Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated gene regulation plays a key role in brain development and function. But there are few cases in which the roles of individual miRNAs have been elucidated in behaving animals. We report a miR-276a::DopR regulatory module in Drosophila that functions in distinct circuits for naive odor responses and conditioned odor memory. Drosophila olfactory aversive memory involves convergence of the odors (conditioned stimulus) and the electric shock (unconditioned stimulus) in mushroom body (MB) neurons. Dopamine receptor DopR mediates the unconditioned stimulus inputs onto MB. Distinct dopaminergic neurons also innervate ellipsoid body (EB), where DopR function modulates arousal to external stimuli. We demonstrate that miR-276a is required in MB neurons for memory formation and in EB for naive responses to odors. Both roles of miR-276a are mediated by tuning DopR expression. The dual role of this miR-276a::DopR genetic module in these two neural circuits highlights the importance of miRNA-mediated gene regulation within distinct circuits underlying both naive behavioral responses and memory.

Original publication

DOI

10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4004-12.2013

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Neurosci

Publication Date

27/03/2013

Volume

33

Pages

5821 - 5833

Keywords

Analysis of Variance, Animals, Animals, Genetically Modified, Avoidance Learning, Drosophila, Drosophila Proteins, Electroshock, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Green Fluorescent Proteins, Hot Temperature, Male, MicroRNAs, Mushroom Bodies, Mutation, Neurons, Odorants, Olfactory Pathways, Receptors, Dopamine, Transcription Factors