Tavosanis Group

My lab is interested in the cellular dynamics that support the development and plasticity of the nervous system.

We study how neurons establish their complex distinctive dendrite morphologies. For this, in combination with classical genetics, we are pushing in vivo imaging of differentiating neurons to reveal the subcellular transient localization of active molecular cascades. We combine quantitative morphometrics with genetics to reconstruct complex molecular regulation of the cytoskeleton in vivo. Together with computational neuroscientists, we have recently developed a general concept of dendrite differentiation that we apply to different neuronal types to understand the fundamental principles of dendrite differentiation.

To investigate the potential for plasticity in the nervous system after development is completed, we have established new paradigms to address how neurons can undergo structural changes also during the adult life of the animal at the synapse and at the circuit level. Recently, we have described the structural and functional changes that accompany the consolidation of memories in the adult fly mushroom body. On the basis of this structural plasticity, we are currently investigating how are sensory stimuli encoded in the mushroom body and the stability of those codes.

Discover our homepage here.

Methods

• Cell biological approaches to visualize and manipulate neurons in vivo
• Drosophila genetics
• Confocal and live cell imaging
• In vivo imaging and functional in vivo imaging
• Learning and memory behavioural paradigms in Drosophila

5 selected publications

1. PriscoL., DeimelS.H., YeliseyevaH., FialaA. and Tavosanis G. (2021) The anterior paired lateral neuron normalizes odour-evoked activity in the Drosophila mushroom body calyx. eLife 10:e74172 doi: 10.7554/eLife.74172
2. Baltruschat L, Prisco L, Ranft P, Lauritzen JS, Fiala A, Bock DD, Tavosanis G (2021) Circuit reorganization in the Drosophila mushroom body calyx accompanies memory consolidation. Cell Reports 34 (11): 108871 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108871
3. Ferreira Castro A, Baltruschat L, Stürner T, Bahrami A, Jedlicka P, Tavosanis G*, Cuntz H* (2020) Achieving functional neuronal dendrite structure through sequential stochastic growth and retraction. Elife Nov 26;9:e60920
4. Marchetti G and Tavosanis G. (2017) Steroid Hormone Ecdysone Signaling Specifies Mushroom Body Neuron Sequential Fate via Chinmo. Curr Biol. 27(19):3017-3024.
5. Sugie A, Hakeda-Suzuki S, Suzuki E, Silies M, Shimozono M, Mohl C, Suzuki T and Tavosanis G (2015) Molecular Remodeling of the Presynaptic Active Zone of Drosophila Photoreceptors via Activity-Dependent Feedback. Neuron 86(3):711-25