Temporal and spatial expression of Drosophila Neurexin during the life cycle visualized using a DNRX-Gal4/UAS-reporter

Abstract

Drosophila neurexin (DNRX) plays a critical role in proper architecture development and synaptic function in vivo. However, the temporal and spatial expression pattern of DNRX still remains unclear. For this study, we generated a novel Drosophila transgenic strain termed the DNRX-Gal4 transgenic line, with characteristic features in agreement with the endogenous DNRX expression pattern. DNRX expression was examined by driving the expression of a GFP reporter (nuclear-localized and membrane- localized GFP) using the DNRX-Gal4 promoter. We found that DNRX was expressed preferentially in central and motor neurons in embryos, larvae and adults, but not in glial cells. DNRX was expressed in pre- and post-synaptic areas in third instar larvae neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Reporter expression was also observed in the salivary glands, guts, wings and legs of adult flies. In the adult brain, reporter expression was observed throughout several brain regions, including the mushroom body (MBs), antennal lobe (AL) and optic lobe neurons, which is consistent with endogenous DNRX expression via antibody staining. Interestingly, DNRX was also expressed in clock neurons. Meanwhile, we found that DNRX expression in the MBs was required for olfactory learning and memory.

The neuronal protein Neurexin directly interacts with the Scribble–Pix complex to stimulate F-actin assembly for synaptic vesicle clustering

“…3 , B–B ″). Previously, we found that DNRX could also be detected in a small subset of peripheral nervous system neurons ( 9 , 38 ). Because of the low sensitivity of the DNRX antibody, we used motor neuron-specific Gal4 (OK6-Gal4) to drive DNRX expression and found that DNRX and Scribble were co-localized at NMJs of Drosophila ( Fig.…”

“…Loss of function of Scribble causes numerous defects in the nervous system, including alterations in synaptic architecture and function. DNRX is abundantly expressed in neurons in the central nervous system and plays important roles in associative learning in Drosophila ( 9 , 20 ), and DNRX can also be detected, and it functions in the Drosophila NMJ ( 21 , 37 , 38 ). Thus we hypothesized that DNRX functions together with Scribble.…”

Loss ofneurexin-1inDrosophila melanogasterresults in altered energy metabolism and increased seizure susceptibility

“…However, there are still several remaining questions as to how this cell adhesion molecule that is primarily thought to function at the synapse may contribute to broad systemic alterations in nutrient homeostasis. In Drosophila, Nrx-1 is expressed broadly across the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as in the muscle, gut and neuromuscular junction ( 42 , 47 , 88 ). Thus, it is possible that Nrx-1 could regulate energy metabolism by regulating synaptic transmission within a neuronal population involved in metabolic regulation.…”

The involvement of potassium channel ORK1 in short-term memory and sleep in Drosophila

“…The learning experiments were performed as described by Sun and Tully [27,28] Briefly, 3- to 5-day-old male flies were used in learning experiments, they were sequentially exposed to 2 odors (Benzaldehyde, BEN, Sigma, hong kong, China #B1334 and 3-Octanol, OCT, Sigma #218405) for 60 s each. The concentrations for 2 different odors (BEN and OCT) were used when tested flies show an equal preference for both odors.…”