Imaging DNA damage and neuronal maintenance in live sleeping animals
Abstract
Sleep is vital for survival of all animals, ranging from jellyfish to fish and humans. Sleep improves brain performance, such as memory and learning, however, even invertebrates with simple nervous system sleep, and the core cellular function of this enigmatic behavior is unclear. We propose that single neuron, located within intact networks, require sleep across evolution. We combined real time imaging of single chromosomes and repair proteins, 3D particle motion analysis, optogenetics stimulation, genetic manipulations, calcium imaging, as well as video tracking of behavior to study the interaction between sleep, neuronal activity, DNA damage and repair in various species. We suggest that sleep upregulates nuclear maintenance in neurons.
