A08
The interplay of mitochondrial and synaptic plasticity in memory consolidation strategies of aging Drosophila brains
We aim to uncover the pathways—from molecular mechanisms to circuit dynamics—that enable memory restoration in the aging brain. Using proteomic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic approaches, we will examine neuronal activity, synaptic function, and mitochondrial remodeling Additionally, we seek to define the point of no return in stress signaling—where protective responses turn detrimental. By linking mitochondrial remodeling to synaptic plasticity, we aim to identify critical aging periods and explore how early-life factors shape resilience. Ultimately, our goal is to establish metabolic and synaptic “signatures” with potential biomedical applications.
Photo credit: aukid – Magnific.com
Graphical Abstract
Graphical abstract: PreScale scheme.
Team
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Prof Dr Stephan Sigrist
Freie Universität Berlin
Head Sigrist Lab (FU & Charité Berlin)
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Dr Oriane Turrel
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Postdoc
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Dr Torsten Götz
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Postdoc (AG Sigrist)
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Dr Sheng Huang
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Associate Postdoc
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David Toppe
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 PhD
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Dr Raquel Suarez Grimalt
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Associate Postdoc (AG Scheunemann)
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Anja Krivograd
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Associate PhD
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Dr Yongtian Liang
Freie Universität Berlin
A08 Alumnus
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Audrey Bonitz
Freie Universität Berlin
Student helper 2019-2020 - A08 Alumna
Publications
Coupling of mitochondrial state with active zone plasticity in early brain aging
Lu Fei, Yongtian Liang, Ulrich Kintscher, Stephan J. Sigrist
Redox Biol. 79:103454 (2025)
Blobby is a synaptic active zone assembly protein required for memory in Drosophila
Lützkendorf J, Matkovic-Rachid T, Liu S, Götz T, Gao L, Turrel O, Maglione M, Grieger M, Putignano S, Ramesh N, Ghelani T, Neumann A, Gimber N, Schmoranzer J, Stawrakakis A, Brence B, Baum D, Ludwig K, Heine M, Mielke T, Liu F, Walter AM, Wahl MC, Sigrist SJ
Nat Commun. 16(1):271 (2025)
A brain-wide form of presynaptic active zone plasticity orchestrates resilience to brain aging in Drosophila
Sheng Huang, Chengji Piao, Christine B. Beuschel, Zhiying Zhao, Stephan J. Sigrist
PLoS Biol 20(12): e3001730 (2022)
Transient active zone remodeling in the Drosophila mushroom body supports memory
Oriane Turrel, Niraja Ramesh, Marc J.F. Escher, Atefeh Pooryasin, Stephan J. Sigrist
Curr Biol 32(22):4900-4913.e4 (2022)
Presynaptic and postsynaptic long-term plasticity in sleep homeostasis
Sheng Huang, Stephan J. Sigrist
Curr Opin Neurobiol. 69:1-10 (2021)
Postsynaptic plasticity of cholinergic synapses underlies the induction and expression of appetitive and familiarity memories in Drosophila
Carlotta Pribbenow, Yi-chun Chen, Michael-Marcel Heim, Desiree Laber, Silas Reubold, Eric Reynolds, Isabella Balles, Tania Fernández-d.V. Alquicira, Raquel Suárez-Grimalt, Lisa Scheunemann, Carolin Rauch, Tanja Matkovic, Jörg Rösner, Gregor Lichtner, Sridhar R Jagannathan, David Owald
eLife. 11:e80445 (2022)
Recruitment of release sites underlies chemical presynaptic potentiation at hippocampal mossy fiber boutons
Marta Orlando, Anton Dvorzhak, Felicitas Bruentgens, Marta Maglione, Benjamin R. Rost, Stephan J. Sigrist, Jörg Breustedt, Dietmar Schmitz
PLoS Biol. 19(6):e3001149 (2021)
Unc13A and Unc13B contribute to the decoding of distinct sensory information in Drosophila
Atefeh Pooryasin , Marta Maglione , Marco Schubert, Tanja Matkovic-Rachid, Sayed-mohammad Hasheminasab, Ulrike Pech, André Fiala, Thorsten Mielke, Stephan J. Sigrist
Nat Commun. 12(1):1932 (2021)
eIF5A-hypusination, boosted by dietary spermidine, protects from premature brain aging and mitochondrial dysfunction
YongTian Liang, Chengji Piao, Christine B. Beuschel, David Toppe, Laxmikanth Kollipara, Boris Bogdanow, ..... Stephan J. Sigrist
Cell Rep. 35(2):108941 (2021)
The Unc13A isoform is important for phasic release and olfactory memory formation at mushroom body synapses
Jennifer Woitkuhn, Anatoli Ender, Christine B Beuschel, Marta Maglione, Tanja Matkovic-Rachid, Sheng Huang, Martin Lehmann, Joerg RP Geiger & Stephan J Sigrist
J Neurogenet. 34(1):106-114 (2020)
Presynaptic activity zone plasticity encodes sleep need in Drosophila
Sheng Huang, Chengji Pia, Christine B Beuschel, Torsten Götz, Stephan J Sigrist
Curr Biol. 30(6):1077-1091.e5 (2020)
Network-specific synchronization of electrical slow-wave oscillations regulates sleep drive in Drosophila
Davide Raccuglia, Sheng Huang, Anatoli Ender, M.-Marcel Heim, Desiree Laber, Raquel Suárez-Grimalt, Agustin Liotta, Stephan J Sigrist, Jörg RP Geiger, David Owald
Curr Biol. 29(21):3611-3621.e3 (2019)
Emerging concepts and functions of autophagy as a regulator of synaptic components and plasticity
Yongtian Liang
Cells. 8(1):34 (2019)
Autophagy within the mushroom body protects from synapse aging in a non-cell autonomous manner
Anuradha Bhukel, Christine B Beuschel, Marta Maglione, Martin Lehmann, Gabor Juhász, Frank Madeo and Stephan J Sigrist
Nat Commun. 10(1):1318 (2019)
