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Sensory Encoding in Hair Cells of the Zebrafish Lateral Line

Award Number: R15DC014843
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2016
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2021

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Sensory Encoding in Hair Cells of the Zebrafish Lateral Line - The process by which the auditory system encodes low-frequency sounds such as those produced by the human voice and a grand piano is not entirely understood. Our long-term goal is to determine how hair cell sensory receptors encode stimulus features into representative sequences of electrical activity in sensory afferent neurons. Understanding this process relies on understanding how intrinsic hair-cell mechanisms contribute to encoded activity. The overall objective of this proposal is to examine sensory encoding in the lateral line system of larval zebrafish. Specifically, the central hypothesis of this proposal is that lateral-line hair cells encode stimulus intensity and duration within defined temporal patterns of afferent activity. The hypothesis was formulated through preliminary experiments on both wild type and transgenic larvae with hair-cell expression of the optogenetic protein, channelrhodhopsin-2 (ChR2), which allows for optical stimulation of hair cells instead of via activation of MET channels with mechanical stimuli. The central hypothesis will be tested with the following two specific aims: 1) Determine the relationship between stimulus features and activity parameters, which include the onset of activity, total amount of activity and the temporal patterns of the activity in wild type larvae; and 2) Compare neuron activity parameters between mechanical and optical stimulation of hair cells in transgenic larvae. Aim 1 will examine the dependence of activity parameters during manipulation of stimulus intensity, duration, and repetition. Experiments in Aim 2 will compare mechanically and optically evoked activity in two different transgenic zebrafish lines that combine optogenetics with wild type data to provide insight into the contribution of intrinsic hair-cell mechanisms on the parameters of afferent neuron activity. The rationale for this proposal is that examination of the relationship between input stimulus features and output activity parameters will further our understanding of auditory perception. The approach is innovative as it utilizes an in vivo approach with electrophysiology on single afferent neurons together with optogenetics to investigate low-frequency encoding in an intact larval zebrafish. Given the importance of low frequency auditory information, and that hair cells are remarkably conserved across vertebrates, our findings will be significant for understanding the function of the mammalian auditory system and will have a positive impact on the treatment of deafness and communication disorders, including the development of cochlear implants that can reliably encode low-frequency information.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2021	2016	AMHERST COLLEGE, TRUSTEES OF	155 S PLEASANT ST	AMHERST	MA	01002	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	9/8/2021	NEW	$0
2021	2016	AMHERST COLLEGE, TRUSTEES OF	103 CONVERSE HALL	AMHERST	MA	01002	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	5/3/2021	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2020	2016	AMHERST COLLEGE, TRUSTEES OF	103 CONVERSE HALL	AMHERST	MA	01002	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	6/18/2020	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $439,357 )
2016	2016	TRUSTEES OF AMHERST COLLEGE	P.O. BOX 5000	AMHERST	MA	01002	HAMPSHIRE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	6/7/2016	NEW	$439,357
														Subtotal = $439,357

Grand Total All Awards = $439,357

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Sensory Encoding in Hair Cells of the Zebrafish Lateral Line

Award Number: R15DC014843

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2016

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2021

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