Analysis of the metabolic homeostasis of the Drosophila brain

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Stefanie Schirmeier
• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 313812978

Neural function consumes vast amounts of energy and thus a constant, regulated supply of highly energetic metabolites is necessary. In Drosophila all organs, including the brain, are floating in the blood-like hemolymph, which contains nutrients. The blood-brain barrier forming glial cells that surround the entire brain take up carbohydrates from the hemolymph. The glial cells than process these carbohydrates and shuttle metabolites to the neurons that allow fast and efficient production of ATP. Here, we want to analyze the metabolic homeostasis of the Drosophila brain in more detail and answer the following questions. How are metabolites distributed throughout the brain? How is the amount of metabolites supplied to the neurons regulated? How is the import of carbohydrates from the hemolymph coupled to neuronal activity? We are going to directly visualize the distribution of metabolites in the Drosophila brain using FRET-based sensors to unravel which metabolites are being distributed throughout the brain. In addition, we will identify the relevant carbohydrate, amino acid and monocarboxylate transporters in the system and study their expression patterns. We will further functionally characterize these transporters to identify their cargo and transport kinetics, which will allow us to deduce the metabolic fluxes between the different cell types. In the long term, we want to analyze how transport of different metabolites into the brain and within the brain is regulated.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants