Agonistic behavior and electrical stimulation of the antennae induces Fos-like protein expression in the male cricket brain.
Immediate early genes (IEG) such as c-Fos and Fos-related antigens (FRA) have been used as markers of neuronal activation. In this study, we determined whether the expression of c-Fos/FRAs is increased in the brains of adult male Acheta domesticus crickets following agonistic interactions. We looked for c-Fos/FRA proteins in the brain of un-fought, control male crickets and of dominant and subordinate male crickets sacrificed at different time periods following an agonistic interaction. Using immunoblot analysis, we found four different c-Fos/FRA-like proteins in the adult cricket brain. Continuous agonistic interaction increased c-Fos/FRA protein expression in the brains of subordinate males compared to control and dominant males. In addition, direct electrical stimulation of the male cricket antennae increased c-Fos/FRA-like protein in the brain. We identified the specific brain regions that exhibit c-Fos/FRA-like immunoreactivity in crickets. We detected c-Fos/FRA-like cellular immunoreactivity in different functional regions of the adult brain including the pars intercerebralis, protocerebrum, deutocerebrum, and the cortex of the mushroom bodies.
Ghosal
Kaushik
K
Department of Zoology and Center for Neuroscience, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA.
Naples
Scott P
SP
Rabe
Alexander R
AR
Killian
Kathleen A
KA
D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006135:Gryllidae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism
D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface