Whole-genome expression data from purified larval Drosophila LNv pacemaker neurons

We generated whole genome expression profiles from a homogeneous population of purified pacemaker neurons (ventral Lateral Neurons, LNvs) from wild type and clock mutant Drosophila. The study identifes a group of genes whose expression is highly enriched in LNvs compared to other neurons; and a second group of genes rhythmically expressed in LNvs in a clock-dependent manner. Drosophila larval brains (L3 stage) were taken from a 12:12hr light entrainment regime and dissected at ZT-3 or ZT-15. Larvae contained either Pdf-Gal4:UAS-GFP transgenes or Pdf-RFP to label the 8 LNvs pacemaker neurons per brain, allowing purification by flow cytometry. Brains were dissociated and LNvs purified by FACS, followed by RNA amplification and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.