Heterogeneity in the projections and excitability of tyraminergic/octopaminergic neurons that innervate the reproductive tract.

Aminergic nuclei in mammals are generally composed of relatively small numbers of cells with broad projection patterns. Despite the gross similarity of many individual neurons, recent transcriptomic, anatomic and behavioral studies suggest previously unsuspected diversity. Smaller clusters of aminergic neurons in the model organism provide an opportunity to explore the ramifications of neuronal diversity at the level of individual cells.

Expression and potential regulatory functions of Drosophila octopamine receptors in the female reproductive tract.

Aminergic signaling is known to play a critical role in regulating female reproductive processes in both mammals and insects. In Drosophila, the ortholog of noradrenaline, octopamine, is required for ovulation as well as several other female reproductive processes. Two octopamine receptors have already been shown to be expressed in the Drosophila reproductive tract and to be required for egg-laying: OAMB and Octβ2R.

Environment rather than breed or body site shapes the skin bacterial community of healthy sheep as revealed by metabarcoding.

Background: The skin is inhabited by a variety of micro-organisms, with bacteria representing the predominant taxon of the skin microbiome. In sheep, the skin bacterial community of healthy animals has been addressed in few studies, only with culture-based methods or sequencing of cloned amplicons.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the sheep skin bacterial community composition by using metabarcoding for a detailed characterisation and to determine the effect of body part, breed and environment.

Precise CRISPR-Cas9-mediated mutation of a membrane trafficking domain in the vesicular monoamine transporter gene.

Monoamine neurotransmitters such as noradrenalin are released from both synaptic vesicles (SVs) and large dense-core vesicles (LDCVs), the latter mediating extrasynaptic signaling. The contribution of synaptic versus extrasynaptic signaling to circuit function and behavior remains poorly understood. To address this question, we have previously used transgenes encoding a mutation in the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter () that shifts amine release from SVs to LDCVs.

cells that express octopamine receptors can either inhibit or promote oviposition.

Adrenergic signaling is known to play a critical role in regulating female reproductive processes in both mammals and insects. In , the ortholog of noradrenaline, octopamine (Oa), is required for ovulation as well as several other female reproductive processes. Loss of function studies using mutant alleles of receptors, transporters, and biosynthetic enzymes for Oa have led to a model in which disruption of octopaminergic pathways reduces egg laying.