Hubert Amrein
Professor
Department of Molecular and Ceullular Medicine
242 Reynolds Medical Building
College Station,
Texas 77843
Phone: 979-845-6742
Fax: 979-847-9481
Email: amrein@medicine.tamhsc.edu
Education and Post-Graduate Training
Research Interests
Dr. Amrein’s broad research interests are concerned with the sensory perception of the external chemical world. The central questions investigated in the laboratory are concerned with how animals detect and discriminate among the thousands of different chemical signals that “flood” the olfactory and taste organs. The laboratory uses Drosophila as a model to study these problems because the Drosophila chemosensory systems are structurally and functionally very similar to those of mammals, yet they are smaller and somewhat less complex, which makes them excellent models to investigate the molecular and neural basis of olfaction and taste.
The current focus of the lab is to determine the molecular and neural basis of sugar and amino acid perception. In addition, the laboratory seeks to identify and determine the role of pheromone receptors in social behaviors including, courtship and mating, egg laying, and aggression. A new and exciting line of studies involves the search for receptors and signaling molecules involved in auditory perception. Acoustic signals, along with pheromone cues, provide the major sensory input in the social interaction of Drosophila, as well as many other animals.
The laboratory takes advantage of all molecular and genetic tools available in the Drosophila model system, including classic genetic analysis, transgenesis, gene knock out studies using homologous recombination and all types of RNA and DNA analyses (microarray, qRT-PCR, Northern and Southern analysis etc). A variety of cellular and anatomical investigations of the chemosensory systems and the CNS using immunological methods (antibody staining etc), as well as in situ hybridization, are also employed. Finally, the functional analysis of genetically modified animals is pursued using numerous behavioral paradigms and electrophysiological assays.
Amrein lab members
Staff
Christopher Jagge, Ph.D., lab manager
Travis Dalton, B.S. Reserch Technician
Gaurav Sharan, B.S. Reserch Technician
Undergraduate Researchers
Alex Broussard, B.S. candidate
Postdoctoral Fellows
Shinsuke Fujii, Ph.D, Associate Research Scientist
Tetsuya Miyamoto, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate
Rose-Anne Meissner, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate
Yan Chen, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dushyant Misra, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Associate
Selected Publications
Wang, L., Han, X., Mehren, J., Billeter, J.C., Miyamoto, T., Amrein, H., Levine, J.D. and Anderson, D.J. (2011) Hierarchical chemosensory regulation of male-male social interactions in Drosophila. Nature Neuroscience 14 (6), 757-762.
Fujii, S. and Amrein, H. (2010) Ventral lateral and DN1 clock neurons mediate distinct properties of male sex drive rhythm in Drosophila.PNAS 107 (21), 10590-105959.
Miyamoto, T., and Amrein H. (2008). Suppression of male courtship by a Drosophila pheromone receptor. Nature Neuroscience 11, 874-876.
Fujii, S. Toyoma, A., and Amrein H. (2008). A male-specific and circadian regulated fatty acid omega-hydroxylase, SXEI, is necessary for efficient male mating in Drosophilamelanogasier. Genetics 180.
Thorne, N. and Amrein, H. (2008). Atypical Expression of Drosophilagustatory receptor genes in sensory and central neurons. Journal of Comparative Neurology 506, 548-568.
Fujii, S., Krishnan, P., Hardin, P. and Amrein, H. (2007). Nocturnal male sex drive in Drosophila. Current Biology 17, 244-251.
Slone, J., Daniels, J. and Amrein. H. (2007). Sugar Receptors in Drosophila. Current Biology 17, 1809-18 16.
Wolf, M.J., Amrein, H., Izatt, J.A., Reedy, M. and Rockman, H.A. (2006). Drosophila as a model for the identification of genes causing adult human heart disease. P.N.A.S. 103 (5), 1394-1399.
Amrein, H. and Thorne, N. (2005). Gustatory perception and Behavior of Drosophila melanogaster. Current Biology 15, R673-R684. Review.
Amrein, H. (2004). Pheromone Perception and Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Current Opinion in Neurobiology 14: 435-442.
Larson, M.C., Domingos, A.I., Jones, W.D., Chiappe, M.E., Amrein, H. and Vosshall, L.B. (2004). Or83b encodes an Odorant Receptor Essential for Drosophila Olfaction. Neuron 43: 703-714.
Thorne, N., Chromey, C., Bray, S. and Amrein, H. (2004). Taste Perception and Coding in Drosophila. Current Biology 14: 1065-1079.
Bray, S. and Amrein, H. (2003). A Putative Drosophila Pheromone Receptor Expressed in Male-specific Taste Neurons is Required for Efficient Courtship. Neuron 39: 1019-1029.
Specialty Training/Board Certifications
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