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Ali MZ, Anushree A, Bilgrami AL, Ahsan A, Ola MS, Haque R, Ahsan J. Phenylacetaldehyde induced olfactory conditioning in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) larvae. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:25. [PMID: 38092368 PMCID: PMC10718815 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Phenylacetaldehyde (PAH), an aromatic odorant, exists in varied fruits including overripe bananas and prickly pear cactus, the 2 major host fruits of Drosophila melanogaster. It acts as a potent ligand for the Ionotropic receptor 84a (IR84a) and the Odorant receptor 67a (OR67a), serving as an important food and courtship cue for adult fruit flies. Drosophila melanogaster larvae respond robustly to diverse feeding odorants, such as ethyl acetate (EA), an aliphatic ester. Since the chemical identity and concentration of an odorant are vital neural information handled by the olfactory system, we studied how larvae respond to PAH, an aromatic food odorant with aphrodisiac properties for adult flies. Our findings revealed that PAH attracted larvae significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Larvae could also be trained with PAH associated to appetitive and aversive reinforcers. Thus, like EA, PAH might serve as an important odorant cue for larvae, aiding in food tracking and survival in the wild. Since IR84a/IR8a complex primarily governs PAH response in adult flies, we examined expression of Ir84a and Ir8a in early third-instar larvae. Our experiments showed the presence of Ir8a, a novel finding. However, contrary to adult flies, PAH-responsive Ir84a was not found. Our behavioral experiments with Ir8a1 mutant larvae exhibited normal chemotaxis to PAH, whereas Orco1 mutant showed markedly reduced chemotaxis, indicating an OR-mediated neural circuitry for sensing of PAH in larvae. The results obtained through this study are significantly important as information on how larvae perceive and process PAH odorant at the neuronal level is lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Zeeshan Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, India
| | - Anushree Anushree
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, India
| | - Anwar L Bilgrami
- Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aarif Ahsan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mohammad Shamsul Ola
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rizwanul Haque
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, India
| | - Jawaid Ahsan
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, India
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Liu F, Sun H, Zwiebel LJ. Cup and Pan Behavioral Assays for Assessing Anopheles coluzzii Larval Volatile Responses. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2023; 2023:pdb.prot108021. [PMID: 36446532 PMCID: PMC11216298 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot108021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Larval stage Anopheles coluzzii are highly reliant on their olfactory system to locate food sources and to avoid predators and less advantageous microenvironments within their aqueous habitats. The major larval chemosensory appendage, the antenna, is a complex organ with multiple sensory components that is responsible for both gustation and olfaction, thereby facilitating the detection and of both soluble and volatile compounds of biological relevance. Such compounds include food sources, predators, and a range of environmental toxicants. Unlike other mosquitoes, Anopheles coluzzii often position themselves parallel and just under the surface of their aqueous habitats, where they can detect and respond to volatile stimuli. We describe two assays for assessing the behavioral responses of larval anophelines in response to volatile chemicals. The first is a dual-choice, water-surface, inverted-cup assay designed to behaviorally characterize the response valences (attraction, neutral, and repulsion) of anopheline larvae by monitoring and recording the distribution of larvae proximate to chemical volatiles relative to solvent controls. Second, an aqueous-based larval pan behavior assay is designed to assess the responses of mosquito larvae to soluble compounds (as well as potential headspace volatiles) that are released from a point source within larval water. Here, the response valence (attractive, neutral, and repulsive) of mosquito larvae is assessed by quantifying the numbers of larvae in predefined zones proximate to chemical sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Huahua Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Laurence J Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
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3
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Giachello CNG, Hunter I, Pettini T, Coulson B, Knüfer A, Cachero S, Winding M, Arzan Zarin A, Kohsaka H, Fan YN, Nose A, Landgraf M, Baines RA. Electrophysiological Validation of Monosynaptic Connectivity between Premotor Interneurons and the aCC Motoneuron in the Drosophila Larval CNS. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6724-6738. [PMID: 35868863 PMCID: PMC9435966 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2463-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Drosophila connectome project aims to map the synaptic connectivity of entire larval and adult fly neural networks, which is essential for understanding nervous system development and function. So far, the project has produced an impressive amount of electron microscopy data that has facilitated reconstructions of specific synapses, including many in the larval locomotor circuit. While this breakthrough represents a technical tour de force, the data remain underutilized, partly because of a lack of functional validation of reconstructions. Attempts to validate connectivity posited by the connectome project, have mostly relied on behavioral assays and/or GFP reconstitution across synaptic partners (GRASP) or GCaMP imaging. While these techniques are useful, they have limited spatial or temporal resolution. Electrophysiological assays of synaptic connectivity overcome these limitations. Here, we combine patch-clamp recordings with optogenetic stimulation in male and female larvae, to test synaptic connectivity proposed by connectome reconstructions. Specifically, we use multiple driver lines to confirm that several connections between premotor interneurons and the anterior corner cell motoneuron are, as the connectome project suggests, monosynaptic. In contrast, our results also show that conclusions based on GRASP imaging may provide false-positive results regarding connectivity between cells. We also present a novel imaging tool, based on the same technology as our electrophysiology, as a favorable alternative to GRASP imaging. Finally, of eight Gal4 lines tested, five are reliably expressed in the premotor interneurons they are targeted to. Thus, our work highlights the need to confirm functional synaptic connectivity, driver line specificity, and use of appropriate genetic tools to support connectome projects.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The Drosophila connectome project aims to provide a complete description of connectivity between neurons in an organism that presents experimental advantages over other models. It has reconstructed hundreds of thousands of synaptic connections of the fly larva by manual identification of anatomic landmarks present in serial section transmission electron microscopy (ssTEM) volumes of the larval CNS. We use a highly reliable electrophysiological approach to verify these connections, providing useful insight into the accuracy of work based on ssTEM. We also present a novel imaging tool for validating excitatory monosynaptic connections between cells and show that several genetic driver lines designed to target neurons of the larval connectome exhibit nonspecific and/or unreliable expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo N G Giachello
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Hunter
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Pettini
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Bramwell Coulson
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, United Kingdom
| | - Athene Knüfer
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Cachero
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Winding
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Aref Arzan Zarin
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3258
| | - Hiroshi Kohsaka
- Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Yuen Ngan Fan
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, United Kingdom
| | - Akinao Nose
- Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8561, Japan
| | - Matthias Landgraf
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Baines
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NQ, United Kingdom
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4
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Drosophila melanogaster Chemosensory Pathways as Potential Targets to Curb the Insect Menace. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020142. [PMID: 35206716 PMCID: PMC8874460 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The perception and processing of chemosensory stimuli are indispensable to the survival of living organisms. In insects, olfaction and gustation play a critical role in seeking food, finding mates and avoiding signs of danger. This review aims to present updated information about olfactory and gustatory signaling in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We have described the mechanisms involved in olfactory and gustatory perceptions at the molecular level, the receptors along with the allied molecules involved, and their signaling pathways in the fruit fly. Due to the magnifying problems of disease-causing insect vectors and crop pests, the applications of chemosensory signaling in controlling pests and insect vectors are also discussed. Abstract From a unicellular bacterium to a more complex human, smell and taste form an integral part of the basic sensory system. In fruit flies Drosophila melanogaster, the behavioral responses to odorants and tastants are simple, though quite sensitive, and robust. They explain the organization and elementary functioning of the chemosensory system. Molecular and functional analyses of the receptors and other critical molecules involved in olfaction and gustation are not yet completely understood. Hence, a better understanding of chemosensory cue-dependent fruit flies, playing a major role in deciphering the host-seeking behavior of pathogen transmitting insect vectors (mosquitoes, sandflies, ticks) and crop pests (Drosophila suzukii, Queensland fruit fly), is needed. Using D. melanogaster as a model organism, the knowledge gained may be implemented to design new means of controlling insects as well as in analyzing current batches of insect and pest repellents. In this review, the complete mechanisms of olfactory and gustatory perception, along with their implementation in controlling the global threat of disease-transmitting insect vectors and crop-damaging pests, are explained in fruit flies.
