Mark A. Tanouye
Professor and Insect Neurobiologist
131 LSA
Phone #: (510) 642-9404
FAX #: (510) 643-6791
tanouye@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Research Interests
We study Drosophila mutants that have severe behavioral abnormalities. By
determining the genetic and molecular bases of these abnormalities, we are
able to unravel new and basic features of nervous system structure and function
in insects.
Current Projects
Our approach is to use a combination of methodologies including classical
and molecular genetics, behavior, electrophysiology, and neuroanatomy. Two
broad questions are being examined:
i) What molecules are important for the generation of electrical signals
in the nervous system? Properly signaling in the nervous system depends
on molecules which underlie action potential genesis and synaptic transmission.
Signaling may be examined genetically and molecularly using mutations which
disrupt these molecules. Defects are manifest behaviorally as hyperexcitability
or paralysis. Currently under study in the laboratory is the hyperexcitability
mutant Shaker and the paralytic mutants bangsenseless, easily
shocked, bang sensitive, and paralytic.
ii) What molecules are necessary for the development and stable maintenance
of neuronal connections? During development, nerve cells must navigate toward
their targets using molecules that mark pathways and other molecules in
growth cones that respond to the pathway makers. One targets are reached,
nerve connections must be established and stably maintained. Specific behavioral
mutants may be used to dissect apart this process. Currently under study
in the laboratory are mutations that disrupt the escape behaviors of flight
and jump. These mutations form a powerful way of dissecting apart the molecular
interactions responsible for nervous system development. Currently under
study are the mutations bendless and stripe.
Selected Publications
Oh, C.E., McMahon, R., Benzer, S., and Tanouye, M.A. 1994. bendless, a Drosophila
gene affecting neuronal connectivity, encodes a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme
homolog. J. Neurosci. 14:3166-3179.
Pavlidis, P., Ramaswami M., and Tanouye, M.A. 1994. The Drosophila easily
shocked gene: a mutation in a phospholipid synthetic pathway causes seizure,
neuronal failure, and paralysis. Cell 79, 1-20.
Pavlidis, P. and Tanouye, M.A. 1995. Seizures and failures in the giant
fiber pathway of Drosophila bang-sensitive paralytic mutants. J. Neurosci.
15:5810-5819.
Lee, J.C., Vijay Raghavan, K., Celniker, S., and Tanouye, M.A. 1995. Identification
of a Drosophila muscle development gene with structural homology to mammalian
early growth response transcription factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 92:10344-10348.
Dobson, S. and Tanouye, M. 1996. The paternal sex ratio chromosome induces
chromosome loss independently of Wolbachia in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis.
Dev. Genes Evol. In Presss.
Current Graduate Students:
Current Postdocs:
- Jeremy Lee
- Charles Oh
- Elaine Reynolds
- Hai Guang Zhang