1
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Medeiros AM, Hobbiss AF, Borges G, Moita M, Mendes CS. Mechanosensory bristles mediate avoidance behavior by triggering sustained local motor activity in Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2812-2830.e5. [PMID: 38861987 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
During locomotion, most vertebrates-and invertebrates such as Drosophila melanogaster-are able to quickly adapt to terrain irregularities or avoid physical threats by integrating sensory information along with motor commands. Key to this adaptability are leg mechanosensory structures, which assist in motor coordination by transmitting external cues and proprioceptive information to motor centers in the central nervous system. Nevertheless, how different mechanosensory structures engage these locomotor centers remains poorly understood. Here, we tested the role of mechanosensory structures in movement initiation by optogenetically stimulating specific classes of leg sensory structures. We found that stimulation of leg mechanosensory bristles (MsBs) and the femoral chordotonal organ (ChO) is sufficient to initiate forward movement in immobile animals. While the stimulation of the ChO required brain centers to induce forward movement, unexpectedly, brief stimulation of leg MsBs triggered a fast response and sustained motor activity dependent only on the ventral nerve cord (VNC). Moreover, this leg-MsB-mediated movement lacked inter- and intra-leg coordination but preserved antagonistic muscle activity within joints. Finally, we show that leg-MsB activation mediates strong avoidance behavior away from the stimulus source, which is preserved even in the absence of a central brain. Overall, our data show that mechanosensory stimulation can elicit a fast motor response, independently of central brain commands, to evade potentially harmful stimuli. In addition, it sheds light on how specific sensory circuits modulate motor control, including initiation of movement, allowing a better understanding of how different levels of coordination are controlled by the VNC and central brain locomotor circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Medeiros
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anna F Hobbiss
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal; Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Borges
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Moita
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - César S Mendes
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal.
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2
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Rosado-Ramos R, Poças GM, Marques D, Foito A, M Sevillano D, Lopes-da-Silva M, Gonçalves LG, Menezes R, Ottens M, Stewart D, Ibáñez de Opakua A, Zweckstetter M, Seabra MC, Mendes CS, Outeiro TF, Domingos PM, Santos CN. Genipin prevents alpha-synuclein aggregation and toxicity by affecting endocytosis, metabolism and lipid storage. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1918. [PMID: 37024503 PMCID: PMC10079842 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37561-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide for which there are only symptomatic therapies. Small molecules able to target key pathological processes in PD have emerged as interesting options for modifying disease progression. We have previously shown that a (poly)phenol-enriched fraction (PEF) of Corema album L. leaf extract modulates central events in PD pathogenesis, namely α-synuclein (αSyn) toxicity, aggregation and clearance. PEF was now subjected to a bio-guided fractionation with the aim of identifying the critical bioactive compound. We identified genipin, an iridoid, which relieves αSyn toxicity and aggregation. Furthermore, genipin promotes metabolic alterations and modulates lipid storage and endocytosis. Importantly, genipin was able to prevent the motor deficits caused by the overexpression of αSyn in a Drosophila melanogaster model of PD. These findings widens the possibility for the exploitation of genipin for PD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Rosado-Ramos
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo M Poças
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniela Marques
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alexandre Foito
- Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, DD2 5DA, Dundee, Scotland
| | - David M Sevillano
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Mafalda Lopes-da-Silva
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luís G Gonçalves
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Regina Menezes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- CBIOS - Universidade Lusófona's Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marcel Ottens
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Derek Stewart
- Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, DD2 5DA, Dundee, Scotland
| | | | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Miguel C Seabra
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - César S Mendes
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, NE2 4HH, UK
- Scientific employee with an honorary contract at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Pedro M Domingos
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cláudia N Santos
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), Oeiras, Portugal.
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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3
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Accommodating unobservability to control flight attitude with optic flow. Nature 2022; 610:485-490. [PMID: 36261554 PMCID: PMC9581779 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05182-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Attitude control is an essential flight capability. Whereas flying robots commonly rely on accelerometers1 for estimating attitude, flying insects lack an unambiguous sense of gravity2,3. Despite the established role of several sense organs in attitude stabilization3-5, the dependence of flying insects on an internal gravity direction estimate remains unclear. Here we show how attitude can be extracted from optic flow when combined with a motion model that relates attitude to acceleration direction. Although there are conditions such as hover in which the attitude is unobservable, we prove that the ensuing control system is still stable, continuously moving into and out of these conditions. Flying robot experiments confirm that accommodating unobservability in this manner leads to stable, but slightly oscillatory, attitude control. Moreover, experiments with a bio-inspired flapping-wing robot show that residual, high-frequency attitude oscillations from flapping motion improve observability. The presented approach holds a promise for robotics, with accelerometer-less autopilots paving the road for insect-scale autonomous flying robots6. Finally, it forms a hypothesis on insect attitude estimation and control, with the potential to provide further insight into known biological phenomena5,7,8 and to generate new predictions such as reduced head and body attitude variance at higher flight speeds9.