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Mendonça-Gomes JM, Charlie-Silva I, Guimarães ATB, Estrela FN, Calmon MF, Miceli RN, Sanches PRS, Bittar C, Rahal P, Cilli EM, Ahmed MAI, Vogel CFA, Malafaia G. Shedding light on toxicity of SARS-CoV-2 peptides in aquatic biota: A study involving neotropical mosquito larvae (Diptera: Culicidae). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 289:117818. [PMID: 34333265 PMCID: PMC8291650 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about how the COVID-19 pandemic can affect aquatic wildlife is still extremely limited, and no effect of SARS-CoV-2 or its structural constituents on invertebrate models has been reported so far. Thus, we investigated the presence of the 2019-new coronavirus in different urban wastewater samples and, later, evaluated the behavioral and biochemical effects of the exposure of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae to two SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptides (PSPD-2002 and PSPD-2003) synthesized in our laboratory. Initially, our results show the contamination of wastewater by the new coronavirus, via RT-qPCR on the viral N1 gene. On the other hand, our study shows that short-term exposure (48 h) to a low concentration (40 μg/L) of the synthesized peptides induced changes in the locomotor and the olfactory-driven behavior of the C. quinquefascitus larvae, which were associated with increased production of ROS and AChE activity (cholinesterase effect). To our knowledge, this is the first study that reports the indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the larval phase of a freshwater invertebrate species. The results raise concerns at the ecological level where the observed biological effects may lead to drastic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ives Charlie-Silva
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Fernanda Neves Estrela
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Conservação de Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Instituto Federal Goiano; Urutaí, GO, Brazil
| | - Marilia Freitas Calmon
- Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Nava Miceli
- SeMAE - Serviço Municipal Autonômo de Água e Esgoto, São José do Rio Preto; São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo R S Sanches
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista; Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Cíntia Bittar
- Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula Rahal
- Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"; São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo M Cilli
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista; Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Christoph F A Vogel
- Department of Environmental Toxicology and Center for Health and the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Conservação de Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Instituto Federal Goiano; Urutaí, GO, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Biotecnologia e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlância, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
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6
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Hunter I, Coulson B, Zarin AA, Baines RA. The Drosophila Larval Locomotor Circuit Provides a Model to Understand Neural Circuit Development and Function. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:684969. [PMID: 34276315 PMCID: PMC8282269 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.684969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is difficult to answer important questions in neuroscience, such as: "how do neural circuits generate behaviour?," because research is limited by the complexity and inaccessibility of the mammalian nervous system. Invertebrate model organisms offer simpler networks that are easier to manipulate. As a result, much of what we know about the development of neural circuits is derived from work in crustaceans, nematode worms and arguably most of all, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. This review aims to demonstrate the utility of the Drosophila larval locomotor network as a model circuit, to those who do not usually use the fly in their work. This utility is explored first by discussion of the relatively complete connectome associated with one identified interneuron of the locomotor circuit, A27h, and relating it to similar circuits in mammals. Next, it is developed by examining its application to study two important areas of neuroscience research: critical periods of development and interindividual variability in neural circuits. In summary, this article highlights the potential to use the larval locomotor network as a "generic" model circuit, to provide insight into mammalian circuit development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain Hunter
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Bramwell Coulson
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Aref Arzan Zarin
- Department of Biology, The Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Richard A Baines
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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7
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Marescotti M, Lagogiannis K, Webb B, Davies RW, Armstrong JD. Monitoring brain activity and behaviour in freely moving Drosophila larvae using bioluminescence. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9246. [PMID: 29915372 PMCID: PMC6006295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27043-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a bioluminescence method, based on the calcium-reporter Aequorin (AEQ), that exploits targeted transgenic expression patterns to identify activity of specific neural groups in the larval Drosophila nervous system. We first refine, for intact but constrained larva, the choice of Aequorin transgene and method of delivery of the co-factor coelenterazine and assay the luminescence signal produced for different neural expression patterns and concentrations of co-factor, using standard photo-counting techniques. We then develop an apparatus that allows simultaneous measurement of this neural signal while video recording the crawling path of an unconstrained animal. The setup also enables delivery and measurement of an olfactory cue (CO2) and we demonstrate the ability to record synchronized changes in Kenyon cell activity and crawling speed caused by the stimulus. Our approach is thus shown to be an effective and affordable method for studying the neural basis of behavior in Drosophila larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Marescotti
- Brainwave-Discovery Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. .,The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
| | - Konstantinos Lagogiannis
- The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.,Centre Of Developmental Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Barbara Webb
- The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - R Wayne Davies
- Brainwave-Discovery Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.,The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - J Douglas Armstrong
- Brainwave-Discovery Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.,The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
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8
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Abstract
Developmental biology is a fascinating branch of science which helps us to understand the mechanism of development, thus the findings are used in various therapeutic approach. Drosophila melanogaster served as a model to find the key molecules that initiate and regulate the mechanism of development. Various genes, transcription factors, and signaling pathways helping in development are identified in Drosophila. Many toxic compounds, which can affect the development, are also recognized using Drosophila model. These compounds, which can affect the development, are named as a teratogen. Many teratogens identified using Drosophila may also act as a teratogen for a human being since 75% of conservation exist between the disease genes present in Drosophila and human. There are certain teratogens, which do not cause developmental defect if exposed during pregnancy, however; behavioral defect appears in later part of development. Such compounds are named as a behavioral teratogen. Thus, it is worthy to identify the potential behavioral teratogen using Drosophila model. Drosophila behavior is well studied in various developmental stages. This chapter describes various methods which can be employed to test behavioral teratogenesis in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monalisa Mishra
- Neural Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India.
| | - Bedanta Kumar Barik
- Neural Developmental Biology Lab, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
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9
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Azevedo AW, Wilson RI. Active Mechanisms of Vibration Encoding and Frequency Filtering in Central Mechanosensory Neurons. Neuron 2017; 96:446-460.e9. [PMID: 28943231 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
To better understand biophysical mechanisms of mechanosensory processing, we investigated two cell types in the Drosophila brain (A2 and B1 cells) that are postsynaptic to antennal vibration receptors. A2 cells receive excitatory synaptic currents in response to both directions of movement: thus, twice per vibration cycle. The membrane acts as a low-pass filter, so that voltage and spiking mainly track the vibration envelope rather than individual cycles. By contrast, B1 cells are excited by only forward or backward movement, meaning they are sensitive to vibration phase. They receive oscillatory synaptic currents at the stimulus frequency, and they bandpass filter these inputs to favor specific frequencies. Different cells prefer different frequencies, due to differences in their voltage-gated conductances. Both Na+ and K+ conductances suppress low-frequency synaptic inputs, so cells with larger voltage-gated conductances prefer higher frequencies. These results illustrate how membrane properties and voltage-gated conductances can extract distinct stimulus features into parallel channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony W Azevedo
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rachel I Wilson
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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10
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Rist A, Thum AS. A map of sensilla and neurons in the taste system ofdrosophilalarvae. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:3865-3889. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rist
- Department of Biology; University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
| | - Andreas S. Thum
- Department of Biology; University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
- Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
- Department of Genetics; University of Leipzig; Leipzig Germany
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11
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Ormerod KG, LePine OK, Abbineni PS, Bridgeman JM, Coorssen JR, Mercier AJ, Tattersall GJ. Drosophila development, physiology, behavior, and lifespan are influenced by altered dietary composition. Fly (Austin) 2017; 11:153-170. [PMID: 28277941 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2017.1304331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet profoundly influences the behavior of animals across many phyla. Despite this, most laboratories using model organisms, such as Drosophila, use multiple, different, commercial or custom-made media for rearing their animals. In addition to measuring growth, fecundity and longevity, we used several behavioral and physiological assays to determine if and how altering food media influence wild-type (Canton S) Drosophila melanogaster, at larval, pupal, and adult stages. Comparing 2 commonly used commercial food media we observed several key developmental and morphological differences. Third-instar larvae and pupae developmental timing, body weight and size, and even lifespan significantly differed between the 2 diets, and some of these differences persisted into adulthood. Diet was also found to produce significantly different thermal preference, locomotory capacity for geotaxis, feeding rates, and lower muscle response to hormonal stimulation. There were no differences, however, in adult thermal preferences, in the number or viability of eggs laid, or in olfactory learning and memory between the diets. We characterized the composition of the 2 diets and found particularly significant differences in cholesterol and (phospho)lipids between them. Notably, diacylglycerol (DAG) concentrations vary substantially between the 2 diets, and may contribute to key phenotypic differences, including lifespan. Overall, the data confirm that 2 different diets can profoundly influence the behavior, physiology, morphology and development of wild-type Drosophila, with greater behavioral and physiologic differences occurring during the larval stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiel G Ormerod
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Olivia K LePine
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Prabhodh S Abbineni
- b Department of Molecular Physiology, and the WSU Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Medicine , Western Sydney University , Penrith , New South Wales , Australia
| | - Justin M Bridgeman
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Jens R Coorssen
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada.,b Department of Molecular Physiology, and the WSU Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Medicine , Western Sydney University , Penrith , New South Wales , Australia.,c Faculty of Graduate Studies, Department of Health Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - A Joffre Mercier
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
| | - Glenn J Tattersall
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Brock University , St. Catharines , ON , Canada
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12
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A molecular and neuronal basis for amino acid sensing in the Drosophila larva. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34871. [PMID: 27982028 PMCID: PMC5159833 DOI: 10.1038/srep34871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acids are important nutrients for animals, reflected in conserved internal pathways in vertebrates and invertebrates for monitoring cellular levels of these compounds. In mammals, sensory cells and metabotropic glutamate receptor-related taste receptors that detect environmental sources of amino acids in food are also well-characterised. By contrast, it is unclear how insects perceive this class of molecules through peripheral chemosensory mechanisms. Here we investigate amino acid sensing in Drosophila melanogaster larvae, which feed ravenously to support their rapid growth. We show that larvae display diverse behaviours (attraction, aversion, neutral) towards different amino acids, which depend upon stimulus concentration. Some of these behaviours require IR76b, a member of the variant ionotropic glutamate receptor repertoire of invertebrate chemoreceptors. IR76b is broadly expressed in larval taste neurons, suggesting a role as a co-receptor. We identify a subpopulation of these neurons that displays physiological activation by some, but not all, amino acids, and which mediate suppression of feeding by high concentrations of at least a subset of these compounds. Our data reveal the first elements of a sophisticated neuronal and molecular substrate by which these animals detect and behave towards external sources of amino acids.
