How Knockdown of DNT1 in Clock Neurons Influences Circadian Rhythm in Drosophila

Circadian rhythm is a 24 hour process that provides advantages for organisms to adapt behavior to environmental conditions. This project seeks to use fruit flies, or Drosophila, to determine whether neurotrophins contribute to the generation of circadian rhythms. We study a Drosophila neurotrophin called DNT1, which is structurally related to all known neurotrophins. In our experiments, we analyze locomotor activity in flies whose DNT1 expression has been down regulated in specific subsets of cells due to RNA interference. The effects are measured through monitoring fly activity for a few weeks through devices known as DrosophilaActivity Monitors (DAMs)