Drosophila Temperature Preference Rhythms: An Innovative Model to Understand Body Temperature Rhythms

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology
• Comparative Physiology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The daily body temperature rhythm (BTR) is crucial for mammalian homeostasis and is regulated by the circadian clock.
• Mechanisms underlying BTR regulation remain largely unknown.
• Drosophila, as ectotherms, regulate body temperature by selecting preferred environmental temperatures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize a novel circadian output in Drosophila related to temperature regulation.
• To investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling temperature preference rhythm (TPR) in flies.
• To explore the evolutionary conservation of TPR and BTR regulatory pathways.

Main Methods:

• Observation of Drosophila behavior to identify temperature preference rhythms (TPR).
• Genetic manipulation of diuretic hormone 31 receptor (DH31R) in Drosophila.
• Comparative analysis of DH31R in Drosophila and its mammalian homolog, calcitonin receptor (Calcr), in mice.
• Assessment of locomotor activity rhythms in conjunction with TPR and BTR.

Main Results:

• Drosophila exhibit a daily TPR, with higher preferred temperatures during the day and lower temperatures at night, thus generating a BTR.
• DH31R was identified as the key mediator of Drosophila TPR.
• Calcitonin receptor (Calcr) is essential for mammalian BTR, and DH31R/Calcr regulates BTR independently of locomotor activity.

Conclusions:

• Drosophila TPR is a conserved circadian output that parallels mammalian BTR.
• The DH31R/Calcr pathway represents an ancient and specific regulator of body temperature rhythms.
• Studying Drosophila TPR provides valuable insights into the molecular and neural underpinnings of mammalian BTR.