Nilay Yapici

Cross-Kingdom Control: Yeast Prion Protein Modulates Host Physiology in Drosophila

This study shows that a yeast prion modulates host physiology in Drosophila by affecting cold tolerance and locomotion through gut-brain signaling pathways.

Hunger neurons track available food locations during foraging and spatial memory recall

This study shows AgRP neuron activity in mice tracks spatial proximity to food during foraging and recalls food locations after removal.

Molecular architecture of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the first gustatory relay

This study identifies a cell-type-specific transcriptional response in rNTS neurons to fasting, showing downregulation of Gabrd in excitatory neurons.

Social experience alters behaviors by reprogramming the Fruitless pathway and circadian state in Drosophila

The paper shows that group housing in Drosophila suppresses courtship by altering the Fruitless pathway and circadian state, with specific effects on gene expression and behavior.

A gut-brain-gut interoceptive circuit loop gates sugar ingestion in Drosophila

The paper identifies a gut-brain-gut circuit in Drosophila that regulates sugar ingestion by monitoring sugar content and modulating digestive muscle activity.

Exploration-exploitation trade-off is regulated by metabolic state and taste value in Drosophila

This study investigates how metabolic state and taste value influence exploration-exploitation trade-offs in Drosophila using a novel foraging assay.

HisCl1 regulates gustatory habituation in sweet taste neurons and mediates sugar ingestion in Drosophila

This study identifies HisCl1 as a regulator of gustatory habituation in Drosophila sweet taste neurons, showing it reduces spike frequency adaptation and mediates sugar ingestion.

GABA-mediated inhibition in visual feedback neurons fine-tunes Drosophila male courtship

This study identifies GABARAP's role in modulating visual feedback neurons to regulate Drosophila male courtship behavior.

Multiphoton imaging of neural structure and activity in Drosophila through the intact cuticle

This paper develops a multiphoton imaging method to image neural structure and activity in Drosophila through the intact cuticle, showing 3-photon imaging is superior for deeper brain regions.

Control of feeding by Piezo-mediated gut mechanosensation in Drosophila

This study identifies Drosophila Piezo as a mechanosensory receptor that controls meal size by detecting gut distension, with Piezo neuron activation reducing appetite and knockout increasing food intake.

An expression atlas of chemosensory ionotropic glutamate receptors identifies a molecular basis of carbonation detection

The paper identifies a molecular basis for carbonation detection using Drosophila IRs, showing that Ir56d, along with co-receptors, is essential for carbonation and fatty acid sensing.