High-Frequency Neuronal Bursting is Essential for Circadian and Sleep Behaviors in Drosophila

Circadian rhythms have been extensively studied in ; however, still little is known about how the electrical properties of clock neurons are specified. We have performed a behavioral genetic screen through the downregulation of candidate ion channels in the lateral ventral neurons (LNvs) and show that the hyperpolarization-activated cation current I is important for the behaviors that the LNvs influence: temporal organization of locomotor activity, analyzed in males, and sleep, analyzed in females. Using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology we demonstrate that small LNvs (sLNvs) are bursting neurons, and that I is necessary to achieve the high-frequency bursting firing pattern characteristic of both types of LNvs in females. Since firing in bursts has been associated to neuropeptide release, we hypothesized that I would be important for LNvs communication. Indeed, herein we demonstrate that I is fundamental for the recruitment of pigment dispersing factor (PDF) filled dense core vesicles (DCVs) to the terminals at the dorsal protocerebrum and for their timed release, and hence for the temporal coordination of circadian behaviors. Ion channels are transmembrane proteins with selective permeability to specific charged particles. The rich repertoire of parameters that may gate their opening state, such as voltage-sensitivity, modulation by second messengers and specific kinetics, make this protein family a determinant of neuronal identity. Ion channel structure is evolutionary conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates, making any discovery easily translatable. Through a screen to uncover ion channels with roles in circadian rhythms, we have identified the I channel as an important player in a subset of clock neurons of the fruit fly. We show that lateral ventral neurons (LNvs) need I to fire action potentials in a high-frequency bursting mode and that this is important for peptide transport and the control of behavior.