Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae

Sudipta Saraswati; Lyle E Fox; David R Soll; Chun-Fang Wu

doi:10.1002/neu.10298

Back

Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae

Sudipta Saraswati, Lyle E Fox, David R Soll and Chun-Fang Wu

Journal of neurobiology, Vol.58(4), pp.425-441

03/2004

DOI: 10.1002/neu.10298

PMID: 14978721

View Online

Abstract

Biogenic amines are believed to play important roles in producing behaviors. Although some biogenic amines have been extensively studied in both vertebrates and invertebrates, little is known about the effects of trace amines like tyramine and octopamine. We investigated how trace amines affect behaviors using quantitative morphometric methods on Drosophila Tbetah(nM18) and iav(N) mutants that have altered levels of tyramine and octopamine. Locomotion of wild-type and mutant third instar larvae was analyzed using Dynamic Image Analysis System (DIAS) software. We found that Tbetah(nM18) mutants, with elevated tyramine levels and reduced octopamine levels, had a severe locomotion phenotype. Mutant larvae spent much more time in pausing episodes than wild-type larvae and displayed a reduction in speed and linear translocation. The locomotion phenotype was partially rescued by feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae octopamine, an effect that could be nullified with simultaneous feeding of tyramine. Feeding Tbetah(nM18) larvae yohimbine, an agent that inhibits the activity of Drosophila tyramine receptors, also improved some locomotion parameters. Feeding both octopamine and yohimbine further improved rescue efficiency. Simultaneously reducing the octopamine and tyramine levels as in iav(N) larvae, in contrast, led to a less severe behavioral phenotype than that of Tbetah(nM18) mutants. Feeding iav(N) larvae either tyramine or octopamine exerted only a minor improvement in locomotion. These results suggest that tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on Drosophila larval locomotion regulation and that a balance between the two is important in producing normal behavior.

Drosophila - drug effects

Locomotion - genetics

Larva - metabolism

Octopamine - genetics

Male

Octopamine - metabolism

Yohimbine - pharmacology

Mutation - physiology

Animals

Larva - drug effects

Female

Larva - genetics

Drosophila - metabolism

Locomotion - physiology

Tyramine - metabolism

Drosophila - genetics

Locomotion - drug effects

Details

Title: Subtitle: Tyramine and octopamine have opposite effects on the locomotion of Drosophila larvae
Creators: Sudipta Saraswati - Department of Biological Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
Lyle E Fox
David R Soll
Chun-Fang Wu
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of neurobiology, Vol.58(4), pp.425-441
DOI: 10.1002/neu.10298
PMID: 14978721
NLM abbreviation: J Neurobiol
ISSN: 0022-3034
eISSN: 1097-4695
Publisher: Wiley; United States
Grant note: NS26528 / NINDS NIH HHS HD18577 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2004
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984070206302771

Metrics

28 Record Views

175 Times Cited - Web of Science

See more details