# The heat shock response in an identified neuronal circuit

> **NIH NIH F31** · BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $31,547

## Abstract

Project Summary
The brain must constantly compensate for multiple destabilizing experiences while maintaining proper
function. Adaptive responses to perturbation have been well documented in a wide number of systems. What is
less well understood is how adaptation to one challenge affects the overall robustness of a circuit to other
challenges. Of particular interest are heat shock proteins (HSP), a highly conserved family of molecular
chaperones that are upregulated in the nervous system in response to a wide range of stressors. The proposed
work addresses the specificity of the heat shock response to different perturbations using a well described small
motor circuit, the crab stomatogastric ganglion (STG).
Previous work in the STG has established the robustness of its motor neurons to high temperatures, altered pH
and elevated extracellular potassium. This wealth of knowledge allows me to compare the effect of three sub-
critical perturbations across the same set of identified neurons. Preliminary data on pooled neurons indicates
that different subsets of HSPs are activated in the STG in response to high temperatures compared to elevated
potassium concentrations. I will now compare the activation of HSP and other gene expression changes across
three perturbations in individual identified neurons. The proposed work will address how the neuronal
response to one perturbation may be generally neuroprotective, and how the response may be specific to
individual challenges.
The direct effects of HSP on the intrinsic properties of STG neurons will be determined. The F-I curves,
threshold and resistance of neurons will be determined both before and after application of HSP70 to
determine what specific effects HSP70 can have on intrinsic properties of identified neurons. In addition, I will
measure how such changes in intrinsic properties confer robustness to future perturbation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10144567
- **Project number:** 1F31NS113383-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mara Rue
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $31,547
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-12-01 → 2022-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10144567

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10144567, The heat shock response in an identified neuronal circuit (1F31NS113383-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10144567. Licensed CC0.

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