A new study by the Pankratz Lab has identified that, a cluster of neurons expressing the neuropeptide hugin (a homolog of mammalian neuromedin U) transmits inputs from higher brain centers to motor centers, thereby regulating both feeding and locomotion in fruit fly larvae. The finding is featured in this week's PLOS Biology Editor's Pick. 

Publication | Schoofs A, Hückesfeld S, Schlegel P, Miroschnikow A, Peters M, Zeymar M, Spieß R, Chiang A-S, and Pankratz MJ. (2014) Selection of Motor Programs for Suppressing Food Intake and Inducing Locomotion in the Drosophila Brain. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001893

Highlight | Robinson R (2014) Stop Eating and Start Moving: One Switch Does Both. PLoS Biol 12(6): e1001894. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001894