We examined the development of olfactory neuropils in the hemimetabolous insect Locusta migratoria with an emphasis on the mushroom bodies, protocerebral integration centers implicated in memory formation. Using a marker of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling cascade and lipophilic dye labeling, we obtained new insights into mushroom body organization by resolving previously unr...

Tyrosine phosphorylation mediates multiple signal transduction pathways that play key roles in developmental processes and behavioral plasticity. The level of tyrosine phosphorylation is regulated by protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Extensive studies have investigated the roles of tyrosine kinases in memory formation. However, there were few studies on PTPs. To...

The dentate gyrus (DG) plays a crucial role in hippocampal-related memory. The most abundant cellular type in the DG, namely granule neurons, are developmentally generated around postnatal day P6 in mice. Moreover, a unique feature of the DG is the occurrence of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a process that gives rise to newborn granule neurons throughout life. Adult-born and developmentally g...

In a permanently changing environment, it is by no means an easy task to distinguish potentially important events from negligible ones. Yet, to survive, every animal has to continuously face that challenge. How does the brain accomplish this feat? Building on previous work in Drosophila melanogaster visual learning, we have developed an experimental methodology in which combinations of visual s...

Background: In consideration for the increasing widespread use of genetically modified (GM) crops, one of the important issues for assessment is the effect of GM crops on soil microbial communities Objectives: In this study, T2 chitinase-transgenic cotton (line #57) and its non-transgenic line were investigated for bacterial and fungal dynamics...

One of the newest technologies for storing agricultural products is the biodegradable packagingmethod, in which certain materials are utilized on a nano scale. Edible mushroom is a nutritious agriculturalproduct which can be considered a food source as well as having medicinal applications while having a shortshelf life after harvesting. In this study, the mushroom was packaged in polylactic ac...

Most mushrooms are thermo-sensitive to temperatures over 23°C, which greatly restricts their agricultural cultivation. Understanding mushroom's innate heat-tolerance mechanisms may facilitate genetic improvements of their thermotolerance. Agaricus bisporus strain 02 is a relatively thermotolerant mushroom strain, while strain 8213 is quite thermo-sensitive. Here, we compared their responses at ...

Genetic studies in Drosophila reveal that olfactory memory relies on a brain structure called the mushroom body. The mainstream view is that each of the three lobes of the mushroom body play specialized roles in short-term aversive olfactory memory, but a number of studies have made divergent conclusions based on their varying experimental findings. Like many fields, neurogenetics uses null hyp...