title: Mapping neural circuits with activity-dependent nuclear import of a transcription factor.
abstract: Abstract: Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is a calcium-responsive transcription factor. We describe here an NFAT-based neural tracing method-CaLexA (calcium-dependent nuclear import of LexA)-for labeling active neurons in behaving animals. In this system, sustained neural activity induces nuclear import of the chimeric transcription factor LexA-VP16-NFAT, which in turn drives green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter expression only in active neurons. We tested this system in Drosophila and found that volatile sex pheromones excite specific neurons in the olfactory circuit. Furthermore, complex courtship behavior associated with multi-modal sensory inputs activated neurons in the ventral nerve cord. This method harnessing the mechanism of activity-dependent nuclear import of a transcription factor can be used to identify active neurons in specific neuronal population in behaving animals.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California , USA.
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuyama
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Jing W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors