The Genetics of Sleep in Drosophila

This chapter explores two decades of research using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster to decipher the genetic underpinnings of sleep. The approaches used to map sleep phenotypes to genomic variants and genes are discussed. Also presented are genetic approaches to localize sleep circuitry in the brain and peripheral tissues. Additionally, the chapter explores the role of physiological and environmental context on sleep, including aging, immune response, metabolism, and sleep deprivation. The chapter concludes with some emerging trends based on the present understanding in the field.