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13
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Li Q, Gong Z. Cold-sensing regulates Drosophila growth through insulin-producing cells. Nat Commun 2015; 6:10083. [PMID: 26648410 PMCID: PMC4682036 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Across phyla, body size is linked to climate. For example, rearing fruit flies at lower temperatures results in bigger body sizes than those observed at higher temperatures. The underlying molecular basis of this effect is poorly understood. Here we provide evidence that the temperature-dependent regulation of Drosophila body size depends on a group of cold-sensing neurons and insulin-producing cells (IPCs). Electrically silencing IPCs completely abolishes the body size increase induced by cold temperature. IPCs are directly innervated by cold-sensing neurons. Stimulation of these cold-sensing neurons activates IPCs, promotes synthesis and secretion of Drosophila insulin-like peptides and induces a larger body size, mimicking the effects of rearing the flies in cold temperature. Taken together, these findings reveal a neuronal circuit that mediates the effects of low temperature on fly growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoran Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zhefeng Gong
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
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14
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Gonzalez PV, González Audino PA, Masuh HM. Behavioral Response of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Larvae to Synthetic and Natural Attractants and Repellents. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:1315-1321. [PMID: 26352935 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) is the key vector of three important arboviral diseases: dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya. Immature stages of this species inhabit human-made containers placed in residential landscapes. In this study, we evaluated a few compounds in a sensitive behavioral assay with Ae. aegypti larvae. The orientation of larvae to different compounds was surveyed using a performance index (PI). The PI represents the response to each odorant, where a value of +1 is indicative of full attraction and -1 represents complete repulsion. The widely used insect repellent N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide elicited a significantly negative PI, as did acetophenone and indole. A yeast extract, a known food source, elicited a significantly positive PI, as did 2-methylphenol, 1-octen-3-ol, 3-methylphenol, and fish food. On the other hand, no response was observed for the essential oil of Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus camaldulensis at the concentration evaluated. Pretreatment of larvae with N-ethylmaleimide and ablation of the antennae resulted in a suppression of behavioral responses. The overall mobility of ablated larvae was indistinguishable from unablated controls, and absence of any visible locomotor dysfunction was observed. This work is a contribution to the study of the chemical ecology of disease vectors with the aim of developing more efficient tools for surveillance and control.Natural and synthetic compounds attractive to Ae. aegypti larvae should be incorporated into integrated pest management programs through the use of baited traps or by improving the efficacy of larvicides commonly used in control campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula V Gonzalez
- Centro de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas (CONICET- CITEDEF), Juan Bautista de La Salle 4397, B1603ALO, Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola A González Audino
- Centro de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas (CONICET- CITEDEF), Juan Bautista de La Salle 4397, B1603ALO, Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Héctor M Masuh
- Centro de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas (CONICET- CITEDEF), Juan Bautista de La Salle 4397, B1603ALO, Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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15
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Apostolopoulou AA, Rist A, Thum AS. Taste processing in Drosophila larvae. Front Integr Neurosci 2015; 9:50. [PMID: 26528147 PMCID: PMC4602287 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2015.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The sense of taste allows animals to detect chemical substances in their environment to initiate appropriate behaviors: to find food or a mate, to avoid hostile environments and predators. Drosophila larvae are a promising model organism to study gustation. Their simple nervous system triggers stereotypic behavioral responses, and the coding of taste can be studied by genetic tools at the single cell level. This review briefly summarizes recent progress on how taste information is sensed and processed by larval cephalic and pharyngeal sense organs. The focus lies on several studies, which revealed cellular and molecular mechanisms required to process sugar, salt, and bitter substances.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Rist
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
| | - Andreas S Thum
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany ; Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz Konstanz, Germany
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16
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König C, Schleyer M, Leibiger J, El-Keredy A, Gerber B. Bitter-sweet processing in larval Drosophila. Chem Senses 2014; 39:489-505. [PMID: 24833133 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bju016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
"Sweet-" and "bitter-" tasting substances distinctively support attractive and aversive choice behavior, respectively, and therefore are thought to be processed by distinct pathways. Interestingly, electrophysiological recordings in adult Drosophila suggest that bitter and salty tastants, in addition to activating bitter, salt, or bitter/salt sensory neurons, can also inhibit sweet-sensory neurons. However, the behavioral significance of such a potential for combinatorial coding is little understood. Using larval Drosophila as a study case, we find that the preference towards fructose is inhibited when assayed in the background of the bitter tastant quinine. When testing the influence of quinine on the preference to other, equally preferred sweet tastants, we find that these sweet tastants differ in their susceptibility to be inhibited by quinine. Such stimulus specificity argues that the inhibitory effect of quinine is not due to general effects on locomotion or nausea. In turn, not all bitter tastants have the same potency to inhibit sweet preference; notably, their inhibitory potency is not determined by the strength of the avoidance of them. Likewise, equally avoided concentrations of sodium chloride differ in their potency to inhibit sugar preference. Furthermore, Gr33a-Gal4-positive neurons, while being necessary for bitter avoidance, are dispensable for inhibition of the sweet pathway. Thus, interactions across taste modalities are behaviorally significant and, as we discuss, arguably diverse in mechanism. These results suggest that the coding of tastants and the organization of gustatory behavior may be more combinatorial than is generally acknowledged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian König
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstr. 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany, Research Group Molecular Systems Biology of Learning, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schleyer
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstr. 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany, Department of Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Judith Leibiger
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstr. 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany, Department of Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Amira El-Keredy
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Tanta-Kafr El-Sheikh Road, Seberbay Campus, 31527 Tanta, Egypt
| | - Bertram Gerber
- Department of Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestr. 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany and Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
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17
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The extracellular matrix protein artichoke is required for integrity of ciliated mechanosensory and chemosensory organs in Drosophila embryos. Genetics 2014; 196:1091-102. [PMID: 24496014 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.113.156323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory cilia are often encapsulated by an extracellular matrix (ECM). In Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and vertebrates, this ECM is thought to be directly involved in ciliary mechanosensing by coupling external forces to the ciliary membrane. Drosophila mechano- and chemosensory cilia are both associated with an ECM, indicating that the ECM may have additional roles that go beyond mechanosensory cilium function. Here, we identify Artichoke (ATK), an evolutionarily conserved leucine-rich repeat ECM protein that is required for normal morphogenesis and function of ciliated sensilla in Drosophila. atk is transiently expressed in accessory cells in all ciliated sensory organs during their late embryonic development. Antibody stainings show ATK protein in the ECM that surrounds sensory cilia. Loss of ATK protein in atk null mutants leads to cilium deformation and disorientation in chordotonal organs, apparently without uncoupling the cilia from the ECM, and consequently to locomotion defects. Moreover, impaired chemotaxis in atk mutant larvae suggests that, based on ATK protein localization, the ECM is also crucial for the correct assembly of chemosensory receptors. In addition to defining a novel ECM component, our findings show the importance of ECM integrity for the proper morphogenesis of ciliated organs in different sensory modalities.
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18
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Diaper DC, Hirth F. Immunostaining of the developing embryonic and larval Drosophila brain. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 1082:3-17. [PMID: 24048923 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-655-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Immunostaining is used to visualize the spatiotemporal expression pattern of developmental control genes that regulate the genesis and specification of the embryonic and larval brain of Drosophila. Immunostaining uses specific antibodies to mark expressed proteins and allows their localization to be traced throughout development. This method reveals insights into gene regulation, cell-type specification, neuron and glial differentiation, and posttranslational protein modifications underlying the patterning and specification of the maturing brain. Depending on the targeted protein, it is possible to visualize a multitude of regions of the Drosophila brain, such as small groups of neurons or glia, defined subcomponents of the brain's axon scaffold, or pre- and postsynaptic structures of neurons. Thus, antibody probes that recognize defined tissues, cells, or subcellular structures like axons or synaptic terminals can be used as markers to identify and analyze phenotypes in mutant embryos and larvae. Several antibodies, combined with different labels, can be used concurrently to examine protein co-localization. This protocol spans over 3-4 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle C Diaper
- Department of Neuroscience, MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
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Lavagnino NJ, Arya GH, Korovaichuk A, Fanara JJ. Genetic architecture of olfactory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster: differences and similarities across development. Behav Genet 2013; 43:348-59. [PMID: 23563598 PMCID: PMC3691330 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-013-9592-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In the holometabolous insect Drosophila melanogaster, genetic, physiological and anatomical aspects of olfaction are well known in the adult stage, while larval stages olfactory behavior has received some attention it has been less studied than its adult counterpart. Most of these studies focus on olfactory receptor (Or) genes that produce peripheral odor recognition. In this paper, through a loss-of-function screen using P-element inserted lines and also by means of expression analyses of larval olfaction candidate genes, we extended the uncovering of the genetic underpinnings of D. melanogaster larval olfactory behavior by demonstrating that larval olfactory behavior is, in addition to Or genes, orchestrated by numerous genes with diverse functions. Also, our results point out that the genetic architecture of olfactory behavior in D. melanogaster presents a dynamic and changing organization across environments and ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Lavagnino
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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20
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Mysore K, Flannery EM, Tomchaney M, Severson DW, Duman-Scheel M. Disruption of Aedes aegypti olfactory system development through chitosan/siRNA nanoparticle targeting of semaphorin-1a. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2215. [PMID: 23696908 PMCID: PMC3656119 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the devastating impact of mosquito-borne illnesses on human health, surprisingly little is known about mosquito developmental biology, including development of the olfactory system, a tissue of vector importance. Analysis of mosquito olfactory developmental genetics has been hindered by a lack of means to target specific genes during the development of this sensory system. In this investigation, chitosan/siRNA nanoparticles were used to target semaphorin-1a (sema1a) during olfactory system development in the dengue and yellow fever vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. Immunohistochemical analyses and anterograde tracing of antennal sensory neurons, which were used to track the progression of olfactory development in this species, revealed antennal lobe defects in sema1a knockdown fourth instar larvae. These findings, which correlated with a larval odorant tracking behavioral phenotype, identified previously unreported roles for Sema1a in the developing insect larval olfactory system. Analysis of sema1a knockdown pupae also revealed a number of olfactory phenotypes, including olfactory receptor neuron targeting and projection neuron defects coincident with a collapse in the structure and shape of the antennal lobe and individual glomeruli. This study, which is to our knowledge the first functional genetic analysis of insect olfactory development outside of D. melanogaster, identified critical roles for Sema1a during Ae. aegypti larval and pupal olfactory development and advocates the use of chitosan/siRNA nanoparticles as an effective means of targeting genes during post-embryonic Ae. aegypti development. Use of siRNA nanoparticle methodology to understand sensory developmental genetics in mosquitoes will provide insight into the evolutionary conservation and divergence of key developmental genes which could be exploited in the development of both common and species-specific means for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshava Mysore
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Ellen M. Flannery
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Michael Tomchaney
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - David W. Severson
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Molly Duman-Scheel
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Abstract
We studied complete dose-response curves for 53 odorants in the third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. All odorants, except one, elicited an attraction response. Some odorants also elicited a decrease from their peak response at higher concentrations. This concentration-dependent decrease in olfactory response could be due to either desensitization or repulsion, 2 possibilities that we cannot distinguish in our current assay. We observed high variations in factors like slopes, thresholds, and peaks of responses that, in agreement with previous studies, suggest that the responses of different receptors are quite different for the similar change in concentration of various ligands. We also observed that lower attraction thresholds predicted higher peak amplitude. This suggests that if odor responses encompassed wider concentration range than can be covered by the dynamic range of a single receptor, then responses tend to be high in magnitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukant Khurana
- National Center for Biological Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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22
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Das A, Gupta T, Davla S, Godino LLP, Diegelmann S, Reddy OV, VijayRaghavan K, Reichert H, Lovick J, Hartenstein V. Neuroblast lineage-specific origin of the neurons of the Drosophila larval olfactory system. Dev Biol 2013; 373:322-37. [PMID: 23149077 PMCID: PMC4045504 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Revised: 11/02/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The complete neuronal repertoire of the central brain of Drosophila originates from only approximately 100 pairs of neural stem cells, or neuroblasts. Each neuroblast produces a highly stereotyped lineage of neurons which innervate specific compartments of the brain. Neuroblasts undergo two rounds of mitotic activity: embryonic divisions produce lineages of primary neurons that build the larval nervous system; after a brief quiescence, the neuroblasts go through a second round of divisions in larval stage to produce secondary neurons which are integrated into the adult nervous system. Here we investigate the lineages that are associated with the larval antennal lobe, one of the most widely studied neuronal systems in fly. We find that the same five neuroblasts responsible for the adult antennal lobe also produce the antennal lobe of the larval brain. However, there are notable differences in the composition of larval (primary) lineages and their adult (secondary) counterparts. Significantly, in the adult, two lineages (lNB/BAlc and adNB/BAmv3) produce uniglomerular projection neurons connecting the antennal lobe with the mushroom body and lateral horn; another lineage, vNB/BAla1, generates multiglomerular neurons reaching the lateral horn directly. lNB/BAlc, as well as a fourth lineage, vlNB/BAla2, generate a diversity of local interneurons. We describe a fifth, previously unknown lineage, BAlp4, which connects the posterior part of the antennal lobe and the neighboring tritocerebrum (gustatory center) with a higher brain center located adjacent to the mushroom body. In the larva, only one of these lineages, adNB/BAmv3, generates all uniglomerular projection neurons. Also as in the adult, lNB/BAlc and vlNB/BAla2 produce local interneurons which, in terms of diversity in architecture and transmitter expression, resemble their adult counterparts. In addition, lineages lNB/BAlc and vNB/BAla1, as well as the newly described BAlp4, form numerous types of projection neurons which along the same major axon pathways (antennal tracts) used by the antennal projection neurons, but which form connections that include regions outside the "classical" olfactory circuit triad antennal lobe-mushroom body-lateral horn. Our work will benefit functional studies of the larval olfactory circuit, and shed light on the relationship between larval and adult neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijit Das
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, UAS-GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560065, India
| | - Tripti Gupta
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, UAS-GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560065, India
| | - Sejal Davla
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, UAS-GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560065, India
| | | | - Sören Diegelmann
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ
| | - O. Venkateswara Reddy
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, UAS-GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560065, India
| | - K. VijayRaghavan
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, UAS-GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560065, India
| | - Heinrich Reichert
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Lovick
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Volker Hartenstein
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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23
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‘Decision Making’ in Larval Drosophila. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-415823-8.00005-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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24
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El-Keredy A, Schleyer M, König C, Ekim A, Gerber B. Behavioural analyses of quinine processing in choice, feeding and learning of larval Drosophila. PLoS One 2012; 7:e40525. [PMID: 22802964 PMCID: PMC3393658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2010] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gustatory stimuli can support both immediate reflexive behaviour, such as choice and feeding, and can drive internal reinforcement in associative learning. For larval Drosophila, we here provide a first systematic behavioural analysis of these functions with respect to quinine as a study case of a substance which humans report as “tasting bitter”. We describe the dose-effect functions for these different kinds of behaviour and find that a half-maximal effect of quinine to suppress feeding needs substantially higher quinine concentrations (2.0 mM) than is the case for internal reinforcement (0.6 mM). Interestingly, in previous studies (Niewalda et al. 2008, Schipanski et al 2008) we had found the reverse for sodium chloride and fructose/sucrose, such that dose-effect functions for those tastants were shifted towards lower concentrations for feeding as compared to reinforcement, arguing that the differences in dose-effect function between these behaviours do not reflect artefacts of the types of assay used. The current results regarding quinine thus provide a starting point to investigate how the gustatory system is organized on the cellular and/or molecular level to result in different behavioural tuning curves towards a bitter tastant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira El-Keredy
- Genetics and Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Genetics, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Michael Schleyer
- Genetics and Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Genetics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Aslihan Ekim
- Genetics and Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Bertram Gerber
- Genetics and Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Genetics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Genetics of Learning and Memory, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
- Behavioural Genetics, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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25
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Iyengar BG, Chou CJ, Vandamme KM, Klose MK, Zhao X, Akhtar-Danesh N, Campos AR, Atwood HL. Silencing synaptic communication between random interneurons duringDrosophilalarval locomotion. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 10:883-900. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2011.00729.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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26
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Schleyer M, Saumweber T, Nahrendorf W, Fischer B, von Alpen D, Pauls D, Thum A, Gerber B. A behavior-based circuit model of how outcome expectations organize learned behavior in larval Drosophila. Learn Mem 2011; 18:639-53. [PMID: 21946956 DOI: 10.1101/lm.2163411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila larvae combine a numerically simple brain, a correspondingly moderate behavioral complexity, and the availability of a rich toolbox for transgenic manipulation. This makes them attractive as a study case when trying to achieve a circuit-level understanding of behavior organization. From a series of behavioral experiments, we suggest a circuitry of chemosensory processing, odor-tastant memory trace formation, and the "decision" process to behaviorally express these memory traces--or not. The model incorporates statements about the neuronal organization of innate vs. conditioned chemosensory behavior, and the types of interaction between olfactory and gustatory pathways during the establishment as well as the behavioral expression of odor-tastant memory traces. It in particular suggests that innate olfactory behavior is responsive in nature, whereas conditioned olfactory behavior is captured better when seen as an action in pursuit of its outcome. It incorporates the available neuroanatomical and behavioral data and thus should be useful as scaffold for the ongoing investigations of the chemo-behavioral system in larval Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schleyer
- Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Neurobiologie und Genetik, Am Hubland, 970 74 Würzburg, Germany
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27
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Khesroshahi ND, Wessalowski U, Ulama T, Niederegger S, Heinzel HG, Spiess R. Gustatory feedback affects feeding related motor pattern generation in starved 3rd instar larvae of Calliphora vicina. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 57:872-880. [PMID: 21453707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2011] [Revised: 03/16/2011] [Accepted: 03/18/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Gustatory feedback allows animals to distinguish between edible and noxious food and adapts centrally generated feeding motor patterns to environmental demands. In reduced preparations obtained from starved Calliphora larvae, putatively appetitive (ethanol), aversive (sodium acetate) and neutral (glucose) gustatory stimuli were applied to the anterior sense organs. The resulting sensory response was recorded from the maxillary and antennal nerves. All three stimuli increased the neural activity in both nerves. Recordings obtained from the antennal nerve to monitor the activation pattern of the cibarial dilator muscles, demonstrated an effect of gustatory input on the central pattern generator for feeding. Ethanol consistently enhanced the rhythmic activity of the CDM motor neurons either by speeding up the rhythm or by increasing the burst duration. Ethanol also had an enhancing effect on the motor patterns of a protractor muscle which moves the cephalopharyngeal skeleton relative to the body. Sodium acetate showed a state dependent effect: in preparations without spontaneous CDM activity it initiated rhythmic motor patterns, while an ongoing CDM rhythm was inhibited. Surprisingly glucose had an enhancing effect which was less pronounced than that of ethanol. Gustatory feedback therefore can modify and adapt the motor output of the multifunctional central pattern generator for feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Dokani Khesroshahi
- Zoologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Poppelsdorfer Schloß, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
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28
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Vermehren-Schmaedick A, Scudder C, Timmermans W, Morton DB. Drosophila gustatory preference behaviors require the atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2011; 197:717-27. [PMID: 21350862 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-011-0634-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2010] [Revised: 02/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular messenger cGMP has been suggested to play a role in taste signal transduction in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the present study, we have examined the role of the Drosophila atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases (sGCs), Gyc-89Da and Gyc-89Db, in larval and adult gustatory preference behaviors. We showed that in larvae, sucrose attraction requires Gyc-89Db and caffeine avoidance requires Gyc-89Da. In adult flies, sucrose attraction is unaffected by mutations in either gene whereas avoidance of low concentrations of caffeine is eliminated by loss of either gene. Similar defective behaviors were observed when cGMP increases were prevented by the expression of a cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase. We also showed that both genes were expressed in gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) in larval and adult gustatory organs, primarily in a non-overlapping pattern, with the exception of a small group of cells in the adult labellum. In addition, in adults, several cells co-expressed the bitter taste receptor, Gr66a, with either Gyc-89Da or Gyc-89Db. We also showed that the electrophysiological responses of a GRN to caffeine were significantly reduced in flies mutant for the atypical sGCs, suggesting that at least part of the adult behavioral defects were due to a reduced ability to detect caffeine.
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29
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Khurana S, Li WK, Atkinson NS. Image enhancement for tracking the translucent larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15259. [PMID: 21209929 PMCID: PMC3012681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2010] [Accepted: 11/02/2010] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster larvae are model systems for studies of development, synaptic transmission, sensory physiology, locomotion, drug discovery, and learning and memory. A detailed behavioral understanding of larvae can advance all these fields of neuroscience. Automated tracking can expand fine-grained behavioral analysis, yet its full potential remains to be implemented for the larvae. All published methods are unable to track the larvae near high contrast objects, including the petri-dish edges encountered in many behavioral paradigms. To alleviate these issues, we enhanced the larval contrast to obtain complete tracks. Our method employed a dual approach of optical-contrast boosting and post-hoc image processing for contrast enhancement. We reared larvae on black food media to enhance their optical contrast through darkening of their digestive tracts. For image processing we performed Frame Averaging followed by Subtraction then Thresholding (FAST). This algorithm can remove all static objects from the movie, including petri-dish edges prior to processing by the image-tracking module. This dual approach for contrast enhancement also succeeded in overcoming fluctuations in illumination caused by the alternating current power source. Our tracking method yields complete tracks, including at the edges of the behavioral arena and is computationally fast, hence suitable for high-throughput fine-grained behavioral measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukant Khurana
- Section of Neurobiology and Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America.
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Hückesfeld S, Niederegger S, Heinzel HG, Spiess R. The cephalic and pharyngeal sense organs of Calliphora vicina 3rd instar larvae are mechanosensitive but have no profound effect on ongoing feeding related motor patterns. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 56:1530-1541. [PMID: 20493875 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2010] [Revised: 04/30/2010] [Accepted: 05/03/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The anterior segments of cyclorraphous Diptera larvae bear various sense organs: the dorsal- and terminal organ located on the cephalic lobes, the ventral- and labial organs associated with the mouthplate and the internal labral organ which lies on the dorsal surface of the esophagus. The sense organs are connected to the brain via the antennal nerve (dorsal- and labral organ) or the maxillary nerve (terminal-, ventral-, labial organ). Although their ultrastructure suggests also a mechanosensory function only their response to olfactory and gustatory stimuli has been investigated electrophysiologically. Here we stimulated the individual organs with step-, ramp-, and sinusoidal stimuli of different amplitude while extracellulary recording their afferents from the respective nerves. The external organs show a threshold of approximately 2 microm. All organs responded phasically and did not habituate to repetitive stimuli. The low threshold of the external organs combined with their rhythmically exposure to the substrate suggested a putative role in the temporal coordination of feeding. We therefore repetitively stimulated individual organs while simultaneously monitoring the centrally generated motor pattern for food ingestion. Neither the dorsal-, terminal- or ventral organ afferents had an obvious effect on the ongoing motor rhythm. Various reasons explaining these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Hückesfeld
- Zoologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Bonn, Germany
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Schoofs A, Hanslik U, Niederegger S, Heinzel HG, Spiess R. The thoracic muscular system and its innervation in third instar Calliphora vicina Larvae. II. Projection patterns of the nerves associated with the pro- and mesothorax and the pharyngeal complex. J Morphol 2010; 271:969-79. [PMID: 20623656 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
We describe the anatomy of the nerves that project from the central nervous system (CNS) to the pro- and mesothoracic segments and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS) for third instar Calliphora larvae. Due to the complex branching pattern we introduce a nomenclature that labels side branches of first and second order. Two fine nerves that were not yet described are briefly introduced. One paired nerve projects to the ventral arms (VAs) of the CPS. The second, an unpaired nerve, projects to the ventral surface of the cibarial part of the esophagus (ES). Both nerves were tentatively labeled after the structures they innervate. The antennal nerve (AN) innervates the olfactory dorsal organ (DO). It contains motor pathways that project through the frontal connectives (FC) to the frontal nerve (FN) and innervate the cibarial dilator muscles (CDM) which mediate food ingestion. The maxillary nerve (MN) innervates the sensory terminal organ (TO), ventral organ (VO), and labial organ (LO) and comprises the motor pathways to the mouth hook (MH) elevator, MH depressor, and the labial retractor (LR) which opens the mouth cavity. An anastomosis of unknown function exists between the AN and MN. The prothoracic accessory nerve (PaN) innervates a dorsal protractor muscle of the CPS and sends side branches to the aorta and the bolwig organ (BO) (stemmata). In its further course, this nerve merges with the prothoracic nerve (PN). The architecture of the PN is extremely complex. It innervates a set of accessory pharyngeal muscles attached to the CPS and the body wall musculature of the prothorax. Several anastomoses exist between side branches of this nerve which were shown to contain motor pathways. The mesothoracic nerve (MeN) innervates a MH accessor and the longitudinal and transversal body wall muscles of the second segment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schoofs
- Universität Bonn, Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Schoofs A, Niederegger S, van Ooyen A, Heinzel HG, Spiess R. The brain can eat: establishing the existence of a central pattern generator for feeding in third instar larvae of Drosophila virilis and Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2010; 56:695-705. [PMID: 20074578 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2009.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2009] [Revised: 12/08/2009] [Accepted: 12/09/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
To establish the existence of a central pattern generator for feeding in the larval central nervous system of two Drosophila species, the gross anatomy of feeding related muscles and their innervation is described, the motor units of the muscles identified and rhythmic motor output recorded from the isolated CNS. The cibarial dilator muscles that mediate food ingestion are innervated by the frontal nerve. Their motor pathway projects from the brain through the antennal nerves, the frontal connectives and the frontal nerve junction. The mouth hook elevator and depressor system is innervated by side branches of the maxillary nerve. The motor units of the two muscle groups differ in amplitude: the elevator is always activated by a small unit, the depressor by a large one. The dorsal protractors span the cephalopharyngeal skeleton and the body wall hence mediating an extension of the CPS. These muscles are innervated by the prothoracic accessory nerve. Rhythmic motor output produced by the isolated central nervous system can simultaneously be recorded from all three nerves. The temporal pattern of the identified motor units resembles the sequence of muscle contractions deduced from natural feeding behavior and is therefore considered as fictive feeding. Phase diagrams show an almost identical fictive feeding pattern is in both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schoofs
- Zoologisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Khurana S, Abu Baker MB, Siddiqi O. Odour avoidance learning in the larva of Drosophila melanogaster. J Biosci 2010; 34:621-31. [PMID: 19920347 DOI: 10.1007/s12038-009-0080-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila larvae can be trained to avoid odours associated with electric shock. We describe here, an improved method of aversive conditioning and a procedure for decomposing learning retention curve that enables us to do a quantitative analysis of memory phases, short term (STM), middle term (MTM) and long term (LTM) as a function of training cycles. The same method of analysis when applied to learning mutants dunce, amnesiac, rutabaga and radish reveals memory deficits characteristic of the mutant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukant Khurana
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore 560 065, India
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Guenin L, Raharijaona M, Houlgatte R, Baba-Aissa F. Expression profiling of prospero in the Drosophila larval chemosensory organ: Between growth and outgrowth. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:47. [PMID: 20085633 PMCID: PMC2826315 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2009] [Accepted: 01/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The antenno-maxilary complex (AMC) forms the chemosensory system of the Drosophila larva and is involved in gustatory and olfactory perception. We have previously shown that a mutant allele of the homeodomain transcription factor Prospero (prosVoila1, V1), presents several developmental defects including abnormal growth and altered taste responses. In addition, many neural tracts connecting the AMC to the central nervous system (CNS) were affected. Our earlier reports on larval AMC did not argue in favour of a role of pros in cell fate decision, but strongly suggested that pros could be involved in the control of other aspect of neuronal development. In order to identify these functions, we used microarray analysis of larval AMC and CNS tissue isolated from the wild type, and three other previously characterised prospero alleles, including the V1 mutant, considered as a null allele for the AMC. Results A total of 17 samples were first analysed with hierarchical clustering. To determine those genes affected by loss of pros function, we calculated a discriminating score reflecting the differential expression between V1 mutant and other pros alleles. We identified a total of 64 genes in the AMC. Additional manual annotation using all the computed information on the attributed role of these genes in the Drosophila larvae nervous system, enabled us to identify one functional category of potential Prospero target genes known to be involved in neurite outgrowth, synaptic transmission and more specifically in neuronal connectivity remodelling. The second category of genes found to be differentially expressed between the null mutant AMC and the other alleles concerned the development of the sensory organs and more particularly the larval olfactory system. Surprisingly, a third category emerged from our analyses and suggests an association of pros with the genes that regulate autophagy, growth and insulin pathways. Interestingly, EGFR and Notch pathways were represented in all of these three functional categories. We now propose that Pros could perform all of these different functions through the modulation of these two antagonistic and synergic pathways. Conclusions The current data contribute to the clarification of the prospero function in the larval AMC and show that pros regulates different function in larvae as compared to those controlled by this gene in embryos. In the future, the possible mechanism by which Pros could achieve its function in the AMC will be explored in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Guenin
- Université de Bourgogne, Facultés des Sciences, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5548 Associée au Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 6, Bd Gabriel, 21 000 Dijon, France
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Schoofs A, Niederegger S, Spiess R. From behavior to fictive feeding: anatomy, innervation and activation pattern of pharyngeal muscles of Calliphora vicina 3rd instar larvae. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2009; 55:218-230. [PMID: 19100742 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2008.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2008] [Revised: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 11/18/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A description of the muscles and nerves involved in feeding of larval Calliphora vicina is given as a prerequisite to establish fictive feeding patterns recorded from the isolated central nervous system. Feeding Diptera larvae show a repetitive sequence of pro- and retraction of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS), elevation and depression of the mouth hooks and food ingestion. The corresponding pharyngeal muscles are protractors, mouth hook elevators and depressors, the labial retractor and cibarial dilator muscles. These muscles are innervated by the prothoracic accessory nerve (PaN), maxillary nerve (MN) and antennal nerve (AN) as shown electrophysiologically by recording action potentials from the respective nerve that correlate to post-synaptic potentials on the muscles. All three nerves show considerably more complex branching patterns than indicated in the literature. Extracellular recordings from the stumps of PaN, MN and AN connected to an isolated CNS show spontaneous rhythmic motor patterns that reflect the feeding sequence in intact larvae. Variability of the feeding pattern observed in behavioral experiments is also evident from the level of motor output from an isolated CNS. The data obtained from Calliphora will facilitate electrophysiological investigations dealing with the genetic background of feeding behavior in Drosophila larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schoofs
- Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Universität Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Design of the larval chemosensory system. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2009; 628:69-81. [PMID: 18683639 DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-78261-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Given that smell and taste are vital senses for most animal species, it is not surprising that chemosensation has become a strong focus in neurobiological research. Much of what we know today about how the brain "mirrors" the chemical environment has derived from simple organisms like Drosophila. This is because their chemosensory system includes only a fraction of the cell number of the mammalian system, yet often exhibits the same basic design. Recent studies aimed at establishing fruitfly larvae as a particularly simple model for smell and taste have analyzed the expression patterns of olfactory and gustatory receptors, the circuitry of the chemosensory system and its behavioral output. Surprisingly, the larval olfactory system shares the organization of its adult counterpart, though comprising much reduced cell numbers. It thus indeed provides a "minimal" model system of general importance. Comparing adult and larval chemosensory systems raises interesting questions about their functional capabilities and about the processes underlying its transformation through metamorphosis.
