title: Testing candidate genes for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in fruit flies using a high throughput assay for complex behavior.
abstract: Fruit flies are important model organisms for functional testing of candidate genes in multiple disciplines, including the study of human diseases. Here we use a high-throughput locomotor activity assay to test the response on activity behavior of gene disruption in Drosophila melanogaster. The aim was to investigate the impact of disruption of 14 candidate genes for human attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on fly behavior. By obtaining a range of correlated measures describing the space of variables for behavioral activity we show, that some mutants display similar phenotypic responses, and furthermore, that the genes disrupted in those mutants had common molecular functions; namely processes related to cGMP activity, cation channels and serotonin receptors. All but one of the candidate genes resulted in aberrant behavioral activity, suggesting involvement of these genes in behavioral activity in fruit flies. Results provide additional support for the investigated genes being risk candidate genes for ADHD in humans.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University , Tjele , Denmark.|b The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH , Aarhus , Denmark.|c Center for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University , Aarhus , Denmark.
authors.forename: Palle Duun
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Rohde
authors.affiliation: d Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
authors.forename: Lisbeth Strøm
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.affiliation: d Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
authors.forename: Sandra Marie
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Neumann Arvidson
authors.affiliation: e Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University , Aarhus , Denmark.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Loeschcke
authors.affiliation: b The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH , Aarhus , Denmark.|c Center for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University , Aarhus , Denmark.|f Department of Biomedicine , Aarhus University , Aarhus , Denmark.
authors.forename: Ditte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demontis
authors.affiliation: d Section of Biology and Environmental Science, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
authors.forename: Torsten Nygaard
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Kristensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D006801:Humans; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional
keywords: ADHD; Video tracking; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; candidate genes; fruit flies; locomotor activity