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4
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Günzel Y, Schmitz J, Dürr V. Locomotor resilience through load-dependent modulation of muscle co-contraction. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276888. [PMID: 36039914 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Terrestrial locomotor behavior in variable environments requires resilience to sudden changes in substrate properties. For example, walking animals can adjust to substantial changes in slope and corresponding changes in load distribution among legs. In insects, slope-dependent adjustments have mainly been examined under steady-state conditions, whereas the transition dynamics have been largely neglected. In a previous study, we showed that steady-state adjustments of stick insects to ±45° slopes involve substantial changes in joint torques and muscle activity with only minor changes in leg kinematics. Here, we take a close look at the time course of these adjustments as stick insects compensate for various kinds of disturbances to load distribution. In particular, we test whether the transition from one steady state to another involves distinct transition steps or follows a graded process. To resolve this, we combined simultaneous recordings of whole-body kinematics and hind leg muscle activity to elucidate how freely walking Carausius morosus negotiated a step-change in substrate slope. Step-by-step adjustments reveal that muscle activity changed in a graded manner as a function of body pitch relative to gravity. We further show analogous transient adjustment of muscle activity in response to destabilizing lift-off events of neighboring legs and the disappearance of antagonist co-activation during crawling episodes. Given these three examples of load-dependent regulation of antagonist muscle co-contraction, we conclude that stick insects respond to both transient and sustained changes in load distribution by regulating joint stiffness rather than through distinct transition steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Günzel
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Josef Schmitz
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany.,Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Volker Dürr
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany.,Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
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5
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Hermans L, Kaynak M, Braun J, Ríos VL, Chen CL, Friedberg A, Günel S, Aymanns F, Sakar MS, Ramdya P. Microengineered devices enable long-term imaging of the ventral nerve cord in behaving adult Drosophila. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5006. [PMID: 36008386 PMCID: PMC9411199 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32571-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamics and connectivity of neural circuits continuously change on timescales ranging from milliseconds to an animal's lifetime. Therefore, to understand biological networks, minimally invasive methods are required to repeatedly record them in behaving animals. Here we describe a suite of devices that enable long-term optical recordings of the adult Drosophila melanogaster ventral nerve cord (VNC). These consist of transparent, numbered windows to replace thoracic exoskeleton, compliant implants to displace internal organs, a precision arm to assist implantation, and a hinged stage to repeatedly tether flies. To validate and illustrate our toolkit we (i) show minimal impact on animal behavior and survival, (ii) follow the degradation of chordotonal organ mechanosensory nerve terminals over weeks after leg amputation, and (iii) uncover waves of neural activity caffeine ingestion. Thus, our long-term imaging toolkit opens up the investigation of premotor and motor circuit adaptations in response to injury, drug ingestion, aging, learning, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hermans
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Microbiorobotic Systems Laboratory, Institute of Mechanical Engineering & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Murat Kaynak
- Microbiorobotic Systems Laboratory, Institute of Mechanical Engineering & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Braun
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Victor Lobato Ríos
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chin-Lin Chen
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adam Friedberg
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Semih Günel
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Computer Vision Laboratory, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Florian Aymanns
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mahmut Selman Sakar
- Microbiorobotic Systems Laboratory, Institute of Mechanical Engineering & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Pavan Ramdya
- Neuroengineering Laboratory, Brain Mind Institute & Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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6
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Cabrita A, Medeiros AM, Pereira T, Rodrigues AS, Kranendonk M, Mendes CS. Motor dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster as a biomarker for developmental neurotoxicity. iScience 2022; 25:104541. [PMID: 35769875 PMCID: PMC9234254 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Adequate alternatives to conventional animal testing are needed to study developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Here, we used kinematic analysis to assess DNT of known (toluene (TOL) and chlorpyrifos (CPS)) and putative (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)) neurotoxic compounds. Drosophila melanogaster was exposed to these compounds during development and evaluated for survival and adult kinematic parameters using the FlyWalker system, a kinematics evaluation method. At concentrations that do not induce general toxicity, the solvent DMSO had a significant effect on kinematic parameters. Moreover, while TOL did not significantly induce lethality or kinematic dysfunction, CPS not only induced developmental lethality but also significantly impaired coordination in comparison to DMSO. Interestingly, BMAA, which was not lethal during development, induced motor decay in young adult animals, phenotypically resembling aged flies, an effect later attenuated upon aging. Furthermore, BMAA induced abnormal development of leg motor neuron projections. Our results suggest that our kinematic approach can assess potential DNT of chemical compounds. Alternatives to mammalian testing are needed to detect developmental neurotoxicity The pesticide chlorpyrifos causes partial lethality and motor dysfunction Non-lethal levels of BMAA induce motor dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner Kinematic profiling of adult Drosophila can identify developmental neurotoxicity
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cabrita
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alexandra M. Medeiros
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Telmo Pereira
- NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Sebastião Rodrigues
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Michel Kranendonk
- ToxOmics, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Corresponding author
| | - César S. Mendes
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Corresponding author
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7
