Bioluminiszenz Imaging System

• Subject Area: Neurosciences
• Term: Funded in 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 398197687

The Luciferase reporter gene is a powerful tool for real-time measurement of temporally dynamic gene expression of circadian clock genes. Currently we are using 19 and 11 year old, DFG-funded bioluminescence plate readers, which can measure total light output from whole flies or fly tissues over many days. This method, however, lacks any spatial information about the cell types contributing to the measured light signal. In recent years several studies have shown that the ~150 interconnected circadian clock neurons in the fly brain fulfil diverse functions and differ in their response to environmental light and temperature inputs. The requested Bioluminescence imaging system will allow us to measure clock gene expression levels in subgroups or individual clock neurons over time. This will allow us to study the immediate effects of environmental changes on gene expression in the clock-neuronal network in the live brain. Using CaLexA-based reporters the system will also allow us to follow Ca2+ oscillations within the clock neurons over time. This is important, because it is known that despite synchronous clock protein expression within the clock neuronal network, neuronal activity between the subgroups can differ substantially. The bioluminescence imaging system will allow us to address and answer questions about the response of- and integration by the clock neuronal network to daily environmental changes. No bioluminescence imaging system is currently available at the University of Münster.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Bioluminiszenz Imaging System
• Instrumentation Group: 5040 Spezielle Mikroskope (außer 500-503)
• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Leader: Professor Dr. Ralf Stanewsky