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Lee SYJ, Dallmann CJ, Cook AP, Tuthill JC, Agrawal S. Divergent neural circuits for proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensing of the Drosophila leg. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.590808. [PMID: 38712128 PMCID: PMC11071415 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.590808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Somatosensory neurons provide the nervous system with information about mechanical forces originating inside and outside the body. Here, we use connectomics to reconstruct and analyze neural circuits downstream of the largest somatosensory organ in the Drosophila leg, the femoral chordotonal organ (FeCO). The FeCO has been proposed to support both proprioceptive sensing of the fly's femur-tibia joint and exteroceptive sensing of substrate vibrations, but it remains unknown which sensory neurons and central circuits contribute to each of these functions. We found that different subtypes of FeCO sensory neurons feed into distinct proprioceptive and exteroceptive pathways. Position- and movement-encoding FeCO neurons connect to local leg motor control circuits in the ventral nerve cord (VNC), indicating a proprioceptive function. In contrast, signals from the vibration-encoding FeCO neurons are integrated across legs and transmitted to auditory regions in the brain, indicating an exteroceptive function. Overall, our analyses reveal the structure of specialized circuits for processing proprioceptive and exteroceptive signals from the fly leg. They also demonstrate how analyzing patterns of synaptic connectivity can distill organizing principles from complex sensorimotor circuits.
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2
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Eichler K, Hampel S, Alejandro-García A, Calle-Schuler SA, Santana-Cruz A, Kmecova L, Blagburn JM, Hoopfer ED, Seeds AM. Somatotopic organization among parallel sensory pathways that promote a grooming sequence in Drosophila. eLife 2024; 12:RP87602. [PMID: 38634460 PMCID: PMC11026096 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensory neurons located across the body surface respond to tactile stimuli and elicit diverse behavioral responses, from relatively simple stimulus location-aimed movements to complex movement sequences. How mechanosensory neurons and their postsynaptic circuits influence such diverse behaviors remains unclear. We previously discovered that Drosophila perform a body location-prioritized grooming sequence when mechanosensory neurons at different locations on the head and body are simultaneously stimulated by dust (Hampel et al., 2017; Seeds et al., 2014). Here, we identify nearly all mechanosensory neurons on the Drosophila head that individually elicit aimed grooming of specific head locations, while collectively eliciting a whole head grooming sequence. Different tracing methods were used to reconstruct the projections of these neurons from different locations on the head to their distinct arborizations in the brain. This provides the first synaptic resolution somatotopic map of a head, and defines the parallel-projecting mechanosensory pathways that elicit head grooming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Eichler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Stefanie Hampel
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Adrián Alejandro-García
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Steven A Calle-Schuler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Alexis Santana-Cruz
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Lucia Kmecova
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Jonathan M Blagburn
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Eric D Hoopfer
- Neuroscience Program, Carleton CollegeNorthfieldUnited States
| | - Andrew M Seeds
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
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3
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Eichler K, Hampel S, Alejandro-García A, Calle-Schuler SA, Santana-Cruz A, Kmecova L, Blagburn JM, Hoopfer ED, Seeds AM. Somatotopic organization among parallel sensory pathways that promote a grooming sequence in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.11.528119. [PMID: 36798384 PMCID: PMC9934617 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.11.528119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensory neurons located across the body surface respond to tactile stimuli and elicit diverse behavioral responses, from relatively simple stimulus location-aimed movements to complex movement sequences. How mechanosensory neurons and their postsynaptic circuits influence such diverse behaviors remains unclear. We previously discovered that Drosophila perform a body location-prioritized grooming sequence when mechanosensory neurons at different locations on the head and body are simultaneously stimulated by dust (Hampel et al., 2017; Seeds et al., 2014). Here, we identify nearly all mechanosensory neurons on the Drosophila head that individually elicit aimed grooming of specific head locations, while collectively eliciting a whole head grooming sequence. Different tracing methods were used to reconstruct the projections of these neurons from different locations on the head to their distinct arborizations in the brain. This provides the first synaptic resolution somatotopic map of a head, and defines the parallel-projecting mechanosensory pathways that elicit head grooming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Eichler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Contributed equally
| | - Stefanie Hampel
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Contributed equally
| | - Adrián Alejandro-García
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Contributed equally
| | - Steven A Calle-Schuler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Alexis Santana-Cruz
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Lucia Kmecova
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Neuroscience Program, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
- Contributed equally
| | - Jonathan M Blagburn
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Eric D Hoopfer
- Neuroscience Program, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota
| | - Andrew M Seeds
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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4
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Huang Z, Sun Z, Liu J, Ju X, Xia H, Yang Y, Chen K, Wang Q. Insect transient receptor potential vanilloid channels as potential targets of insecticides. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 148:104899. [PMID: 37531974 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Chordotonal organs are miniature sensory organs present in insects. Chordotonal organs depend on transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels are the only TRPs identified that can act as targets of insecticides. By binding with TRPV channels, insecticides targeting the chordotonal organs trigger the inflow of calcium ions, resulting in abnormal function of the chordotonal organ to achieve the goal of eliminating pests. TRPV channels are highly expressed in various developmental stages and tissue parts of insects and play an important role in the whole life history of insects. In this review, we will discuss the structure and types of TRPV channels as well as their genetic relationships in different species. We also systematically reviewed the recent progress of TRPV channels as insecticide targets, demonstrating that TRPV channels can be used as the target of new high-efficiency insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengqing Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Zhonghe Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jiayi Liu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Ju
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, PR China
| | - Hengchuan Xia
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yanhua Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Keping Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Qiang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, PR China.
