Genetic Circadian Mosaics and the Clock Network’s Contributions to Sleep
type: CreativeWork
description: Circadian rhythms are physiological and behavioral changes which follow a 24-hour cycle. Drosophila Melanogaster’s circadian clock neuronal network (CCNN) has been identified and several subpopulations have been characterized based on previous studies; the classifications of subpopulations of neurons within the CCNN are based on a return of anticipatory locomotor activity preceding the two daily light transitions (Lights on = dawn/Lights off = dusk). The neurons responsible for the return of anticipatory morning locomotor activity have been referred to as the M-cells, the group of neurons known to rescue evening anticipatory locomotor activity have been termed the E-cells. In this study I have selectively reinstated the Period (PER) protein using the Gal4-UAS system in specific subsets of the circadian clock neuron network using the per01mutant fly as the base. This mutant fly lacks the PER protein, a critical protein essential for driving the negative feedback loop which drives endogenous circadian timekeeping rendering this fly arrhythmic in environments with constant conditions (DD). In more natural conditions with a light-dark cycle, the mutant per01 fly will lack anticipatory locomotor activity preceding light transitions, the recovery of this anticipatory activity has been classically used as a proxy for the recovery for circadian rhythm. Using the GAL4-UAS system, I will isolate the contributions of specific circadian clock neurons to sleep in a standard light-dark (LD) environment, break-down the sleep architecture for day (siesta) and nighttime sleep. Previous research using this design has focused on the anticipatory activity mentioned earlier, my study will use this phenotype to confirm rescue of circadian rhythm in the genetic mosaics but will focus on sleep and sleep consolidation changes accompanying the rescue. I have also broken-down sleep-in Drosophila Melanogaster into the day which has been referred to in the field as siesta sleep, and night sleep…
abstract: Circadian rhythms are physiological and behavioral changes which follow a 24-hour cycle. Drosophila Melanogaster’s circadian clock neuronal network (CCNN) has been identified and several subpopulations have been characterized based on previous studies; the classifications of subpopulations of neurons within the CCNN are based on a return of anticipatory locomotor activity preceding the two daily light transitions (Lights on = dawn/Lights off = dusk). The neurons responsible for the return of anticipatory morning locomotor activity have been referred to as the M-cells, the group of neurons known to rescue evening anticipatory locomotor activity have been termed the E-cells. In this study I have selectively reinstated the Period (PER) protein using the Gal4-UAS system in specific subsets of the circadian clock neuron network using the per01mutant fly as the base. This mutant fly lacks the PER protein, a critical protein essential for driving the negative feedback loop which drives endogenous circadian timekeeping rendering this fly arrhythmic in environments with constant conditions (DD). In more natural conditions with a light-dark cycle, the mutant per01 fly will lack anticipatory locomotor activity preceding light transitions, the recovery of this anticipatory activity has been classically used as a proxy for the recovery for circadian rhythm. Using the GAL4-UAS system, I will isolate the contributions of specific circadian clock neurons to sleep in a standard light-dark (LD) environment, break-down the sleep architecture for day (siesta) and nighttime sleep. Previous research using this design has focused on the anticipatory activity mentioned earlier, my study will use this phenotype to confirm rescue of circadian rhythm in the genetic mosaics but will focus on sleep and sleep consolidation changes accompanying the rescue. I have also broken-down sleep-in Drosophila Melanogaster into the day which has been referred to in the field as siesta sleep, and night sleep…
author: Widziszewski, Lukasz
keywords: Animal Studies, Cognitive Neuroscience, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Drosophila, Chronobiology, Genetics
date published: 2022-06-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:00:13Z
provider: City University of New York - Graduate Center
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York