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Rains GC, Kulasiri D, Zhou Z, Samarasinghe S, Tomberlin JK, Olson DM. Synthesizing Neurophysiology, Genetics, Behaviour and Learning to Produce Whole-Insect Programmable Sensors to Detect Volatile Chemicals. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2009; 26:179-204. [DOI: 10.5661/bger-26-179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Gerber B, Stocker RF, Tanimura T, Thum AS. Smelling, tasting, learning: Drosophila as a study case. Results Probl Cell Differ 2009; 47:139-185. [PMID: 19145411 DOI: 10.1007/400_2008_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding brain function is to account for how the sensory system is integrated with the organism's needs to organize behaviour. We review what is known about these processes with regard to chemosensation and chemosensory learning in Drosophila. We stress that taste and olfaction are organized rather differently. Given that, e.g., sugars are nutrients and should be eaten (irrespective of the kind of sugar) and that toxic substances should be avoided (regardless of the kind of death they eventually cause), tastants are classified into relatively few behavioural matters of concern. In contrast, what needs to be done in response to odours is less evolutionarily determined. Thus, discrimination ability is warranted between different kinds of olfactory input, as any difference between odours may potentially be or become important. Therefore, the olfactory system has a higher dimensionality than gustation, and allows for more sensory-motor flexibility to attach acquired behavioural 'meaning' to odours. We argue that, by and large, larval and adult Drosophila are similar in these kinds of architecture, and that additionally there are a number of similarities to vertebrates, in particular regarding the cellular architecture of the olfactory pathway, the functional slant of the taste and smell systems towards classification versus discrimination, respectively, and the higher plasticity of the olfactory sensory-motor system. From our point of view, the greatest gap in understanding smell and taste systems to date is not on the sensory side, where indeed impressive advances have been achieved; also, a satisfying account of associative odour-taste memory trace formation seems within reach. Rather, we lack an understanding as to how sensory and motor formats of processing are centrally integrated, and how adaptive motor patterns actually are selected. Such an understanding, we believe, will allow the analysis to be extended to the motivating factors of behaviour, eventually leading to a comprehensive account of those systems which make Drosophila do what Drosophila's got to do.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Gerber
- Universität Würzburg, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, Würzburg, 97074, Germany.
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Nichols R, Egle JP, Langan NR, Palmer GC. The different effects of structurally related sulfakinins on Drosophila melanogaster odor preference and locomotion suggest involvement of distinct mechanisms. Peptides 2008; 29:2128-35. [PMID: 18786583 PMCID: PMC3430133 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2008.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2007] [Revised: 08/14/2008] [Accepted: 08/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sulfakinins are myoactive peptides and antifeedant factors. Naturally occurring drosulfakinin I (DSK I; FDDYGHMRFNH(2)) and drosulfakinin II (DSK II; GGDDQFDDYGHMRFNH(2)) contain sulfated or nonsulfated tyrosine. We discovered sDSK II and nsDSK II influenced Drosophila melanogaster larval odor preference. However, sDSK I, nsDSK I, MRFNH(2), and saline did not influence odor preference. We discovered sDSK I and nsDSK I influenced larval locomotion. However, sDSK II, nsDSK II, MRFNH(2), and saline did not influence locomotion. Our novel data suggest distinct mechanisms underlie the effects of DSK I and DSK II peptides on odor preference and locomotion, parameters important to many facets of animal survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruthann Nichols
- Biological Chemistry Department, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0606, USA.
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Ryuda M, Tsuzuki S, Tanimura T, Tojo S, Hayakawa Y. A gene involved in the food preferences of larval Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2008; 54:1440-1445. [PMID: 18773904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2008.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2008] [Revised: 07/23/2008] [Accepted: 08/05/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To examine the mechanism by which insects change their food preferences, a simple method was developed to measure their preferences. By using this method, we demonstrated preference of Drosophila melanogaster larvae of the yw control strain for a food based on soybeans over one based on cornmeal. We then screened for mutant strains with food preferences clearly different from the control yw strain, using the Gene Search collection of P-element insertions (GS strains). Among 380 GS strains screened using an assay plate-containing soybean and corn tastants, we identified one mutant, GS1189 that did not show any preference for either of the foods. Further behavioral assays indicated that the GS1189 larvae could have impaired olfactory and gustatory systems. The fact that the CG33071 gene expression was inactivated by the P-element insertion in the GS1189 strain, and that reversion of this gene completely recovered the normal food preference, indicates that this gene contributes to the control of food preferences in Drosophila larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masasuke Ryuda
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
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Distinct TRP channels are required for warm and cool avoidance in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:14668-73. [PMID: 18787131 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0805041105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to sense and respond to subtle variations in environmental temperature is critical for animal survival. Animals avoid temperatures that are too cold or too warm and seek out temperatures favorable for their survival. At the molecular level, members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of cation channels contribute to thermosensory behaviors in animals from flies to humans. In Drosophila melanogaster larvae, avoidance of excessively warm temperatures is known to require the TRP protein dTRPA1. Whether larval avoidance of excessively cool temperatures also requires TRP channel function, and whether warm and cool avoidance use the same or distinct TRP channels has been unknown. Here we identify two TRP channels required for cool avoidance, TRPL and TRP. Although TRPL and TRP have previously characterized roles in phototransduction, their function in cool avoidance appears to be distinct, as neither photoreceptor neurons nor the phototransduction regulators NORPA and INAF are required for cool avoidance. TRPL and TRP are required for cool avoidance; however they are dispensable for warm avoidance. Furthermore, cold-activated neurons in the larvae are required for cool but not warm avoidance. Conversely, dTRPA1 is essential for warm avoidance, but not cool avoidance. Taken together, these data demonstrate that warm and cool avoidance in the Drosophila larva involves distinct TRP channels and circuits.
