Neurophysiological genetics in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Neurophysiological genetics is the study of the mechanisms by which genes control nervous function and behavior. The transduction of genetic information into neural information is studied at the level of the neuron through genetic and physiological techniques.The neurons responsible for the leg-shaking action specific to a single-gene mutant of Drosophila melanogaster, Hk1, have been located in three pairs of small regions in the thoracic ganglion. The activity pattern of these neurons is coded by the mutant Hk1 gene. The center for the specifically patterned leg-shaking action is composed of several motor neurons whose activity is governed by the pacemaking activity of at least one interneuron. As it is most likely that the mutant gene is expressed autonomously in this interneuron, there is a possibility of investigating ways in which genes may influence the properties of neurons. The activity of the mutant neuron was monitored intracellularly, and the pattern formation mechanism was studied. The amplitude, duration, and periodicity of the pacemaker potential and the spike initiation site determine the activity pattern resulting in the specific leg-shaking action. © 1974 by the American Society of Zoologists.