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5
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Ohashi TS, Ishikawa Y, Awasaki T, Su MP, Yoneyama Y, Morimoto N, Kamikouchi A. Evolutionary conservation and diversification of auditory neural circuits that process courtship songs in Drosophila. Sci Rep 2023; 13:383. [PMID: 36611081 PMCID: PMC9825394 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27349-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication signals diversify even on short evolutionary time scales. To understand how the auditory system underlying acoustic communication could evolve, we conducted a systematic comparison of the early stages of the auditory neural circuit involved in song information processing between closely-related fruit-fly species. Male Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans produce different sound signals during mating rituals, known as courtship songs. Female flies from these species selectively increase their receptivity when they hear songs with conspecific temporal patterns. Here, we firstly confirmed interspecific differences in temporal pattern preferences; D. simulans preferred pulse songs with longer intervals than D. melanogaster. Primary and secondary song-relay neurons, JO neurons and AMMC-B1 neurons, shared similar morphology and neurotransmitters between species. The temporal pattern preferences of AMMC-B1 neurons were also relatively similar between species, with slight but significant differences in their band-pass properties. Although the shift direction of the response property matched that of the behavior, these differences are not large enough to explain behavioral differences in song preferences. This study enhances our understanding of the conservation and diversification of the architecture of the early-stage neural circuit which processes acoustic communication signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro S. Ohashi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Yuki Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Awasaki
- grid.411205.30000 0000 9340 2869School of Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo, 181-8611 Japan
| | - Matthew P. Su
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601 Japan
| | - Yusuke Yoneyama
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XGraduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602 Japan
| | - Nao Morimoto
- grid.39158.360000 0001 2173 7691Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0815 Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan. .,Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan.
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6
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Xu YYJ, Loh YM, Lee TT, Ohashi TS, Su MP, Kamikouchi A. Serotonin modulation in the male Aedes aegypti ear influences hearing. Front Physiol 2022; 13:931567. [PMID: 36105279 PMCID: PMC9465180 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.931567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) mosquitoes rely on hearing to identify conspecific females for mating, with the male attraction to the sound of flying females (“phonotaxis”) an important behavior in the initial courtship stage. Hearing thus represents a promising target for novel methods of mosquito control, and hearing behaviors (such as male phonotaxis) can be targeted via the use of sound traps. These traps unfortunately have proven to be relatively ineffective during field deployment. Shifting the target from hearing behavior to hearing function could therefore offer a novel method of interfering with Ae. aegypti mating. Numerous neurotransmitters, including serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) and octopamine, are expressed in the male ear, with modulation of the latter proven to influence the mechanical responses of the ear to sound. The effect of serotonin modulation however remains underexplored despite its significant role in determining many key behaviors and biological processes of animals. Here we investigated the influence of serotonin on the Ae. aegypti hearing function and behaviors. Using immunohistochemistry, we found significant expression of serotonin in the male and female Ae. aegypti ears. In the male ear, presynaptic sites identified via antibody labelling showed only partial overlap with serotonin. Next, we used RT-qPCR to identify and quantify the expression levels of three different serotonin receptor families (5-HT1, 5-HT2, and 5-HT7) in the mosquito heads and ears. Although all receptors were identified in the ears of both sexes, those from the 5-HT7 family were significantly more expressed in the ears relative to the heads. We then thoracically injected serotonin-related compounds into the mosquitoes and found a significant, reversible effect of serotonin exposure on the male ear mechanical tuning frequency. Finally, oral administration of a serotonin-synthesis inhibitor altered male phonotaxis. The mosquito serotonergic system and its receptors thus represent interesting targets for novel methods of mosquito, and thus disease, control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Y. J. Xu
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - YuMin M. Loh
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tai-Ting Lee
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | - Matthew P. Su
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- *Correspondence: Matthew P. Su, ; Azusa Kamikouchi,
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- *Correspondence: Matthew P. Su, ; Azusa Kamikouchi,
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7
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Fernández-Hernández I, Marsh EB, Bonaguidi MA. Mechanosensory neuron regeneration in adult Drosophila. Development 2021; 148:dev.187534. [PMID: 33597190 DOI: 10.1242/dev.187534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Auditory and vestibular mechanosensory hair cells do not regenerate following injury or aging in the adult mammalian inner ear, inducing irreversible hearing loss and balance disorders for millions of people. Research on model systems showing replacement of mechanosensory cells can provide mechanistic insights into developing new regenerative therapies. Here, we developed lineage tracing systems to reveal the generation of mechanosensory neurons in the Johnston's organ (JO) of intact adult Drosophila, which are the functional counterparts to hair cells in vertebrates. New JO neurons develop cilia and target central brain circuitry. Unexpectedly, mitotic recombination clones point to JO neuron self-replication as a likely source of neuronal plasticity. This mechanism is further enhanced upon treatment with experimental and ototoxic compounds. Our findings introduce a new platform to expedite research on mechanisms and compounds mediating mechanosensory cell regeneration, with nascent implications for hearing and balance restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismael Fernández-Hernández
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Evan B Marsh
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Michael A Bonaguidi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,Department of Gerontology, Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033 USA
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8
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Hampel S, Eichler K, Yamada D, Bock DD, Kamikouchi A, Seeds AM. Distinct subpopulations of mechanosensory chordotonal organ neurons elicit grooming of the fruit fly antennae. eLife 2020; 9:e59976. [PMID: 33103999 PMCID: PMC7652415 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse mechanosensory neurons detect different mechanical forces that can impact animal behavior. Yet our understanding of the anatomical and physiological diversity of these neurons and the behaviors that they influence is limited. We previously discovered that grooming of the Drosophila melanogaster antennae is elicited by an antennal mechanosensory chordotonal organ, the Johnston's organ (JO) (Hampel et al., 2015). Here, we describe anatomically and physiologically distinct JO mechanosensory neuron subpopulations that each elicit antennal grooming. We show that the subpopulations project to different, discrete zones in the brain and differ in their responses to mechanical stimulation of the antennae. Although activation of each subpopulation elicits antennal grooming, distinct subpopulations also elicit the additional behaviors of wing flapping or backward locomotion. Our results provide a comprehensive description of the diversity of mechanosensory neurons in the JO, and reveal that distinct JO subpopulations can elicit both common and distinct behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Hampel
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Katharina Eichler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Daichi Yamada
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - Davi D Bock
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Larner College of Medicine, University of VermontBurlingtonUnited States
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
| | - Andrew M Seeds
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
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9
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Kim H, Horigome M, Ishikawa Y, Li F, Lauritzen JS, Card G, Bock DD, Kamikouchi A. Wiring patterns from auditory sensory neurons to the escape and song-relay pathways in fruit flies. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:2068-2098. [PMID: 32012264 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many animals rely on acoustic cues to decide what action to take next. Unraveling the wiring patterns of the auditory neural pathways is prerequisite for understanding such information processing. Here, we reconstructed the first step of the auditory neural pathway in the fruit fly brain, from primary to secondary auditory neurons, at the resolution of transmission electron microscopy. By tracing axons of two major subgroups of auditory sensory neurons in fruit flies, low-frequency tuned Johnston's organ (JO)-B neurons and high-frequency tuned JO-A neurons, we observed extensive connections from JO-B neurons to the main second-order neurons in both the song-relay and escape pathways. In contrast, JO-A neurons connected strongly to a neuron in the escape pathway. Our findings suggest that heterogeneous JO neuronal populations could be recruited to modify escape behavior whereas only specific JO neurons contribute to courtship behavior. We also found that all JO neurons have postsynaptic sites at their axons. Presynaptic modulation at the output sites of JO neurons could affect information processing of the auditory neural pathway in flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsoo Kim
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Mihoko Horigome
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuki Ishikawa
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Feng Li
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia
| | | | | | - Davi D Bock
- HHMI Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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10
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Ishikawa Y, Fujiwara M, Wong J, Ura A, Kamikouchi A. Stereotyped Combination of Hearing and Wind/Gravity-Sensing Neurons in the Johnston's Organ of Drosophila. Front Physiol 2020; 10:1552. [PMID: 31969834 PMCID: PMC6960095 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The antennal ear of the fruit fly, called the Johnston's organ (JO), detects a wide variety of mechanosensory stimuli, including sound, wind, and gravity. Like many sensory cells in insect, JO neurons are compartmentalized in a sensory unit (i.e., scolopidium). To understand how different subgroups of JO neurons are organized in each scolopidial compartment, we visualized individual JO neurons by labeling various subgroups of JO neurons in different combinations. We found that vibration-sensitive (or deflection-sensitive) neurons rarely grouped together in a single scolopidial compartment. This finding suggests that JO neurons are grouped in stereotypical combinations each with a distinct response property in a scolopidium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Ishikawa
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mao Fujiwara
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Junlin Wong
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akari Ura
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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11
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Blagburn JM. A new method of recording from the giant fiber of Drosophila melanogaster shows that the strength of its auditory inputs remains constant with age. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0224057. [PMID: 31910219 PMCID: PMC6946141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been relatively few studies of how central synapses age in adult Drosophila melanogaster. In this study we investigate the aging of the synaptic inputs to the Giant Fiber (GF) from auditory Johnston's Organ neurons (JONs). In previously published experiments an indirect assay of this synaptic connection was used; here we describe a new, more direct assay, which allows reliable detection of the GF action potential in the neck connective, and long term recording of its responses to sound. Genetic poisoning using diphtheria toxin expressed in the GF with R68A06-GAL4 was used to confirm that this signal indeed arose from the GF and not from other descending neurons. As before, the sound-evoked action potentials (SEPs) in the antennal nerve were recorded via an electrode inserted at the base of the antenna. It was noted that an action potential in the GF elicited an antennal twitch, which in turn evoked a mechanosensory response from the JONs in the absence of sound. We then used these extracellular recording techniques in males and female of different ages to quantify the response of the JONs to a brief sound impulse, and also to measure the strength of the connection between the JONs and the GF. At no age was there any significant difference between males and females, for any of the parameters measured. The sensitivity of the JONs to a sound impulse approximately doubled between 1 d and 10 d after eclosion, which corresponds to the period when most mating is taking place. Subsequently JON sensitivity decreased with age, being approximately half as sensitive at 20 d and one-third as sensitive at 50 d, as compared to 10 d. However, the strength of the connection between the auditory input and the GF itself remained unchanged with age, although it did show some variability that could mask any small changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Blagburn
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, United States of America
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12
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Deutsch D, Clemens J, Thiberge SY, Guan G, Murthy M. Shared Song Detector Neurons in Drosophila Male and Female Brains Drive Sex-Specific Behaviors. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3200-3215.e5. [PMID: 31564492 PMCID: PMC6885007 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Males and females often produce distinct responses to the same sensory stimuli. How such differences arise-at the level of sensory processing or in the circuits that generate behavior-remains largely unresolved across sensory modalities. We address this issue in the acoustic communication system of Drosophila. During courtship, males generate time-varying songs, and each sex responds with specific behaviors. We characterize male and female behavioral tuning for all aspects of song and show that feature tuning is similar between sexes, suggesting sex-shared song detectors drive divergent behaviors. We then identify higher-order neurons in the Drosophila brain, called pC2, that are tuned for multiple temporal aspects of one mode of the male's song and drive sex-specific behaviors. We thus uncover neurons that are specifically tuned to an acoustic communication signal and that reside at the sensory-motor interface, flexibly linking auditory perception with sex-specific behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Deutsch
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Jan Clemens
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max-Planck Society, Grisebachstrasse 5, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Stephan Y Thiberge
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; Bezos Center for Neural Circuit Dynamics, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08540, USA
| | - Georgia Guan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA; Bezos Center for Neural Circuit Dynamics, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton NJ 08540, USA.
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13
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Ishikawa Y, Okamoto N, Yoneyama Y, Maeda N, Kamikouchi A. A single male auditory response test to quantify auditory behavioral responses in Drosophila melanogaster. J Neurogenet 2019; 33:64-74. [PMID: 31106644 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2019.1611805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many animals utilize auditory signals to communicate with conspecific individuals. During courtship, males of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and related species produce a courtship song comprised of sine and pulse songs by vibrating their wings. The pulse song increases female receptivity and male courtship activity, indicating that it functions as a sexual signal. One song parameter, interpulse interval (IPI), varies among closely related species. In D. melanogaster, a song with a conspecific IPI induces a stronger behavioral response than heterospecific songs, indicating the ability of the flies to discriminate conspecific IPI. Traditionally, the fly's response to the song is measured under grouped conditions, in which the effect of sensory modalities other than audition cannot be excluded. Here, to quantify the individual ability to discriminate a conspecific song, we systematically analyzed the auditory response of single male flies to sound with various parameters. Moreover, we applied this method, termed SMART (Single Male Auditory Response Test), to two sister species for potential application in a comparative approach. By quantifying the locomotor activity of single D. melanogaster males during sound exposure, we detected increased locomotor activity in response to pulse songs, but not to white noise or pure tone. The conspecific song evoked stronger response than the heterospecific songs, and ablation of their antennal receivers severely suppressed the locomotor increase. A pulse song with a small IPI variation evoked a continuous response, while the response to songs with highly variable IPIs tends to be rapidly decayed. This provides the first evidence that fruit flies discriminate IPI variations, which possibly inform the age and social contexts of the singer. Sister species, D. sechellia, exhibited a locomotor response to pulse song, while D. simulans exhibited no behavioral response. This suggests that auditory and other stimuli that elicit this behavioral response are diversified among Drosophila species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Ishikawa
- a Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Natsuki Okamoto
- a Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Yusuke Yoneyama
- a Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Naoki Maeda
- a Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- a Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University , Nagoya , Japan
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Baker CA, Clemens J, Murthy M. Acoustic Pattern Recognition and Courtship Songs: Insights from Insects. Annu Rev Neurosci 2019; 42:129-147. [PMID: 30786225 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-080317-061839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, social interactions rely on sound production and perception. From simple cricket chirps to more elaborate bird songs, animals go to great lengths to communicate information critical for reproduction and survival via acoustic signals. Insects produce a wide array of songs to attract a mate, and the intended receivers must differentiate these calls from competing sounds, analyze the quality of the sender from spectrotemporal signal properties, and then determine how to react. Insects use numerically simple nervous systems to analyze and respond to courtship songs, making them ideal model systems for uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying acoustic pattern recognition. We highlight here how the combination of behavioral studies and neural recordings in three groups of insects-crickets, grasshoppers, and fruit flies-reveals common strategies for extracting ethologically relevant information from acoustic patterns and how these findings might translate to other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa A Baker
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA;
| | - Jan Clemens
- University Medical Center Goettingen, Max-Planck-Society, European Neuroscience Institute, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany;
| | - Mala Murthy
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA;
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Yamada D, Ishimoto H, Li X, Kohashi T, Ishikawa Y, Kamikouchi A. GABAergic Local Interneurons Shape Female Fruit Fly Response to Mating Songs. J Neurosci 2018; 38:4329-4347. [PMID: 29691331 PMCID: PMC6596007 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3644-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals use acoustic signals to attract a potential mating partner. In fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), the courtship pulse song has a species-specific interpulse interval (IPI) that activates mating. Although a series of auditory neurons in the fly brain exhibit different tuning patterns to IPIs, it is unclear how the response of each neuron is tuned. Here, we studied the neural circuitry regulating the activity of antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC)-B1 neurons, key secondary auditory neurons in the excitatory neural pathway that relay song information. By performing Ca2+ imaging in female flies, we found that the IPI selectivity observed in AMMC-B1 neurons differs from that of upstream auditory sensory neurons [Johnston's organ (JO)-B]. Selective knock-down of a GABAA receptor subunit in AMMC-B1 neurons increased their response to short IPIs, suggesting that GABA suppresses AMMC-B1 activity at these IPIs. Connection mapping identified two GABAergic local interneurons that synapse with AMMC-B1 and JO-B. Ca2+ imaging combined with