DISRUPTION OF A BEHAVIORAL SEQUENCE BY TARGETED DEATH OF PEPTIDERGIC NEURONS IN DROSOPHILA

The neuropeptide eclosion hormone (EH) is a key regulator of insect ec dysis. We tested the role of the two EH-producing neurons in Drosophil a by using an EH cell-specific enhancer to activate cell death genes r eaper and head involution defective to ablate the EH cells. In the EH cell knockout flies, larval and adult ecdyses were disrupted, yet a th ird of the knockouts emerged as adults, demonstrating that EH has a si gnificant but nonessential role in ecdysis. The EH cell knockouts had discrete behavioral deficits, including slow, uncoordinated eclosion a nd an insensitivity to ecdysis-triggering hormone. The knockouts lacke d the lights-on eclosion response despite having a normal circadian ec losion rhythm. This study represents a novel approach to the dissectio n of neuropeptide regulation of a complex behavioral program.