tracking-sugar-elicited-local-searching-behavior-in-drosophila

Tracking Sugar-Elicited Local Searching Behavior in <i>Drosophila</i>

Foraging behavior is essential for the survival of organisms as it enables them to locate and acquire essential food resources. In Drosophila, hunger ...

Regional Centre for Biotechnology

University of Pennsylvania

Taste modalities are conserved in insects and mammals. Sweet gustatory signals evoke attractive behaviors while bitter gustatory information drive aversive behaviors. Salt (NaCl) is an essential nutrient required for various physiological processes, including electrolyte homeostasis, neuronal activity, nutrient absorption, and muscle contraction. Not only mammals, even in  melanogaster, the detection of NaCl induces two different behaviors: Low concentrations of NaCl act as an attractant, whereas high concentrations act as repellant. The fruit fly is an excellent model system for studying the underlying mechanisms of salt taste due to its relatively simple neuroanatomical organization of the brain and peripheral taste system, the availability of powerful genetic tools and transgenic strains. In this review, we have revisited the literature and the information provided by various laboratories using invertebrate model system  that has helped us to understand NaCl salt taste so far. We hope that this compiled information from  will be of general significance and interest for forthcoming studies of the structure, function, and behavioral role of NaCl-sensitive (low and high concentrations) gustatory circuitry for understanding NaCl salt taste in all animals.

Salt an Essential Nutrient: Advances in Understanding Salt Taste Detection Using  as a Model System.

Inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP; phytic acid) is considered as the second messenger and plays a very important role in plants, animals, and human beings. It is the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially in dry fruits, bran, and seeds. The resulting anion is a colorless species that plays a critical role in nutrition and is believed to cure many diseases. A fluoresceinated aminohexanol tethered inositol hexakisphosphate () had been synthesized earlier involving many complicated steps. We describe here a simple two-step synthesis of () and its characterization using different techniques such as matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet-visible, ultraviolet-fluorescence, H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopies. The effect of () has been investigated in the model systems,  and . Using Schrodinger software, computational studies on the binding of () with the protein 2P1M (Auxin-receptor TIR1-adaptor ASK1 complex) has revealed strong binding propensity with this compound. These studies on the fluoresceinated tethered phytic acid could have far reaching implications on its efficacy for human health and treatment of diseases (cancer/tumor and glioblastoma) and for understanding phosphorous recycling in the environment, especially for plant systems.

Fluoresceinated Aminohexanol Tethered Inositol Hexakisphosphate: Studies on  and  and Docking with 2P1M Receptor.

Realigning Minds and Mental Health Resilience during Covid-19.

The Bitter Truth: Lessons from Pandemic Covid-19.

Defeating the Devil in the Waste: Remediation of Infectious Covid-19 Waste.

Loss of Smell and Taste: Potential of Using Them as Markers for Early Detection of Covid-19.

Sugar is the main source of energy for nearly all animals. However, consumption of a high amount of sugars can lead to many metabolic disorders hence, balancing calorie intake in the form of sugar is required. Various herbs are in use to control body weight, cure diabetes and control elevated blood sugar levels. One such herb is  commonly called Gurmar (destroyer of sugar). Gurmar selectively inhibits sugar sensation by mechanisms that are still elusive.

Modulation of sugar feeding behavior by  in .

Nutrient-sensing mechanisms in animals' sense available nutrients to generate a physiological regulatory response involving absorption, digestion, and regulation of food intake and to maintain glucose and energy homeostasis. During nutrient sensing via the gastrointestinal tract, nutrients interact with receptors on the enteroendocrine cells in the gut, which in return respond by secreting various hormones. Sensing of nutrients by the gut plays a critical role in transmitting food-related signals to the brain and other tissues informing the composition of ingested food to digestive processes. These signals modulate feeding behaviors, food intake, metabolism, insulin secretion, and energy balance. The increasing significance of fly genetics with the availability of a vast toolbox for studying physiological function, expression of chemosensory receptors, and monitoring the gene expression in specific cells of the intestine makes the fly gut the most useful tissue for studying the nutrient-sensing mechanisms. In this review, we emphasize on the role of  gut in nutrient-sensing to maintain metabolic homeostasis and gut-brain cross talk using endocrine and neuronal signaling pathways stimulated by internal state or the consumption of various dietary nutrients. Overall, this review will be useful in understanding the post-ingestive nutrient-sensing mechanisms having a physiological and pathological impact on health and diseases.

Nutrient Sensing via Gut in .

In contrast to chronological aging, biological aging or metabolic aging is a relative age of cells and tissues and the damage they've accumulated over years. Comparison of one's basal metabolic rate (BMR) to the average BMR of one's chronological age group gives the Metabolic age. Higher metabolic age of younger population is a serious concern and a key factor that leads to metabolic disorders in all age groups. Slower metabolism is a symbol of older age. Higher metabolic age indicates poor metabolism and higher risk of getting diseases and health complications later in life. Therefore, aging faster metabolically can severely impact chronological age. People with obesity and diabetes suffered the most due to current ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 patients with concomitant metabolic diseases had higher risk of worse prognosis and mortality. Lowering metabolic age can thus reduce the risk of getting age related health conditions and mitigate morbidities caused by pandemic like Covid-19. Therefore, maintaining healthy metabolic age in all age groups is required in the current unprecedented times. The aim of the review is to raise the prime concerns and to improve the population health outcomes by reducing the metabolic age.

Covid-19 Pandemic and Metabolic Aging.

Sodium present in NaCl is a fundamental nutrient required for many physiological processes but high salt consumption in western world is contributing health risk to all age individuals. Although high salt detection pathways have been studied in great detail, the mechanisms that regulate high salt consumption in animals are largely unknown. To understand how pre-exposure to high NaCl diet modulates subsequent feeding behavior, we looked into the neural mechanisms of high NaCl consumption in adult 

Pinky Kain

Regional Centre for Biotechnology

Tracking Sugar-Elicited Local Searching Behavior in Drosophila