Functional dissociation in sweet taste receptor neurons between and within taste organs of Drosophila

Vladimiros Thoma, Stephan Knapek, Shogo Arai, Marion Hartl, Hiroshi Kohsaka, Pudith Sirigrivatanawong, Ayako Abe, Koichi Hashimoto, Hiromu Tanimoto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Finding food sources is essential for survival. Insects detect nutrients with external taste receptor neurons. Drosophila possesses multiple taste organs that are distributed throughout its body. However, the role of different taste organs in feeding remains poorly understood. By blocking subsets of sweet taste receptor neurons, we show that receptor neurons in the legs are required for immediate sugar choice. Furthermore, we identify two anatomically distinct classes of sweet taste receptor neurons in the leg. The axonal projections of one class terminate in the thoracic ganglia, whereas the other projects directly to the brain. These two classes are functionally distinct: the brain-projecting neurons are involved in feeding initiation, whereas the thoracic ganglia-projecting neurons play a role in sugar-dependent suppression of locomotion. Distinct receptor neurons for the same taste quality may coordinate early appetitive responses, taking advantage of the legs as the first appendages to contact food.

Original languageEnglish
Article number10678
JournalNature communications
Volume7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016 Feb 19
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemistry(all)
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Functional dissociation in sweet taste receptor neurons between and within taste organs of Drosophila'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this