stimuli.

Free Research Field

神経行動学