Open AccessAllatostatin A Signalling in Drosophila Regulates Feeding and Sleep and Is Modulated by PDF
Author(s) -
Jiangtian Chen,
Wencke Reiher,
Christiane Hermann-Luibl,
Azza Sellami,
Paola Cognigni,
Shu Kondo,
Charlotte HelfrichFörster,
Jan A. Veenstra,
Christian Wegener
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
plos genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.587
H-Index - 233
eISSN - 1553-7404
pISSN - 1553-7390
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006346
Subject(s) - biology , circadian clock , neuropeptide , sleep (system call) , neuroscience , receptor , drosophila melanogaster , microbiology and biotechnology , circadian rhythm , medicine , genetics , gene , computer science , operating system
Feeding and sleep are fundamental behaviours with significant interconnections and cross-modulations. The circadian system and peptidergic signals are important components of this modulation, but still little is known about the mechanisms and networks by which they interact to regulate feeding and sleep. We show that specific thermogenetic activation of peptidergic Allatostatin A (AstA)-expressing PLP neurons and enteroendocrine cells reduces feeding and promotes sleep in the fruit fly Drosophila . The effects of AstA cell activation are mediated by AstA peptides with receptors homolog to galanin receptors subserving similar and apparently conserved functions in vertebrates. We further identify the PLP neurons as a downstream target of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), an output factor of the circadian clock. PLP neurons are contacted by PDF-expressing clock neurons, and express a functional PDF receptor demonstrated by cAMP imaging. Silencing of AstA signalling and continuous input to AstA cells by tethered PDF changes the sleep/activity ratio in opposite directions but does not affect rhythmicity. Taken together, our results suggest that pleiotropic AstA signalling by a distinct neuronal and enteroendocrine AstA cell subset adapts the fly to a digestive energy-saving state which can be modulated by PDF.