Maria Monastirioti (Staff Scientist)
We are interested in a) biological processes underlying the establishment of cellular fate and function within nervous system and b) how neuronal function and neuroactive molecules impact the physiology and behaviour of an organism. For our studies we use the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster a model organism with a wide repertoire of technical advances that allow manipulation of its genome and more importantly the study of the resulting effects on the viability, behaviour and physiology at the whole organism level. Our research lines relate to
a) the mechanisms (intercellular communication and transcriptional regulation) governing neuronal and non-neuronal cell fate determination focusing on Notch signalling and its effectors in the establishment of distinct identities of post mitotic cells.
b) the development of neurochemical specificity of distinct neuronal cell types in the mature nervous system. We center on the regulation of the Tyramine β-hydroxylase (Tβh) gene that characterises the neuronal populations producing Octopamine, a Noradrenaline analogue that controls many physiological processes and behaviours in insects. Through the molecular genetics of Tβh gene, we also pursue generation and analysis of Octopamine deficient insects with an emphasis in their reproductive activity and their response to stress.
Monastirioti M, Giagtzoglou N, Koumbanakis KA, Zacharioudaki E, Deligiannaki M, Wech I, Almeida M, Preiss A, Bray S, Delidakis C. (2010) Drosophila Hey is a target of Notch in asymmetric divisions during embryonic and larval neurogenesis. Development 137:191-201.
Gruntenko NE, Chentsova NA, Bogomolova EV, Karpova EK, Glazko GV, Faddeeva NV, Monastirioti M, Rauschenbach I Yu. (2004) The effect of mutations altering biogenic amine metabolism in Drosophila on viability and the response to heat stress. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 5:555-67.
Monastirioti M. (2003) Distinct octopamine cell population residing in the CNS abdominal ganglion controls ovulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Developmental Biology 264:38-49.
Schwaerzel M, Monastirioti M, Scholz H, Friggi-Grelin F, Birman S, Heisenberg M. (2003) Dopamine and octopamine differentiate between aversive and appetitive olfactory memories in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience 23:10495-502.
Gruntenko NE, Wilson TG, Monastirioti M. Rauschenbach I Yu. (2000) Stress reactivity and juvenile hormone degradation in Drosophila melanogaster stress related mutations. Insect Biochem. & Mol.Biol. 30:775-783.
Relevant Publications
Monastirioti M., Gorczyca M., Eckert M., Rapus J.,White K. and V. Budnik. (1995) Octopamine Immunoreactivity in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster . Journal of Comparative Neurology 356: 275-287.
Linn C. E, M. Monastirioti and K. White. (1995) Comparison of biogenic amine levels in the nervous system of Drosophila: Wild type vs. a mutant for tyramine -hydroxylase. Abstr, Soc. Neurosc. 21: 631.
Monastirioti M., Linn C. E and K. White. (1996) Characterization of Drosophila Tyramine hydroxylase gene and isolation of mutant flies lacking octopamine. Journal of Neuroscience 16, 3900-3911.
Monastirioti M. (1999) Biogenic Amine systems in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Microscopy Research and Techniques, 45, 106-121.
Gruntenko N. E., Wilson T. G., Monastirioti M. and I. Yu. Rauschenbach. (2000) Stress reactivity and juvenile hormone degradation in Drosophila melanogaster stress related mutations. Insect Biochem. & Mol.Biol., 30(8-9),775-783.
Monastirioti M. (2003) Distinct octopamine cell population residing in the CNS abdominal ganglion controls ovulation in Drosophila melanogaster. Developmental Biology 264,38-49.
Schwaerzel M.,Monastirioti M., Scholz H., Friggi-Grelin F., Birman S. and M. Heisenberg. (2003) Dopamine and octopamine differentiate between aversive and appetitive olfactory memories in Drosophila. Journal of Neuroscience 23(33)10495-10502.
Gruntenko N.E., Chentsova N.A., Bogomolova E.V., Karpova E.K., Glazko G.V., Faddeeva N.V., Monastirioti M., and I.Yu Rauschenbach. (2004) The effect of mutations altering biogenic amine metabolism in Drosophila on viability and the response to heat stress. Arch. Insect Biochem.Physiol. 5, 555-67.
Monastirioti M., Giagtzoglou N., Koumbanakis K.A., Zacharioudaki E., Deligiannaki M., Wech I., Almeida M., Preiss A., Bray S., Delidakis C. (2010) Drosophila Hey is a target of Notch in asymmetric divisions during embryonic and larval neurogenesis, Development, 137(2): 191-201
Pavlidi N, Monastirioti M., Daborn P., Livadaras I., Van Leeuwen T., Vontas J. (2012) Transgenic expression of the Aedes aegypti CYP9J28 confers pyrethroid resistance in Drosophila melanogaster. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 104 (2):132-135
Homberg U., Seyfarth J., Binkle U., Monastirioti M., Alkema M.J. (2013) Identification of distinct tyraminergic and octopaminergic neurons innervating the central complex of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Journal of Comparative Neurology. 521(9):2025-2041
Delidakis C., Monastirioti M., Magadi S.S. (2014) E(spl): genetic, developmental, and evolutionary aspects of a group of invertebrate Hes proteins with close ties to Notch signaling. Curr Top Dev Biol 110(): 217-62