Four SpsP neurons are an integrating sleep regulation hub in .

Sleep is essential and highly conserved, yet its regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. To identify sleep drive neurons, we imaged brains with calcium-modulated photoactivatable ratiometric integrator (CaMPARI). The results indicate that the activity of the protocerebral bridge (PB) correlates with sleep drive.

Light and dopamine impact two circadian neurons to promote morning wakefulness.

In both mammals and flies, circadian brain neurons orchestrate physiological oscillations and behaviors like wake and sleep-these neurons can be subdivided by morphology and by gene expression patterns. Recent single-cell sequencing studies identified 17 Drosophila circadian neuron groups. One of these includes only two lateral neurons (LNs), which are marked by the expression of the neuropeptide ion transport peptide (ITP).

Conditional chemoconnectomics (cCCTomics) as a strategy for efficient and conditional targeting of chemical transmission.

Dissection of neural circuitry underlying behaviors is a central theme in neurobiology. We have previously proposed the concept of chemoconnectome (CCT) to cover the entire chemical transmission between neurons and target cells in an organism and created tools for studying it (CCTomics) by targeting all genes related to the CCT in . Here we have created lines targeting the CCT in a conditional manner after modifying GFP RNA interference, Flp-out, and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies.

Light and dopamine impact two circadian neurons to promote morning wakefulness.

In both mammals and flies, circadian brain neurons orchestrate physiological oscillations and behaviors like wake and sleep; these neurons can be subdivided by morphology and by gene expression patterns. Recent single-cell sequencing studies identified 17 circadian neuron groups. One of these include only two lateral neurons (LNs), which are marked by the expression of the neuropeptide ion transport peptide (ITP).

Molecular resolution of a behavioral paradox: sleep and arousal are regulated by distinct acetylcholine receptors in different neuronal types in Drosophila.

Sleep and arousal are both important for animals. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) has long been found to promote both sleep and arousal in mammals, an apparent paradox which has also been found to exist in flies, causing much confusion in understanding sleep and arousal. Here, we have systematically studied all 13 ACh receptors (AChRs) in Drosophila to understand mechanisms underlying ACh function in sleep and arousal.

D-Serine made by serine racemase in Drosophila intestine plays a physiological role in sleep.

Natural D-serine (D-Ser) has been detected in animals more than two decades ago, but little is known about the physiological functions of D-Ser. Here we reveal sleep regulation by endogenous D-Ser. Sleep was decreased in mutants defective in D-Ser synthesis or its receptor the N-methyl-D-aspartic receptor 1 (NMDAR1), but increased in mutants defective in D-Ser degradation.