Glia, Glutamate and Chemosensory Behavior – GGCB-2010

To highlight some unknown roles of glial cells in controlling olfactory neuronal activity, we subdivided our work in four parallel tasks:
We started to develop sophisticated genetic tools to reveal in vivo the role of glia using fluorescent microscopy.
We characterized the expression profile of JhI-21 and Minidiscs antiporters in order to know if they were found in glia or in neurons. For this aim, we used immunohistological techniques, plus we created genetic tools allowing to visualize and to manipulate the cells expressing each antiporter.
We also conducted some behavioral tests (food search, attraction to pure odors, courtship) to better understand the role of glia in setting olfactory perception.
Finally, we have identified some volatile compounds, which are impacting Drosophila olfactory related behaviors, using mass spectrometry.

Basic knowledge was collected to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms implicated in Drosophila olfactory perception. Thus, we have characterized a neuronal network, which is involved in the detection of food odors. Flies perfume themselves with this odor that acts as an aphrodisiac on other males. We have also started to highlight the roles of JhI-21 and Minidiscs in the control of neuronal activity. These results are very encouraging, and are continuing through a very competitive European grant.

This ANR-JCJC project was very fruitful and gave a strong bases for our current and future scientific work. Lots of data were collected and allowed us to publish an article in the prestigious scientific journal: Nature. 2 more articles will be submitted soon (end of October 2012). Finally we will continue and compete this work with a following project supported by the European Research Council (Starting Grant).

We have already started to publish some of our results in one of the leading international journal in Science: Nature (Grosjean et al. 2011). We have also presented our data in several international meetings: Neurobiology of Drosophila, 2011, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, USA (1 poster); 14th European Drosophila Neurobiology Conference, Neurofly 2012, Padova, Italy (2 posters et 1 oral presentation).

The scientific project will try to reveal the key role, still largely neglected, displayed by the glial cells on neuronal activity control (in glutamatergic synapses). L'équipe émergeante, en cours de formation au sein du CSGA-UMR 1324, cherchera à développer des outils génétiques de pointe chez la drosophile, modèle biologique extrêmement puissant en neurogénétique. The emerging team, at the CSGA-UMR1324, will develop powerful genetic tools in Drosophila. The members of the team will investigate the impact of glia in the behavior (food uptake and courtship). They will highlight the cellular mechanisms implicated in chemoperception. The expected data are susceptible to touch a large scientific public since the important role of glutamate in the nervous system. Abnormal regulation of glutamate is known to be involved in several human diseases. Nevertheless, its physiological impact is still largely unknown when it is secreted by glial cells. We plan to reveal it.