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Parallel locomotor control strategies in mice and flies. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 73:102516. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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8
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Zill SN, Dallmann CJ, S Szczecinski N, Büschges A, Schmitz J. Evaluation of force feedback in walking using joint torques as "naturalistic" stimuli. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:227-248. [PMID: 34107221 PMCID: PMC8424542 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00120.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of adaptive walking requires the integration of sensory signals of muscle force and load. We have studied how mechanoreceptors (tibial campaniform sensilla) encode “naturalistic” stimuli derived from joint torques of stick insects walking on a horizontal substrate. Previous studies showed that forces applied to the legs using the mean torque profiles of a proximal joint were highly effective in eliciting motor activities. However, substantial variations in torque direction and magnitude occurred at the more distal femorotibial joint, which can generate braking or propulsive forces and provide lateral stability. To determine how these forces are encoded, we used torque waveforms of individual steps that had maximum values in stance in the directions of flexion or extension. Analysis of kinematic data showed that the torques in different directions tended to occur in different ranges of joint angles. Variations within stance were not accompanied by comparable changes in joint angle but often reflected vertical ground reaction forces and leg support of body load. Application of torque waveforms elicited sensory discharges with variations in firing frequency similar to those seen in freely walking insects. All sensilla directionally encoded the dynamics of force increases and showed hysteresis to transient force decreases. Smaller receptors exhibited more tonic firing. Our findings suggest that dynamic sensitivity in force feedback can modulate ongoing muscle activities to stabilize distal joints when large forces are generated at proximal joints. Furthermore, use of “naturalistic” stimuli can reproduce characteristics seen in freely moving animals that are absent in conventional restrained preparations. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sensory encoding of forces during walking by campaniform sensilla was characterized in stick insects using waveforms of joint torques calculated by inverse dynamics as mechanical stimuli. Tests using the mean joint torque and torques of individual steps showed the system is highly sensitive to force dynamics (dF/dt). Use of “naturalistic” stimuli can reproduce characteristics of sensory discharges seen in freely walking insects, such as load transfer among legs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha N Zill
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
| | - Chris J Dallmann
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Nicholas S Szczecinski
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
| | - Ansgar Büschges
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, Biocenter, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Josef Schmitz
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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9
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Losada-Pérez M, García-Guillén N, Casas-Tintó S. A novel injury paradigm in the central nervous system of adult Drosophila: molecular, cellular and functional aspects. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:268374. [PMID: 34061177 PMCID: PMC8214735 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.044669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) exhibits limited regenerative capacity and the mechanisms that mediate its regeneration are not fully understood. Here, we present a novel experimental design to damage the CNS by using a contusion injury paradigm. The design of this protocol allows the study of long-term and short-term cellular responses, including those of the CNS and the immune system, and of any implications regarding functional recovery. We demonstrate for the first time that adult Drosophilamelanogaster glial cells undergo spontaneous functional recovery following crush injury. This crush injury leads to an intermediate level of functional recovery after damage, which is ideal to screen for genes that facilitate or prevent the regeneration process. Here, we validate this model and analyse the immune responses of glial cells as a central regulator of functional regeneration. Additionally, we demonstrate that glial cells and macrophages contribute to functional regeneration through mechanisms involving the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway and the Drosophila protein Draper (Drpr), characteristic of other neural injury paradigms. We show that macrophages are recruited to the injury site and are required for functional recovery. Further, we show that the proteins Grindelwald and Drpr in Drosophila glial cells mediate activation of JNK, and that expression of drpr is dependent on JNK activation. Finally, we link neuron-glial communication and the requirement of neuronal vesicular transport to regulation of the JNK pathway and functional recovery. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Central nervous system crush injury paradigm in adult Drosophilamelanogaster is a suitable model to study the cellular events, and genetic pathways behind injury responses and functional regeneration. We describe the immune responses of glial cells, neurons and macrophages following injury, and the functional relevance of each response.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Losada-Pérez
- Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria García-Guillén
- Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Casas-Tintó
- Instituto Cajal-CSIC, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, 28002 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Allen AM, Neville MC, Birtles S, Croset V, Treiber CD, Waddell S, Goodwin SF. A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the adult Drosophila ventral nerve cord. eLife 2020; 9:e54074. [PMID: 32314735 PMCID: PMC7173974 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila ventral nerve cord (VNC) receives and processes descending signals from the brain to produce a variety of coordinated locomotor outputs. It also integrates sensory information from the periphery and sends ascending signals to the brain. We used single-cell transcriptomics to generate an unbiased classification of cellular diversity in the VNC of five-day old adult flies. We produced an atlas of 26,000 high-quality cells, representing more than 100 transcriptionally distinct cell types. The predominant gene signatures defining neuronal cell types reflect shared developmental histories based on the neuroblast from which cells were derived, as well as their birth order. The relative position of cells along the anterior-posterior axis could also be assigned using adult Hox gene expression. This single-cell transcriptional atlas of the adult fly VNC will be a valuable resource for future studies of neurodevelopment and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Allen
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Megan C Neville
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Birtles
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Vincent Croset
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Scott Waddell
