Cloning and distribution of a putative octopamine/tyramine receptor in the central nervous system of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

There is ample evidence linking octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA) to several neurophysiological functions in arthropods. In our laboratory we use the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii to study the neural basis of aggressive behavior. As a first step towards understanding the possible role of these amines and their receptors in the modulation of interactive behaviors, we have cloned a putative octopamine/tyramine receptor.

GYRKPPFNGSIFamide (Gly-SIFamide) modulates aggression in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a tropical crustacean with characteristics similar to those of lobsters and crayfish. Adult males develop through three morphological types-small (SC), yellow (YC), and blue claws (BC)-with each representing a level in the dominance hierarchy of a group, BC males being the most dominant. We are interested in understanding the role played by neuropeptides in the mechanisms underlying aggressive behavior and the establishment of dominance hierarchies in this type of prawn.

Cloning and immunoreactivity of the 5-HT 1Mac and 5-HT 2Mac receptors in the central nervous system of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Biogenic amines are implicated in several mental disorders, many of which involve social interactions. Simple model systems, such as crustaceans, are often more amenable than vertebrates for studying mechanisms underlying behaviors. Although various cellular responses of biogenic amines have been characterized in crustaceans, the mechanisms linking these molecules to behavior remain largely unknown.