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Morton DB, Stewart JA, Langlais KK, Clemens-Grisham RA, Vermehren A. Synaptic transmission in neurons that express the Drosophila atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases, Gyc-89Da and Gyc-89Db, is necessary for the successful completion of larval and adult ecdysis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 211:1645-56. [PMID: 18456892 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.014472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Insect ecdysis is a precisely coordinated series of behavioral and hormonal events that occur at the end of each molt. A great deal is known about the hormonal events that underlie this process, although less is known about the neuronal circuitry involved. In this study we identified two populations of neurons that are required for larval and adult ecdyses in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen). These neurons were identified by using the upstream region of two genes that code for atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases to drive tetanus toxin in the neurons that express these cyclases to block their synaptic activity. Expression of tetanus toxin in neurons that express Gyc-89Da blocked adult eclosion whereas expression of tetanus toxin in neurons that express Gyc-89Db prevented the initiation of the first larval ecdysis. Expression of tetanus toxin in the Gyc-89Da neurons also resulted in about 50% lethality just prior to pupariation; however, this was probably due to suffocation in the food as lethality was prevented by stopping the larvae from burrowing deep within the food. This result is consistent with our model that the atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases can act as molecular oxygen detectors. The expression pattern of these cyclases did not overlap with any of the neurons containing peptides known to regulate ecdysis and eclosion behaviors. By using the conditional expression of tetanus toxin we were also able to demonstrate that synaptic activity in the Gyc-89Da and Gyc-89Db neurons is required during early adult development for adult eclosion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Morton
- Department of Integrative Biosciences, Oregon Health and Science University, 611 SW Campus Drive, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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43
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The behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster maggots is affected by social, physiological and temporal factors. Anim Behav 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Spiess R, Schoofs A, Heinzel HG. Anatomy of the stomatogastric nervous system associated with the foregut in Drosophila melanogaster and Calliphora vicina third instar larvae. J Morphol 2008; 269:272-82. [PMID: 17960761 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The stomatogastric nervous system (SNS) associated with the foregut was studied in 3rd instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster and Calliphora vicina (blowfly). In both species, the foregut comprises pharynx, esophagus, and proventriculus. Only in Calliphora does the esophagus form a crop. The position of nerves and neurons was investigated with neuronal tracers in both species and GFP expression in Drosophila. The SNS is nearly identical in both species. Neurons are located in the proventricular and the hypocerebral ganglion (HCG), which are connected to each other by the proventricular nerve. Motor neurons for pharyngeal muscles are located in the brain not, as in other insect groups, in the frontal ganglion. The position of the frontal ganglion is taken by a nerve junction devoid of neurons. The junction is composed of four nerves: the frontal connectives that fuse with the antennal nerves (ANs), the frontal nerve innervating the cibarial dilator muscles and the recurrent nerve that innervates the esophagus and projects to the HCG. Differences in the SNS are restricted to a crop nerve only present in Calliphora and an esophageal ganglion that only exists in Drosophila. The ganglia of the dorsal organs give rise to the ANs, which project to the brain. The extensive conformity of the SNS of both species suggests functional parallels. Future electrophysiological studies of the motor circuits in the SNS of Drosophila will profit from parallel studies of the homologous but more accessible structures in Calliphora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Spiess
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Zoology, University of Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
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45
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The molecular and cellular basis of olfactory-driven behavior in Anopheles gambiae larvae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105:6433-8. [PMID: 18427108 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0801007105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The mosquito Anopheles gambiae is the principal Afrotropical vector for human malaria. A central component of its vectorial capacity is the ability to maintain sufficient populations of adults. During both adult and preadult (larval) stages, the mosquitoes depend on the ability to recognize and respond to chemical cues that mediate feeding and survival. In this study, we used a behavioral assay to identify a range of odorant-specific responses of An. gambiae larvae that are dependent on the integrity of the larval antennae. Parallel molecular analyses have identified a subset of the An. gambiae odorant receptors (AgOrs) that are localized to discrete neurons within the larval antennae and facilitate odor-evoked responses in Xenopus oocytes that are consistent with the larval behavioral spectrum. These studies shed light on chemosensory-driven behaviors and represent molecular and cellular characterization of olfactory processes in mosquito larvae. These advances may ultimately enhance the development of vector control strategies, targeting olfactory pathways in larval-stage mosquitoes to reduce the catastrophic effects of malaria and other diseases.
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Sato K, Touhara K. Insect olfaction: receptors, signal transduction, and behavior. Results Probl Cell Differ 2008; 47:121-38. [PMID: 19083129 DOI: 10.1007/400_2008_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The insect olfactory system is a suitable model for exploring molecular function of odorant receptors, axonal projection of olfactory receptor neurons onto secondary neurons, and the neural circuit for odor perception. Recent progress in the study of insect olfaction revealed that the heteromeric insect olfactory receptor complex forms a cation nonselective ion channel directly gated by odor or pheromone ligands independent of known G-protein signaling pathways. Despite fundamental differences in transduction machineries between insects and vertebrates, the anatomical and functional features of insect odor-coding strategy are similar and thus justify any consideration of mammalian olfaction in the study of insects. The understanding of the molecular mechanism of insect olfaction will help in the development of insect repellents for controlling insect pest and vector populations for a wide range of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sato
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562, Japan
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Zhang W, Ge W, Wang Z. A toolbox for light control of Drosophila behaviors through Channelrhodopsin 2-mediated photoactivation of targeted neurons. Eur J Neurosci 2007; 26:2405-16. [PMID: 17970730 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05862.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In order to study the function of specific neural circuits, we generated UAS-Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) transgenic Drosophila and established a ChR2-based system that enables specific activation of targeted neurons in larval and adult fruit flies with blue light illumination, under the control of a newly designed light source that provides fully programmable stimulation patterns. We showed that stimulating selectively the nociceptor of larvae expressing ChR2 elicited light-induced 'pain' response, confined freely behaving larvae in defined area and directed larva migration along a preset route. In freely behaving adult flies, rapid photoactivation of targeted gustatory sensory neurons, dopaminergic modulatory neurons and motor neurons triggered the proboscis extension response, escaping reflex and changes in the locomotion pattern, respectively, with precise temporal control. This non-invasive method for remote control of animal behaviors also provides a potential tool for conducting 'gain of function' studies toward understanding how animal behaviors are controlled by neural activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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Roy B, Singh AP, Shetty C, Chaudhary V, North A, Landgraf M, Vijayraghavan K, Rodrigues V. Metamorphosis of an identified serotonergic neuron in the Drosophila olfactory system. Neural Dev 2007; 2:20. [PMID: 17958902 PMCID: PMC2129096 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-2-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2007] [Accepted: 10/24/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Odors are detected by sensory neurons that carry information to the olfactory lobe where they connect to projection neurons and local interneurons in glomeruli: anatomically well-characterized structures that collect, integrate and relay information to higher centers. Recent studies have revealed that the sensitivity of such networks can be modulated by wide-field feedback neurons. The connectivity and function of such feedback neurons are themselves subject to alteration by external cues, such as hormones, stress, or experience. Very little is known about how this class of central neurons changes its anatomical properties to perform functions in altered developmental contexts. A mechanistic understanding of how central neurons change their anatomy to meet new functional requirements will benefit greatly from the establishment of a model preparation where cellular and molecular changes can be examined in an identified central neuron. Results In this study, we examine a wide-field serotonergic neuron in the Drosophila olfactory pathway and map the dramatic changes that it undergoes from larva to adult. We show that expression of a dominant-negative form of the ecdysterone receptor prevents remodeling. We further use different transgenic constructs to silence neuronal activity and report defects in the morphology of the adult-specific dendritic trees. The branching of the presynaptic axonal arbors is regulated by mechanisms that affect axon growth and retrograde transport. The neuron develops its normal morphology in the absence of sensory input to the antennal lobe, or of the mushroom bodies. However, ablation of its presumptive postsynaptic partners, the projection neurons and/or local interneurons, affects the growth and branching of terminal arbors. Conclusion Our studies establish a cellular system for studying remodeling of a central neuromodulatory feedback neuron and also identify key elements in this process. Understanding the morphogenesis of such neurons, which have been shown in other systems to modulate the sensitivity and directionality of response to odors, links anatomy to the development of olfactory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bidisha Roy
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, GKVK PO, Bangalore 560065, India.
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Abstract
The chemical senses-smell and taste-allow animals to evaluate and distinguish valuable food resources from dangerous substances in the environment. The central mechanisms by which the brain recognizes and discriminates attractive and repulsive odorants and tastants, and makes behavioral decisions accordingly, are not well understood in any organism. Recent molecular and neuroanatomical advances in Drosophila have produced a nearly complete picture of the peripheral neuroanatomy and function of smell and taste in this insect. Neurophysiological experiments have begun to provide insight into the mechanisms by which these animals process chemosensory cues. Given the considerable anatomical and functional homology in smell and taste pathways in all higher animals, experimental approaches in Drosophila will likely provide broad insights into the problem of sensory coding. Here we provide a critical review of the recent literature in this field and comment on likely future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021-6399, USA.
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Colomb J, Grillenzoni N, Ramaekers A, Stocker RF. Architecture of the primary taste center ofDrosophila melanogasterlarvae. J Comp Neurol 2007; 502:834-47. [PMID: 17436288 DOI: 10.1002/cne.21312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A simple nervous system combined with stereotypic behavioral responses to tastants, together with powerful genetic and molecular tools, have turned Drosophila larvae into a very promising model for studying gustatory coding. Using the Gal4/UAS system and confocal microscopy for visualizing gustatory afferents, we provide a description of the primary taste center in the larval central nervous system. Essentially, gustatory receptor neurons target different areas of the subesophageal ganglion (SOG), depending on their segmental and sensory organ origin. We define two major and two smaller subregions in the SOG. One of the major areas is a target of pharyngeal sensilla, the other one receives inputs from both internal and external sensilla. In addition to such spatial organization of the taste center, circumstantial evidence suggests a subtle functional organization: aversive and attractive stimuli might be processed in the anterior and posterior part of the SOG, respectively. Our results also suggest less coexpression of gustatory receptors than proposed in prior studies. Finally, projections of putative second-order taste neurons seem to cover large areas of the SOG. These neurons may thus receive multiple gustatory inputs. This suggests broad sensitivity of secondary taste neurons, reminiscent of the situation in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Colomb
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
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