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Stephen F Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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11
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Howard CE, Chen CL, Tabachnik T, Hormigo R, Ramdya P, Mann RS. Serotonergic Modulation of Walking in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2019; 29:4218-4230.e8. [PMID: 31786064 PMCID: PMC6935052 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
To navigate complex environments, animals must generate highly robust, yet flexible, locomotor behaviors. For example, walking speed must be tailored to the needs of a particular environment. Not only must animals choose the correct speed and gait, they must also adapt to changing conditions and quickly respond to sudden and surprising new stimuli. Neuromodulators, particularly the small biogenic amine neurotransmitters, have the ability to rapidly alter the functional outputs of motor circuits. Here, we show that the serotonergic system in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can modulate walking speed in a variety of contexts and also change how flies respond to sudden changes in the environment. These multifaceted roles of serotonin in locomotion are differentially mediated by a family of serotonergic receptors with distinct activities and expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Howard
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Chin-Lin Chen
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Interfaculty Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tanya Tabachnik
- Advanced Instrumentation Group, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rick Hormigo
- Advanced Instrumentation Group, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Pavan Ramdya
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland; Interfaculty Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Richard S Mann
- Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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12
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Federle W, Labonte D. Dynamic biological adhesion: mechanisms for controlling attachment during locomotion. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190199. [PMID: 31495309 PMCID: PMC6745483 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid control of surface attachment is a key feature of natural adhesive systems used for locomotion, and a property highly desirable for man-made adhesives. Here, we describe the challenges of adhesion control and the timescales involved across diverse biological attachment systems and different adhesive mechanisms. The most widespread control principle for dynamic surface attachment in climbing animals is that adhesion is 'shear-sensitive' (directional): pulling adhesive pads towards the body results in strong attachment, whereas pushing them away from it leads to easy detachment, providing a rapid mechanical 'switch'. Shear-sensitivity is based on changes of contact area and adhesive strength, which in turn arise from non-adhesive default positions, the mechanics of peeling, pad sliding, and the targeted storage and controlled release of elastic strain energy. The control of adhesion via shear forces is deeply integrated with the climbing animals' anatomy and locomotion, and involves both active neuromuscular control, and rapid passive responses of sophisticated mechanical systems. The resulting dynamic adhesive systems are robust, reliable, versatile and nevertheless remarkably simple. This article is part of the theme issue 'Transdisciplinary approaches to the study of adhesion and adhesives in biological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Federle
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Labonte
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College, London, UK
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13
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Neveln ID, Tirumalai A, Sponberg S. Information-based centralization of locomotion in animals and robots. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3655. [PMID: 31409794 PMCID: PMC6692360 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11613-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The centralization of locomotor control from weak and local coupling to strong and global is hard to assess outside of particular modeling frameworks. We developed an empirical, model-free measure of centralization that compares information between control signals and both global and local states. A second measure, co-information, quantifies the net redundancy in global and local control. We first validate that our measures predict centralization in simulations of phase-coupled oscillators. We then test how centralization changes with speed in freely running cockroaches. Surprisingly, across all speeds centralization is constant and muscle activity is more informative of the global kinematic state (the averages of all legs) than the local state of that muscle's leg. Finally we use a legged robot to show that mechanical coupling alone can change the centralization of legged locomotion. The results of these systems span a design space of centralization and co-information for biological and robotic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izaak D Neveln
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Amoolya Tirumalai
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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14
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Dallmann CJ, Dürr V, Schmitz J. Motor control of an insect leg during level and incline walking. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/7/jeb188748. [PMID: 30944163 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.188748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
During walking, the leg motor system must continually adjust to changes in mechanical conditions, such as the inclination of the ground. To understand the underlying control, it is important to know how changes in leg muscle activity relate to leg kinematics (movements) and leg dynamics (forces, torques). Here, we studied these parameters in hindlegs of stick insects (Carausius morosus) during level and uphill/downhill (±45 deg) walking, using a combination of electromyography, 3D motion capture and ground reaction force measurements. We find that some kinematic parameters including leg joint angles and body height vary across walking conditions. However, kinematics vary little compared with dynamics: horizontal leg forces and torques at the thorax-coxa joint (leg protraction/retraction) and femur-tibia joint (leg flexion/extension) tend to be stronger during uphill walking and are reversed in sign during downhill walking. At the thorax-coxa joint, the different mechanical demands are met by adjustments in the timing and magnitude of antagonistic muscle activity. Adjustments occur primarily in the first half of stance after the touch-down of the leg. When insects transition from level to incline walking, the characteristic adjustments in muscle activity occur with the first step of the leg on the incline, but not in anticipation. Together, these findings indicate that stick insects adjust leg muscle activity on a step-by-step basis so as to maintain a similar kinematic pattern under different mechanical demands. The underlying control might rely primarily on feedback from leg proprioceptors signaling leg position and movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Dallmann
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany .,Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Volker Dürr
