Synaptic pruning in drosophila

Synaptic pruning is a neuroplastic process leading to the withdrawal of ectopic synapses formed during the initial phases of neuronal development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic pruning remain incompletely understood. The process of synaptic pruning is crucial during development in multiple organisms as it has also been linked to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism. The disorders of the autism spectrum are known to have a strong genetic component, with over 100 high-risk candidate genes.

Many of these candidate genes are involved in neuronal development and synapse functioning, coding for proteins involved in synaptic signaling. Moreover, evidence from postmortem studies of autistic patients that have mutations in genes associated with autism, show increased synaptic density and longer dendritic spines. My studies and the ongoing investigations in the Vonhoff laboratory are aimed at providing insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating synaptic pruning and to reveal a role of high-risk candidate autism genes in disrupting this process during development in Drosophila melanogaster.