DOCTORAL DISSERTATION: Evolution of neural circuits underlying species-specific swimming behaviors in opisthobranch molluscs

博士论文：后鳃类软体动物物种特异性游泳行为背后的神经回路的进化

• 批准号: 1011476
• 负责人: Paul Katz
• 金额: $ 1.47万
• 依托单位: Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1011476&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DOCTORAL; DISSERTATION; Evolution; neural; circuits

Understanding the neural mechanisms that cause species to behave differently has been an elusive goal in biology. This project, which is part of a doctoral dissertation, uses the nervous systems of sea slugs (opithobranch molluscs) to address this issue by comparing neural circuits underlying swimming behavior. Sea slugs have large neurons and simple nervous systems, allowing researchers to map out neural circuitry underlying equally simple behaviors. Some sea slug species swim by flexing their bodies up and down. Other species either do not swim or swim by other means. The neural circuitry underlying up and down swimming has been determined in two species: Tritonia diomedea and Pleurobranchaea californica. The neural circuits and interactions underlying swimming in these two species are remarkably similar even though these animals are not closely related. There is evidence to suggest the ability to swim evolved independently using the same (or homologous) neurons. This leads to the prediction that other species that swim in this manner would also use the same neurons and neural interactions to produce the behavior. To test this intriguing prediction, a third species of sea slug that swims with up and down movements will be be studied. The only readily available species are found in Australia. Electrophysiological, pharmacological, and histological approaches will be employed by the student to study the Australian species to determine if it also uses the same neurons and neural mechanisms. The results of this project will contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms that allowed behavior to evolve. A positive result would show that behavior could predict neural circuitry in animals that independently evolved the behavior. A negative result would still be interesting because it would show that similar behaviors can be produced by different mechanisms.There are several broader impacts of this project. The first is that it will be a training opportunity for the student that will greatly enhance his dissertation project. The work will also establish a new partnership with colleagues internationally. The results of this project will be disseminated broadly both in the form of research papers, but also as contributions to NeuronBank.org, a project that tracks identified neurons and synaptic connections.

了解导致物种行为不同的神经机制一直是生物学中一个难以实现的目标。 该项目是博士论文的一部分，利用海蛞蝓（后鳃类软体动物）的神经系统，通过比较游泳行为背后的神经回路来解决这个问题。 海蛞蝓拥有巨大的神经元和简单的神经系统，使研究人员能够绘制出同样简单行为背后的神经回路。 一些海蛞蝓通过上下弯曲身体来游泳。其他物种要么不会游泳，要么通过其他方式游泳。上下游泳的神经回路已在两个物种中得到确定：Tritonia diomedea 和 Pleurobranchaea californica。 尽管这两个物种的亲缘关系并不密切，但游泳时的神经回路和相互作用却非常相似。 有证据表明游泳的能力是使用相同（或同源）神经元独立进化的。 这导致预测以这种方式游泳的其他物种也会使用相同的神经元和神经相互作用来产生这种行为。 为了验证这一有趣的预测，我们将研究第三种能够上下运动的海蛞蝓。 唯一容易获得的物种是在澳大利亚发现的。 学生将采用电生理学、药理学和组织学方法来研究澳大利亚物种，以确定它是否也使用相同的神经元和神经机制。 该项目的结果将有助于我们理解行为进化的神经机制。 积极的结果表明，行为可以预测独立进化该行为的动物的神经回路。 负面的结果仍然很有趣，因为它表明不同的机制可以产生类似的行为。这个项目有几个更广泛的影响。 首先，这对学生来说是一个培训机会，将极大地提高他的论文项目。 这项工作还将与国际同事建立新的伙伴关系。 该项目的结果将以研究论文的形式广泛传播，同时也会作为对 NeuronBank.org 的贡献，该项目跟踪已识别的神经元和突触连接。