Activity-dependent modulation of neuronal circuits in Drosophila

Neurobiology

In Memoriam

 

Even a simple circuit comprises neurons which make tens of thousands of connections with other neurons. It seems unlikely that this complexity can be encoded strictly by genes; circuit properties and synaptic connections could well emerge from spontaneous or evoked activity within populations of neurons. We are testing this hypothesis in the olfactory system of Drosophila and find that neuronal activity is necessary for shaping dendritic arbors during development, as well as in the maintenance of the mature circuit. We are using genetic, imaging methods and behavioral analysis in an effort to understand how electrical activity collaborates with signaling pathways to aid organization of neuronal circuitry.

Publications

1. Rodrigues V (2009) Neuronal activity and Wnt signaling act through GSK-3β to regulate axonal integrity in mature Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons. Development 136: 1273
2. Das A, Sen S, Lichtneckert R, Okada R, Ito K, Rodrigues V, Reichert H (2008) Drosophila olfactory local interneurons and projection neurons derive from a common neuroblast lineage specified by the empty spiracles gene. Neural Development 3: 33
3. Rodrigues V, Hummel T (2008) Development of the Drosophila olfactory system. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 628: 82
4. Hari P, Deshpande M, Sharma N, Rajadhyaksha N, Ramkumar N, Kimura K, Rodrigues V, Tole S (2008) Chip is required for post eclosion behavior in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience 28: 9145
5. Roy B, Singh AP, Shetty C, Chaudhary V, North A, Landraf M, VijayRaghavan K, Rodrigues V (2007) Metamorphosis of an identified serotonergic neuron in the Drosophila olfactory system. Neural Development 2: 20

In Memoriam

Veronica Rodrigues, Senior Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences (Mumbai) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (Bangalore), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) passed away on 10 November, 2010, after a five-year battle with breast cancer.

Obituary published in Science by K. VijayRaghavan and Michael Bate on 10 December 2010.