title: Mutation in slowmo causes defects in Drosophila larval locomotor behaviour.
abstract: We have identified a mutant slowmotion phenotype in first instar larval peristaltic behaviour of Drosophila. By the end of embryogenesis and during early first instar phases, slowmo mutant animals show a marked decrease in locomotory behaviour, resulting from both a reduction in number and rate of peristaltic contractions. Inhibition of neurotransmitter release, using targeted expression of tetanus toxin light chain (TeTxLC), in the slowmo neurons marked by an enhancer-trap results in a similar phenotype of largely absent or uncoordinated contractions. Cloning of the slowmo gene identifies a product related to a family of proteins of unknown function. We show that Slowmo is associated with mitochondria, indicative of it being a mitochondrial protein, and that during embryogenesis and early larval development is restricted to the nervous system in a subset of cells. The enhancer-trap marks a cellular component of the CNS that is seemingly required to regulate peristaltic movement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carhan
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Dee
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Baines
authors.forename: Kevin G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Moffat
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000235:genetics*; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010641:Phenotype; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C497469:slmo protein, Drosophila; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins