The Serotonin Transporter Expression in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Abstract: The serotonin transporter is an important regulator of serotonergic signaling. In order to analyze where the Drosophila melanogaster ortholog of the mammalian serotonin transporter (dSERT) is expressed in the nervous system, a dSERT antibody serum was used. Ectopic expression studies and loss of function analysis revealed that the dSERT antibody serum specifically recognizes dSERT. It was shown that in the embryonic nervous system dSERT is expressed in a subset of Engrailed-positive neurons. In the larval brain, dSERT is exclusively expressed in serotonergic neurons, all of which express dSERT. dSERT-positive neurons surround almost all brain neuropiles. In the mushroom body of the adult brain, extrinsic serotonergic neurons expressing dSERT engulf the mushroom body lobes. These neurons show regional differences in dSERT and serotonin expression. At the presynaptic terminals, serotonin release is sterically linked to serotonin reuptake. In contrast to this, there are other areas in serotonergic neurons where dSERT expression and/or function are uncoupled from synaptic neurotransmitter recycling and serotonin release. The localization pattern of dSERT can be employed to further understanding and analysis of serotonergic networks.

Keywords::

• Drosophila melanogaster
• serotonin
• serotonin transporter
• variability of identified serotonergic neurons

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Corrigendum

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Oliver Hendrich and Ansgar Büschges for comments on the manuscript and Dieter Dudaczek for exquisite and excellent technical support with the cryostat sections and antibody staining.

Declaration of interest: Research was supported by DFG SCHO656 and GK1156 (to H.S.). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.