Abstract
In Drosophila, mushroom bodies are centers for higher order behavior. Mushroom body neurons consist of three distinct types of neuronal cells, alpha, alpha'/beta', and alpha/beta, which are all generated by the same neuroblasts. The mechanism by which a single neuroblast generates three different types of mushroom body neurons is a compelling area of research. Here, we report that bunched (bun) is expressed only in alpha/beta-type mushroom body neurons and that mutation of the bun gene only affects the development of alpha/beta neurons. Reduced bun expression causes decreased and premature arrest of neuroblast cell division, which results in reduced numbers of alpha/beta neurons and thin axon bundled formation. We propose that bun acts as a specific factor in regulating neuroblast mitotic activity during the development of alpha/beta neurons.