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.,Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Josef Schmitz
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany .,Cognitive Interaction Technology Center of Excellence, Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany
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15
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Piezo-like Gene Regulates Locomotion in Drosophila Larvae. Cell Rep 2019; 26:1369-1377.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.01.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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16
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Biswas T, Rao S, Bhandawat V. A simple extension of inverted pendulum template to explain features of slow walking ✰. J Theor Biol 2018; 457:112-123. [PMID: 30138629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2018.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion involves complex interactions between an organism and its environment. Despite these complex interactions, many characteristics of the motion of an animal's center of mass (COM) can be modeled using simple mechanical models such as inverted pendulum (IP) and spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) which employ a single effective leg to model an animal's COM. However, because these models are simple, they also have many limitations. We show that one limitation of IP and SLIP and many other simple mechanical models of locomotion is that they cannot model many observed features of locomotion at slow speeds. This limitation is due to the fact that the gravitational force is too strong, and, if unopposed, compels the animal to complete its stance in a relatively short time. We propose a new model, AS-IP (Angular Spring modulated Inverted Pendulum), in which the body is attached to the leg using springs which resist the leg's movement away from the vertical plane, and thus provides a means to model forces that effectively counter gravity. We show that AS-IP provides a mechanism by which an animal can tune its stance duration, and provide evidence that AS-IP is an excellent model for the motion of a fly's COM. More generally, we conclude that combining AS-IP with SLIP will greatly expand our ability to model legged locomotion over a range of speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suhas Rao
- Department of Biology, Duke University, USA
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17
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Zill SN, Dallmann CJ, Büschges A, Chaudhry S, Schmitz J. Force dynamics and synergist muscle activation in stick insects: the effects of using joint torques as mechanical stimuli. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:1807-1823. [PMID: 30020837 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00371.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Many sensory systems are tuned to specific parameters of behaviors and have effects that are task-specific. We have studied how force feedback contributes to activation of synergist muscles in serially homologous legs of stick insects. Forces were applied using conventional half-sine or ramp and hold functions. We also utilized waveforms of joint torques calculated from experiments in freely walking animals. In all legs, forces applied to either the tarsus (foot) or proximal leg segment (trochanter) activated synergist muscles that generate substrate grip and support, but coupling of the depressor muscle to tarsal forces was weak in the front legs. Activation of trochanteral receptors using ramp and hold functions generated positive feedback to the depressor muscle in all legs when animals were induced to seek substrate grip. However, discharges of the synergist flexor muscle showed adaptation at moderate force levels. In contrast, application of forces using torque waveforms, which do not have a static hold phase, produced sustained discharges in muscle synergies with little adaptation. Firing frequencies reflected the magnitude of ground reaction forces, were graded to changes in force amplitude, and could also be modulated by transient force perturbations added to the waveforms. Comparison of synergist activation by torques and ramp and hold functions revealed a strong influence of force dynamics (dF/d t). These studies support the idea that force receptors can act to tune muscle synergies synchronously to the range of force magnitudes and dynamics that occur in each leg according to their specific use in behavior. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The effects of force receptors (campaniform sensilla) on leg muscles and synergies were characterized in stick insects using both ramp and hold functions and waveforms of joint torques calculated by inverse dynamics. Motor responses were sustained and showed reduced adaptation to the more "natural" and nonlinear torque stimuli. Calculation of the first derivative (dF/d t) of the torque waveforms demonstrated that this difference was correlated with the dynamic sensitivities of the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha N Zill
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
| | - Chris J Dallmann
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University , Bielefeld , Germany
| | - Ansgar Büschges
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, Biocenter, University of Cologne , Cologne , Germany
| | - Sumaiya Chaudhry
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
| | - Josef Schmitz
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, Bielefeld University , Bielefeld , Germany
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18
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Zill SN, Neff D, Chaudhry S, Exter A, Schmitz J, Büschges A. Effects of force detecting sense organs on muscle synergies are correlated with their response properties. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2017; 46:564-578. [PMID: 28552666 PMCID: PMC5817982 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Sense organs that monitor forces in legs can contribute to activation of muscles as synergist groups. Previous studies in cockroaches and stick insects showed that campaniform sensilla, receptors that encode forces via exoskeletal strains, enhance muscle synergies in substrate grip. However synergist activation was mediated by different groups of receptors in cockroaches (trochanteral sensilla) and stick insects (femoral sensilla). The factors underlying the differential effects are unclear as the responses of femoral campaniform sensilla have not previously been characterized. The present study characterized the structure and response properties (via extracellular recording) of the femoral sensilla in both insects. The cockroach trochantero-femoral (TrF) joint is mobile and the joint membrane acts as an elastic antagonist to the reductor muscle. Cockroach femoral campaniform sensilla show weak discharges to forces in the coxo-trochanteral (CTr) joint plane (in which forces are generated by coxal muscles) but instead encode forces directed posteriorly (TrF joint plane). In stick insects, the TrF joint is fused and femoral campaniform sensilla discharge both to forces directed posteriorly and forces in the CTr joint plane. These findings support the idea that receptors that enhance synergies encode forces in the plane of action of leg muscles used in support and propulsion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha N Zill
- Department of Anatomy and Pathology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25704, USA.
