RESEARCH STRATEGY NIGMS administrative equipment supplement for Parent Award R01GM146010 (NOT-GM-22-017): PI: Pelin C. Volkan - Social experience-dependent modification of gene regulation and circuit function Animals modulate their social behaviors in response to both internal and GH CS♂ SH CS♂ environmental signals to increase fitness. The molecular and neural circuit-based mechanisms underlying behavioral regulation in response to sensory cues remain unclear. The parent award addresses the role of social experience in modulating gene Canton S ☿ w1118☿ expression, circuit function, and courtship behaviors in D. melanogaster. In D. melanogaster, FruitlessM (FruM) and DoublesexM (DsxM) are critical transcription factors that control male-specific innate and learned courtship behaviors, respectively [1-3]. Socially experience alters male courtship in both wild-type and fru mutants, as well as GH SH 1. GH SH Figure Males modifying fru transcription and chromatin state [4-7]. The awarded proposal monosexually grouped or CS w1118 identify social experience and pheromone signaling-dependent changes in 15 10 around fru and 2) dsx genes, and 3) determine their effects on downstream t 5 expression, circuit function, and behavioral outputs. 0 15 Scientific Justification for Requested Supplement Equipment: 10 5 All objectives of the parent award R01GM146010 necessitate quantitati 0 responses from P1 courtship command neurons in the central brain. To 0.00 0.25 0.50 0. 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 0.00 0.25 0.50 Courtship Index Courtship index Canton S ☿ w1118 ☿ 15is 10 a 5 e 0 w fl s i olated for 7 ssayed for co ther Canton-S female Iso a days before urtship with er” female or ed Canton GH “ Non-courter” “Court ie of 1 11 8 . l t - ber 15 C 1 0 u m S males court anton-S and w1 more with females. SH N 1 18 0 5 requesting funds to purchase the Bruker Ultima Investigator Plus Laser Scanning microscope with a Coherent AXON 920-2 TPC laser to support the parent award 5R01GM146010. Aligned with the goals of the parent proposal, we found that social isolation increases the activity of P1 courtship command neurons and courtship behaviors, AA B as well as altering the transcriptional and chromatin state of fru, dsx, and other neuromodulatory genes in the brain. To causally link the effects of socially regulated genes on courtship circuit activity, all aims depend on 2-photon imaging of courtship command neurons in genetic and functional manipulation of distinct genes and neurons within the C D courtship circuits. Bruker Ultima Investigator Plus Laser Scanning microscope with a Coherent AXON 920-2 TPC laser will allow the detection, resolution, and quantitative analysis of calcium dynamics of critical neurons in the courtship circuits, in response to different social contexts as Figure 2. A) P1 Courtship command neuron dendritic field for calcium recording. B) 2-photon microscopy set up for live well ...