Behavior and Metabolism

Research Interests

We are interested in understanding how molecular and cellular mechanisms control complex biological processes at the level of the whole organism. For this we are focusing on how the internal metabolic state of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster affects its behavioral decisions. Starting from novel behavioral paradigms we use molecular genetic techniques to identify and characterize genes and neuronal populations involved in producing the appropriate behavioral response to a specific metabolic need of the fly. Molecular processes are identified using in vivo tissue specific whole genome behavioral RNAi screens while neuronal populations are identified by screening for fly lines which allow us to manipulate specific neuronal populations necessary for the fly to produce the correct behavioral outputs. These mechanisms and circuits are then analyzed using quantitative behavioral observations, sophisticated genetic and molecular techniques as well as imaging approaches.

We believe that the sophisticated and robust behavioral responses shown by the fruitfly paired with a neuronal system, which compared to vertebrates, is made up of orders of magnitude less neurons and extremely powerful molecular genetic tools make the fruitfly an ideal system to elucidate such complex processes in the context of an whole organism. In the future this will make it possible to generate a molecular and cellular understanding of how neuronal systems sense metabolic needs and modify neuronal processes to generate the correct behavioral decisions needed for the survival and reproduction of an organism.

Group Members

Publications

Yapici, N., Kim, Y.-J., Ribeiro, C., Dickson, B.J. (2008). A receptor that mediates the post-mating switch in Drosophila reproductive behaviour Nature 451(7174) :33-7

Jung, A.C., Ribeiro, C., Michaut, L., Certa, U., Affolter, M. (2006). Polychaetoid/ZO-1 is required for cell specification and rearrangement during Drosophila tracheal morphogenesis Current Biology 16(12) :1224-1231

Keleman, K., Ribeiro, C., Dickson, B. (2005). Comm function in commissural axon guidance: cell-autonomous sorting of Robo in vivo Nature Neuroscience 8(2) :156-163

Ribeiro, C., Neumann, M., Affolter, M. (2004). Genetic control of cell intercalation during tracheal morphogenesis in Drosophila Current Biology 14(24) :2197-2207

Jazwinska, A., Ribeiro, C. and Affolter, M. (2003). Epithelial tube morphogenesis during Drosophila tracheal development requires Piopio, a luminal ZP protein Nature Cell Biology 5(10) :895-901

Ribeiro, C., Petit, V. and Affolter, M. (2003). Signaling systems, guided cell migration and organogenesis: insights from genetic studies in Drosophila Developmental Biology 260(1) :1-8

Ribeiro, C., Ebner, A. and Affolter, M. (2002). In vivo imaging reveals different cellular functions for FGF and Dpp signaling in tracheal branching morphogenesis Developmental Cell 2 :677-683

Petit, V., Ribeiro, C., Ebner, A. and Affolter, M. (2002). Regulation of cell migration during tracheal development in Drosophila melanogaster. International Journal of Developmental Biology 46 :125-132

Ebner, A., Kiefer, F. N., Ribeiro, C., Petit, V., Nussbaumer, U., and Affolter, M. (2002). Tracheal development in Drosophila melanogaster as a model system for studying the development of a branched organ. Gene 287 :55-66

Marty, T., Vigano, M. A., Ribeiro, C., Nussbaumer, U., Grieder N. C. and Affolter, M. (2001). A HOX complex, a repressor element and a 50 bp sequence confer regional specificity to a DPP-responsive enhancer. Development 128 :2833-2845