| | - David Neff
- Department of Anatomy and Pathology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
| | - Sumaiya Chaudhry
- Department of Anatomy and Pathology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
| | - Annelie Exter
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, University of Bielefeld, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Josef Schmitz
- Department of Biological Cybernetics, University of Bielefeld, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ansgar Büschges
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Zoology, Biocenter Cologne, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany
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19
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Owaki D, Goda M, Miyazawa S, Ishiguro A. A Minimal Model Describing Hexapedal Interlimb Coordination: The Tegotae-Based Approach. Front Neurorobot 2017. [PMID: 28649197 PMCID: PMC5465294 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2017.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects exhibit adaptive and versatile locomotion despite their minimal neural computing. Such locomotor patterns are generated via coordination between leg movements, i.e., an interlimb coordination, which is largely controlled in a distributed manner by neural circuits located in thoracic ganglia. However, the mechanism responsible for the interlimb coordination still remains elusive. Understanding this mechanism will help us to elucidate the fundamental control principle of animals' agile locomotion and to realize robots with legs that are truly adaptive and could not be developed solely by conventional control theories. This study aims at providing a “minimal" model of the interlimb coordination mechanism underlying hexapedal locomotion, in the hope that a single control principle could satisfactorily reproduce various aspects of insect locomotion. To this end, we introduce a novel concept we named “Tegotae,” a Japanese concept describing the extent to which a perceived reaction matches an expectation. By using the Tegotae-based approach, we show that a surprisingly systematic design of local sensory feedback mechanisms essential for the interlimb coordination can be realized. We also use a hexapod robot we developed to show that our mathematical model of the interlimb coordination mechanism satisfactorily reproduces various insects' gait patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Owaki
- Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Goda
- Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan
| | - Sakiko Miyazawa
- Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan
| | - Akio Ishiguro
- Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku UniversitySendai, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency, CRESTSaitama, Japan
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20
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Ramdya P, Thandiackal R, Cherney R, Asselborn T, Benton R, Ijspeert AJ, Floreano D. Climbing favours the tripod gait over alternative faster insect gaits. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14494. [PMID: 28211509 PMCID: PMC5321742 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To escape danger or catch prey, running vertebrates rely on dynamic gaits with minimal ground contact. By contrast, most insects use a tripod gait that maintains at least three legs on the ground at any given time. One prevailing hypothesis for this difference in fast locomotor strategies is that tripod locomotion allows insects to rapidly navigate three-dimensional terrain. To test this, we computationally discovered fast locomotor gaits for a model based on Drosophila melanogaster. Indeed, the tripod gait emerges to the exclusion of many other possible gaits when optimizing fast upward climbing with leg adhesion. By contrast, novel two-legged bipod gaits are fastest on flat terrain without adhesion in the model and in a hexapod robot. Intriguingly, when adhesive leg structures in real Drosophila are covered, animals exhibit atypical bipod-like leg coordination. We propose that the requirement to climb vertical terrain may drive the prevalence of the tripod gait over faster alternative gaits with minimal ground contact. Numerous selective forces shape animal locomotion patterns and as a result, different animals evolved to use different gaits. Here, Ramdya et al. use live and in silico Drosophila, as well as an insect-model robot, to gain insights into the conditions that promote the ubiquitous tripod gait observed in most insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Ramdya
- Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Institute of Microengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Robin Thandiackal
- Biorobotics Laboratory, Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Cherney
- Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Institute of Microengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Thibault Asselborn
- Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Institute of Microengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Richard Benton
- Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Auke Jan Ijspeert
- Biorobotics Laboratory, Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Dario Floreano
- Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Institute of Microengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
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21
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Arruda NL, Gelineau RR, De Pina IM, Hatzidis A, Nascimento NF, Hicks JA, Seggio JA. Increased size due to larval royal jelly exposure does not affect circadian locomotor activity or climbing ability in adult female Drosophila melanogaster. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2016.1268335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L. Arruda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
| | - Rachel R. Gelineau
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
| | | | - Aikaterini Hatzidis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
| | | | - Jasmin A. Hicks
- Molecular Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Joseph A. Seggio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
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22
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Abstract
The ability of animals to flexibly navigate through complex environments depends on the integration of sensory information with motor commands. The sensory modality most tightly linked to motor control is mechanosensation. Adaptive motor control depends critically on an animal's ability to respond to mechanical forces generated both within and outside the body. The compact neural circuits of insects provide appealing systems to investigate how mechanical cues guide locomotion in rugged environments. Here, we review our current understanding of mechanosensation in insects and its role in adaptive motor control. We first examine the detection and encoding of mechanical forces by primary mechanoreceptor neurons. We then discuss how central circuits integrate and transform mechanosensory information to guide locomotion. Because most studies in this field have been performed in locusts, cockroaches, crickets, and stick insects, the examples we cite here are drawn mainly from these 'big insects'. However, we also pay particular attention to the tiny fruit fly, Drosophila, where new tools are creating new opportunities, particularly for understanding central circuits. Our aim is to show how studies of big insects have yielded fundamental insights relevant to mechanosensation in all animals, and also to point out how the Drosophila toolkit can contribute to future progress in understanding mechanosensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Tuthill
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, 1705 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Rachel I Wilson
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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23
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Goulard R, Vercher JL, Viollet S. To crash or not to crash: how do hoverflies cope with free-fall situations and weightlessness? J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2497-503. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.141150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Insects’ aptitude to perform hovering, automatic landing and tracking tasks involves accurately controlling their head and body roll and pitch movements, but how this attitude control depends on an internal estimation of gravity orientation is still an open question. Gravity perception in flying insects has mainly been studied in terms of grounded animals' tactile orientation responses, but it has not yet been established whether hoverflies use gravity perception cues to detect a nearly weightless state at an early stage. Ground-based microgravity simulators provide biologists with useful tools for studying the effects of changes in gravity. However, in view of the cost and the complexity of these set-ups, an alternative Earth-based free-fall procedure was developed with which flying insects can be briefly exposed to microgravity under various visual conditions. Hoverflies frequently initiated wingbeats in response to an imposed free fall in all the conditions tested, but managed to avoid crashing only in variably structured visual environments, and only episodically in darkness. Our results reveal that the crash-avoidance performance of these insects in various visual environments suggests the existence of a multisensory control system based mainly on vision rather than gravity perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Goulard
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institute of Movement Science, UMR 7287, Marseille 13288, France
| | - Jean-Louis Vercher
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institute of Movement Science, UMR 7287, Marseille 13288, France
| | - Stéphane Viollet
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institute of Movement Science, UMR 7287, Marseille 13288, France
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24
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Pfeffer SE, Wahl VL, Wittlinger M. How to find home backwards? Locomotion and inter-leg coordination during rearward walking of Cataglyphis fortis desert ants. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2110-8. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.137778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
For insects, flexibility in the performance of terrestrial locomotion is a vital part of facing the challenges of their often unpredictable environment. Arthropods such as scorpions and crustaceans can switch readily from forward to backward locomotion, but in insects this behaviour seems to be less common and, therefore, is only poorly understood. Here we present an example of spontaneous and persistent backward walking in Cataglyphis desert ants that allows us to investigate rearward locomotion within a natural context. When ants find a food item that is too large to be lifted up and to be carried in a normal forward-faced orientation, they will drag the load walking backwards to their home nest. A detailed examination of this behaviour reveals a surprising flexibility of the locomotor output. Compared with forward walks with regular tripod coordination, no main coordination pattern can be assigned to rearward walks. However, we often observed leg-pair-specific stepping patterns. The front legs frequently step with small stride lengths, while the middle and the hind legs are characterized by less numerous but larger strides. But still, these specializations show no rigidly fixed leg coupling, nor are they strictly embedded within a temporal context; therefore, they do not result in a repetitive coordination pattern. The individual legs act as separate units, most likely to better maintain stability during backward dragging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Pfeffer
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Ulm, Ulm D-89069, Germany
| | - Verena L. Wahl
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Ulm, Ulm D-89069, Germany
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25
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Isakov A, Buchanan SM, Sullivan B, Ramachandran A, Chapman JKS, Lu ES, Mahadevan L, de Bivort B. Recovery of locomotion after injury in Drosophila melanogaster depends on proprioception. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:1760-71. [PMID: 26994176 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.133652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion is necessary for survival in most animal species. However, injuries to the appendages mediating locomotion are common. We assess the recovery of walking in Drosophila melanogaster following leg amputation. Whereas flies pre-amputation explore open arenas in a symmetric fashion on average, foreleg amputation induces a strong turning bias away from the side of the amputation. However, we find that unbiased walking behavior returns over time in wild-type flies, while recovery is significantly impaired in proprioceptive mutants. To identify the biomechanical basis of this locomotor impairment and recovery, we then examine individual leg motion (gait) at a fine scale. A minimal mathematical model that links neurodynamics to body mechanics during walking shows that redistributing leg forces between the right and left side enables the observed recovery. Altogether, our study suggests that proprioceptive input from the intact limbs plays a crucial role in the behavioral plasticity associated with locomotor recovery after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Isakov
