Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience
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Legend for the front cover illustration Andrew J. Ewald - (Scott E. Fraser Laboratory) An early frog embryo, imaged at high-resolution using surface imaging microscopy, a novel technique first applied to developmental biology in the Biological Imaging Center at Caltech (Ewald et al., Dev. Dynamics, 2002). In this neurula stage embryo, the archenteron (large cavity) has formed and the blastopore has closed, thus completing the major goals of gastrulation. Recent work from the Fraser Lab has studied the molecular control of archenteron formation and blastopore closure and demonstrated that both processes require non-canonical Wnt signaling, acting through Dishevelled (Ewald et al., Development, in press). Quantitative analytical techniques, also developed in the Fraser Lab, were applied to demonstrate that the cellular events of gastrulation are dissociable, and therefore providing a possible explanation for the observed diversity of gastrulation mechanisms among amphibians. Legend for the back cover illustration Edward Coles – (Marianne Bronner-Fraser Laboratory) Whole-mount immunohistochemistry of an E11 mouse embryo with anti- -tubulinIII (Tuj1) – an early marker of differentiating neurons. This projected z series was imaged using a Zeiss confocal microscope (Beckman Imaging Center). Negative regulation of synaptic eIF4E by postsynaptic Pumilio Image by Violana Nesterova, Kai Zinn and Kaushiki Menon The cover shows accumulation of postsynaptic eIF4E aggregates (red) adjacent to a presynaptic microtubule marker (green), at Drosophila neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). The picture is an inverted mirror image of different neuromuscular junctions, oriented longitudinally. In our paper we examine the synaptic function of a translational repressor, Pumilio at Drosophila NMJs. eIF4E, is upregulated in Pumilio mutants (represented by NMJs with many eIF4E aggregates in the image) and is rescued by postsynaptic Pumilio expression (represented by NMJs with fewer eIF4E aggregates in the image). Genetic epistasis and in vitro binding experiments indicate Pumilio regulates synaptic function by controlling translation factor eIF4E expression. Division of Biology California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA Annual Report 2003 - 2004 BIOLOGY - 2004 Yolanda Duron, Annual Report Coordinator Research Reports Biological research summarized in this report covers the time period from June, 2003, through July, 2004. The annual report is not intended to serve as an official forum, since some portions of the research listed in this report have not yet been published. When referring to an individual abstract(s), special permission must be obtained from the investigator. References to published papers cited throughout the report are listed at the end of each individual research report. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION INSTRUCTION AND RESEARCH STAFF ....................................................................................13 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ....................................................................................................21 MOLECULAR, CELLULAR, AND INTEGRATIVE NEUROSCIENCE JOHN M. ALLMAN, PH.D. Summary.......................................................................................................................................................................... 25 1. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of humor ........................................................................................... 25 2. History influences financial choice ............................................................................................................................... 25 3. The scaling of frontal cortex in primates and carnivores .............................................................................................. 25 4. The Von Economo spindle neurons are morphologically distinct from pyramidal neurons ....................................... 26 5. The role of the frontoinsular cortex in social cognition ................................................................................................ 26 Publications ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 RICHARD A. ANDERSEN, PH.D. Summary.......................................................................................................................................................................... 27 6. Macaque supplementary eye fields neurons exhibit task-specific spatial tuning ......................................................... 28 7. Re-learning spatial representations via Bayesian estimation......................................................................................... 28 8. Translation speed compensation in area MSTd ............................................................................................................. 28 9. Efficacy and adaptation in parietal local field potentials used in a brain machine interface for cursor control.......... 29 10. Decoding trajectories in real-time from posterior parietal cortex ................................................................................. 29 11. Cognitive control signals for neural prosthetics............................................................................................................. 29 12. Perceptual bias in V1 neuronal responses to ambiguous three-dimensional objects.................................................... 29 13. Network activity in posterior parietal cortex during decision-making for reaches ...................................................... 30 14. Motor imagery activates human parietal reach region................................................................................................... 30 15. Parietal reach activity during planned obstacle avoidance ............................................................................................ 30 Publications ..................................................................................................................................................................... 31 DAVID J. ANDERSON, PH.D. Summary.......................................................................................................................................................................... 32 16. Lim homeodomain proteins mark hypothalamic and amygdaloid circuits that are involved in the expressions of innate behaviors .................................................................................................................... 33 17. Delineating the neuronal to glial transition in the developing spinal cord.................................................................... 34 18. The amygdala central nucleus in innate vs. conditioned fear........................................................................................ 34 19. Identifying genes and neural correlates underlying an innate avoidance behavior in Drosophila .............................. 34 20. Olig gene targets in CNS glial cell fate determination .................................................................................................. 35 21. Modeling "emotional" behavior in Drosophila.............................................................................................................. 35 22. Molecular approach to studying the neuronal circuits of innate fear ............................................................................ 35 23. GDF7-expressing roof-plate cells mark a sensory-restricted neural crest population.................................................. 36 24. In vivo studies of the development of the vascular and nervous system....................................................................... 36 25. Molecular mechanism underlying neurogenic capacity ................................................................................................ 36 26. EphrinB2 in peripheral endothelial cells is essential for the proper embryonic vessel development.......................... 37 27. An innate avoidance behavior is dictated by a specific olfactory circuit in Drosophila.............................................. 37 28. Axonal tracers targeted to the MrgD locus reveal that nociceptive (pain-sensing) information is carried by molecularly distinct and parallel neuronal circuitry.......................................................................................... 38 Publications ..................................................................................................................................................................... 38 i SEYMOUR BENZER, PH.D. Summary.......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 29. Genetics and circuitry of nociception............................................................................................................................. 39 30. Circuit analysis of an innate avoidance behavior in Drosophila .................................................................................. 40 31. Isolation and characterization of mutations that cause obesity and excessive feeding in Drosophila ........................ 40 32. Genetic and pathological analysis of oxygen toxicity in Drosophila ........................................................................... 40 33. The role of Apolipoprotein D in normal and pathological aging in Drosophila ........................................................