Mechanisms of sleep dependent memory consolidation in Drosophila

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650116
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Sakai Takaomi 首都大学東京, 理工学研究科, 准教授 (50322730)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): UENO Kohei 東京都医学総合研究所, 研究員 (40332556)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): HUJII Nobuharu 首都大学東京, 人間健康科学研究科, 教授 (40509296)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: period / 時計遺伝子 / 睡眠 / 記憶固定化 / ショウジョウバエ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A circadian clock gene, period (per), plays an important role in the generation of circadian rhythms and Long-term memory (LTM) formation. In this study, we identified per-expressing neurons relevant to LTM formation. There are about 150 circadian clock neurons in the adult Drosophila brain. Among these neurons, the per-expressing dorsal lateral neurons (LNds) were critically involved in LTM formation. However, inhibition of per expression in LNds did not affect the circadian rhythms or sleep regulation. In contrast to LNd-specific knockdown of per, pan-neural knockdown of per induced arrhythmic locomotor activity, and reduced nighttime sleep. Taken together, LNds seem to be responsible for the LTM formation, although other Per-positive neurons contribute to circadian rhythms and sleep/awake cycles.

Free Research Field

神経遺伝学