neuronal silencing revealed that these local interneurons, AMMC-LN and AMMC-B2, shape the response pattern of AMMC-B1 neurons at a 15 ms IPI. Neuronal silencing studies further suggested that both GABAergic local interneurons suppress the behavioral response to artificial pulse songs in flies, particularly those with a 15 ms IPI. Altogether, we identified a circuit containing two GABAergic local interneurons that affects the temporal tuning of AMMC-B1 neurons in the song relay pathway and the behavioral response to the courtship song. Our findings suggest that feedforward inhibitory pathways adjust the behavioral response to courtship pulse songs in female flies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To understand how the brain detects time intervals between sound elements, we studied the neural pathway that relays species-specific courtship song information in female Drosophila melanogaster We demonstrate that the signal transmission from auditory sensory neurons to key secondary auditory neurons antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC)-B1 is the first-step to generate time interval selectivity of neurons in the song relay pathway. Two GABAergic local interneurons are suggested to shape the interval selectivity of AMMC-B1 neurons by receiving auditory inputs and in turn providing feedforward inhibition onto AMMC-B1 neurons. Furthermore, these GABAergic local interneurons suppress the song response behavior in an interval-dependent manner. Our results provide new insights into the neural circuit basis to adjust neuronal and behavioral responses to a species-specific communication sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daichi Yamada
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishimoto
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Tsunehiko Kohashi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yuki Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Azusa Kamikouchi
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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Patella P, Wilson RI. Functional Maps of Mechanosensory Features in the Drosophila Brain. Curr Biol 2018; 28:1189-1203.e5. [PMID: 29657118 PMCID: PMC5952606 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.02.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Johnston's organ is the largest mechanosensory organ in Drosophila. It contributes to hearing, touch, vestibular sensing, proprioception, and wind sensing. In this study, we used in vivo 2-photon calcium imaging and unsupervised image segmentation to map the tuning properties of Johnston's organ neurons (JONs) at the site where their axons enter the brain. We then applied the same methodology to study two key brain regions that process signals from JONs: the antennal mechanosensory and motor center (AMMC) and the wedge, which is downstream of the AMMC. First, we identified a diversity of JON response types that tile frequency space and form a rough tonotopic map. Some JON response types are direction selective; others are specialized to encode amplitude modulations over a specific range (dynamic range fractionation). Next, we discovered that both the AMMC and the wedge contain a tonotopic map, with a significant increase in tonotopy-and a narrowing of frequency tuning-at the level of the wedge. Whereas the AMMC tonotopic map is unilateral, the wedge tonotopic map is bilateral. Finally, we identified a subregion of the AMMC/wedge that responds preferentially to the coherent rotation of the two mechanical organs in the same angular direction, indicative of oriented steady air flow (directional wind). Together, these maps reveal the broad organization of the primary and secondary mechanosensory regions of the brain. They provide a framework for future efforts to identify the specific cell types and mechanisms that underlie the hierarchical re-mapping of mechanosensory information in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Patella
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rachel I Wilson
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Li X, Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A. Auditory experience controls the maturation of song discrimination and sexual response in Drosophila. eLife 2018; 7:e34348. [PMID: 29555017 PMCID: PMC5860867 DOI: 10.7554/elife.34348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds and higher mammals, auditory experience during development is critical to discriminate sound patterns in adulthood. However, the neural and molecular nature of this acquired ability remains elusive. In fruit flies, acoustic perception has been thought to be innate. Here we report, surprisingly, that auditory experience of a species-specific courtship song in developing Drosophila shapes adult song perception and resultant sexual behavior. Preferences in the song-response behaviors of both males and females were tuned by social acoustic exposure during development. We examined the molecular and cellular determinants of this social acoustic learning and found that GABA signaling acting on the GABAA receptor Rdl in the pC1 neurons, the integration node for courtship stimuli, regulated auditory tuning and sexual behavior. These findings demonstrate that maturation of auditory perception in flies is unexpectedly plastic and is acquired socially, providing a model to investigate how song learning regulates mating preference in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Li
- Graduate School of ScienceNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
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Li X, Ishimoto H, Kamikouchi A. Assessing Experience-dependent Tuning of Song Preference in Fruit Flies (Drosophila melanogaster). Bio Protoc 2018. [DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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19
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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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