Dissecting Drosophila auditory and gravitational stimulus transduction (A01)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells ; Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: from 2011 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 154113120

A01 proposes to delineate the mechano-gated ion channels that transduce acoustic and gravitational stimuli in the Drosophila ear. Despite intense searches, the fly’s gravity transduction channels have escaped their molecular identification. Promising candidates now showed up in a screen for differential gene expression in sound- versus gravity-receptors. We will now follow them up to (i) pin down the Drosophila gravity transduction channel, (ii) investigate the role of the S1 linker in NOMPC mechano-gating, and (iii) explore the interactomes of NOMPC, Nanchung, and Inactive channels to extend our understanding of fly mechanotransduction from single ion channels to transduction machineries.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 889: Cellular Mechanisms of Sensory Processing
• Applicant Institution: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Martin Göpfert