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Brian Sullivan
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Akshitha Ramachandran
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Edward S Lu
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - L Mahadevan
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Benjamin de Bivort
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA Rowland Institute at Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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26
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Raderschall CA, Narendra A, Zeil J. Head roll stabilisation in the nocturnal bull ant Myrmecia pyriformis: implications for visual navigation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:1449-57. [PMID: 26994172 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.134049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Ant foragers are known to memorise visual scenes that allow them to repeatedly travel along idiosyncratic routes and to return to specific places. Guidance is provided by a comparison between visual memories and current views, which critically depends on how well the attitude of the visual system is controlled. Here we show that nocturnal bull ants stabilise their head to varying degrees against locomotion-induced body roll movements, and this ability decreases as light levels fall. There are always un-compensated head roll oscillations that match the frequency of the stride cycle. Head roll stabilisation involves both visual and non-visual cues as ants compensate for body roll in complete darkness and also respond with head roll movements when confronted with visual pattern oscillations. We show that imperfect head roll control degrades navigation-relevant visual information and discuss ways in which navigating ants may deal with this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé A Raderschall
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Ajay Narendra
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, W19F, 205 Culloden Road, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Jochen Zeil
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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Couzin-Fuchs E, Gal O, Holmes P, Ayali A. Differential control of temporal and spatial aspects of cockroach leg coordination. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 79:96-104. [PMID: 26086675 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Ensembles of neuronal networks and sensory pathways participate in controlling the kinematic and dynamic parameters of animal movement necessary to achieve motor coordination. Determining the relative contribution of proprioceptive feedback is essential for understanding how animals sustain stable, coordinated locomotion in complex natural environments. Here, we focus on the role of chordotonal organs (COs), proprioceptors found in insect legs, in the spatial and temporal regulation of walking. We compare gait parameters of intact cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and sensory-impaired ones, injected with pymetrozine, a chemical previously shown to abolish CO function in locusts. We verify that afferent CO activity in pymetrozine-treated cockroaches is inhibited, and analyze the effect of this sensory deprivation on inter-leg coordination. We find significant changes in tarsi placement and leg path trajectories after pymetrozine treatment. Leg touchdown accuracy, measured from relative tarsi positions of adjacent legs, is reduced in treated animals. Interestingly, despite poorer spatial coordination in both stance and swing, temporal properties of the gait remain largely the same as in the intact preparations, apart from changes in ipsilateral phase differences between front and middle legs. These findings provide insights into the role of COs in insect gait control and establish pymetrozine as a useful tool for further studies of insect locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Couzin-Fuchs
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - O Gal
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - P Holmes
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - A Ayali
- Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Abstract
Background Qualitative and quantitative measurements of motor performance are essential for characterizing perturbations of motor systems. Although several methods exist for analyzing specific motor tasks, few behavioral assays are readily available to researchers that provide a complete set of kinematic parameters in rodents. Results Here we present MouseWalker, an integrated hardware and software system that provides a comprehensive and quantitative description of kinematic features in freely walking rodents. Footprints are visualized with high spatial and temporal resolution by a non-invasive optical touch sensor coupled to high-speed imaging. A freely available and open-source software package tracks footprints and body features to generate a comprehensive description of many locomotion features, including static parameters such as footprint position and stance patterns and dynamic parameters, such as step and swing cycle duration, and inter-leg coordination. Using this method, we describe walking by wild-type mice including several previously undescribed parameters. For example, we demonstrate that footprint touchdown occurs instantaneously by the entire paw with no obvious rostral–caudal or lateral–medial bias. Conclusions The readily available MouseWalker system and the large set of readouts it generates greatly increases the currently available toolkit for the analysis of wild type and aberrant locomotion in rodents. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-015-0154-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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