Studying alcohol use disorder using Drosophila melanogaster in the era of 'Big Data'.
Gregory L EngelKreager TaberElizabeth VintonAmanda J CrockerPublished in: Behavioral and brain functions : BBF (2019)
Our understanding of the networks of genes and protein functions involved in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) remains incomplete, as do the mechanisms by which these networks lead to AUD phenotypes. The fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is an efficient model for functional and mechanistic characterization of the genes involved in alcohol behavior. The fly offers many advantages as a model organism for investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms of alcohol-related behaviors, and for understanding the underlying neural circuitry driving behaviors, such as locomotor stimulation, sedation, tolerance, and appetitive (reward) learning and memory. Fly researchers are able to use an extensive variety of tools for functional characterization of gene products. To understand how the fly can guide our understanding of AUD in the era of Big Data we will explore these tools, and review some of the gene networks identified in the fly through their use, including chromatin-remodeling, glial, cellular stress, and innate immunity genes. These networks hold great potential as translational drug targets, making it prudent to conduct further research into how these gene mechanisms are involved in alcohol behavior.
Keyphrases
- drosophila melanogaster
- alcohol use disorder
- big data
- genome wide
- genome wide identification
- artificial intelligence
- machine learning
- copy number
- transcription factor
- genome wide analysis
- dna methylation
- alcohol consumption
- gene expression
- spinal cord injury
- dna damage
- deep learning
- emergency department
- acute respiratory distress syndrome
- mechanical ventilation
- oxidative stress
- bioinformatics analysis
- adverse drug
- binding protein
- human health
- heat stress