Genetic Control of Social Experience-Dependent Changes in Locomotor Activity in Drosophila melanogaster Males.

In animals, social experience plays an important role in the adaptive modification of behavior. Previous social experience changes locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster. In females, suppression of locomotion is observed only when flies are in aggregations, but males retain a reduced level of locomotor activity up to 5 days after being isolated from the group.

Overexpression of isoform B of Dgp-1 gene enhances locomotor activity in senescent Drosophila males and under heat stress.

Here, we describe the longevity and locomotor behavior of senescent Drosophila males with altered expression of Dgp-1 gene. In comparison with the wild-type Canton-S (CS) males, six characteristics of the phenotype of Dgp-1[843k] mutant were found: (1) low expression of isoform A; (2) augmented expression of isoform B; (3) reduction in the mean lifespan; (4) decrease in the running speed in 3-day-old flies; (5) maintenance of a high run frequency in senescent flies; and (6) resistance to heat stress manifested as maintenance of a high run frequency at 29 °C. After cessation of "cantonization" process, mean lifespan of the mutant males drifted from low to high values finally exceeding that for CS.

Gene CG15630 (fipi) is involved in regulation of the interpulse interval in Drosophila courtship song.

To study the central pattern generators functioning, previously we identified genes, whose neurospecific knockdowns led to deviations in the courtship song of Drosophila melanogaster males. Reduced expression of the gene CG15630 caused a decrease in the interpulse interval. To investigate the role of CG15630, which we have called here fipi (factor of interpulse interval), in the courtship song production, at first, we have characterized fipi transcripts and protein (FIPI) in the mutant flies carrying P insertion and deletions in this gene and in flies with its RNAi knockdown.

[THE REGULATING EFFECT OF DIPEPTIDES ON CELL PROLIFERATION IN NERVE TISSUE CULTURE IN MAMMALS AND ON ASSOCIATIVE LEARNING IN INSECTS].

The effect of dipeptides AspPro and AspSer and of their composing amino acids (asparagine acid--Asp, proline--Pro, serin--Ser) on the proliferative activity in the explants of cortex and subcortical structures of the rat brain and on the functional activity of CNS of the honeybee was studied. The square index defined as a proportion of the whole explant square to the square of its central zone was determined. The number of bees responded with the conditional reaction (proboscis extension in the direction to aromatized solution) after 1 min (short-term memory) and 180 min (long-term memory) was detected after single learning procedure.

[Metabotropic receptor of the group I of the 5th subtype (ImGLuR5) in honeybee associative olfactory learning].

The work deals with study of character of localization in the honeybee head ganglion of metabotropic receptor ImGluR5 and its role in memory formation. With aid of pharmacological method (injections of antisense oligonucleotide and of selective receptor agonist and antagonist) and of behavioral criterion (formation and testing of preservation in memory of conditioned alimentary reflex for olfactory stimulus), there is first shown participation of the studied receptor in formation of the honeybee long-term memory. By using the immunohistochemical method, there is first revealed the predominant expression of the ImGluR5 receptor in the mushroom body Canyon cells responsible for the insect integrative activity.