Browse
Submit Data
Databases
API
Help

Dataset Information

0 Views

0 Connections

0 Citations

0 Reanalyses

0 Downloads

Omics score: 0

Speed dependent descending control of freezing behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: The most fundamental choice an animal has to make when it detects a threat is whether to freeze, reducing its chances of being noticed, or to flee to safety. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster exposed to looming stimuli in a confined arena either freeze or flee. The probability of freezing versus fleeing is modulated by the fly's walking speed at the time of threat, demonstrating that freeze/flee decisions depend on behavioral state. We describe a pair of descending neurons crucially implicated in freezing. Genetic silencing of DNp09 descending neurons disrupts freezing yet does not prevent fleeing. Optogenetic activation of both DNp09 neurons induces running and freezing in a state-dependent manner. Our findings establish walking speed as a key factor in defensive response choices and reveal a pair of descending neurons as a critical component in the circuitry mediating selection and execution of freezing or fleeing behaviors.

SUBMITTER: Zacarias R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6135764 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Json Xml

Publications

Speed dependent descending control of freezing behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Zacarias Ricardo R Namiki Shigehiro S Card Gwyneth M GM Vasconcelos Maria Luisa ML Moita Marta A MA

Nature communications 20180912 1

The most fundamental choice an animal has to make when it detects a threat is whether to freeze, reducing its chances of being noticed, or to flee to safety. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster exposed to looming stimuli in a confined arena either freeze or flee. The probability of freezing versus fleeing is modulated by the fly's walking speed at the time of threat, demonstrating that freeze/flee decisions depend on behavioral state. We describe a pair of descending neurons crucially impl ...[more]

PMID: 30209268

Similar Datasets

Organization of descending neurons in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Neural processing in the brain controls behavior through descending neurons (DNs) - neurons which carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord (or thoracic ganglia in insects). Because DNs arise from multiple circuits in the brain, the numerical simplicity and availability of genetic tools make Drosophila a tractable model for understanding descending motor control. As a first step towards a comprehensive study of descending motor control, here we estimate the number and distribution of DNs in the Drosophila brain. We labeled DNs by backfilling them with dextran dye applied to the neck connective and estimated that there are ~1100 DNs distributed in 6 clusters in Drosophila. To assess the distribution of DNs by neurotransmitters, we labeled DNs in flies in which neurons expressing the major neurotransmitters were also labeled. We found DNs belonging to every neurotransmitter class we tested: acetylcholine, GABA, glutamate, serotonin, dopamine and octopamine. Both the major excitatory neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) and the major inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA) are employed equally; this stands in contrast to vertebrate DNs which are predominantly excitatory. By comparing the distribution of DNs in Drosophila to those reported previously in other insects, we conclude that the organization of DNs in insects is highly conserved.

| S-EPMC4738306 | biostudies-literature

Activity-dependent visualization and control of neural circuits for courtship behavior in the fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Males of Drosophila melanogaster exhibit stereotypic courtship behavior through which they assess potential mates by processing multimodal sensory information. Although previous studies revealed important neural circuits involved in this process, the full picture of circuits that participate in male courtship remains elusive. Here, we established a genetic tool to visualize or optogenetically reactivate neural circuits activated upon specific behavior, exploiting promoter activity of a neural activity-induced gene Hr38 With this approach, we visualized neural circuits activated in the male brain and the ventral nerve cord when a male interacted with a female. The labeling of neural circuits was additively dependent on inputs from antennae and foreleg tarsi. In addition, neural circuits that express the sex-determining gene fruitless or doublesex were extensively labeled by interaction with a female. Furthermore, optogenetic reactivation of the labeled neural circuits induced courtship posture. With this mapping system, we found that a fruitless-positive neural cluster aSP2 was labeled when a male interacted with a female, in addition to previously characterized neurons. Silencing of neurons including aSP2 led to frequent interruption of courtship and significant reduction of mating success rate without affecting latency to start courtship, suggesting that these neurons are required for courtship persistency important for successful copulation. Overall, these results demonstrate that activity-dependent labeling can be used as a powerful tool not only in vertebrates, but also in invertebrates, to identify neural circuits regulating innate behavior.

| S-EPMC6431207 | biostudies-literature

ppk23-Dependent chemosensory functions contribute to courtship behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Insects utilize diverse families of ion channels to respond to environmental cues and control mating, feeding, and the response to threats. Although degenerin/epithelial sodium channels (DEG/ENaC) represent one of the largest families of ion channels in Drosophila melanogaster, the physiological functions of these proteins are still poorly understood. We found that the DEG/ENaC channel ppk23 is expressed in a subpopulation of sexually dimorphic gustatory-like chemosensory bristles that are distinct from those expressing feeding-related gustatory receptors. Disrupting ppk23 or inhibiting activity of ppk23-expressing neurons did not alter gustatory responses. Instead, blocking ppk23-positive neurons or mutating the ppk23 gene delayed the initiation and reduced the intensity of male courtship. Furthermore, mutations in ppk23 altered the behavioral response of males to the female-specific aphrodisiac pheromone 7(Z), 11(Z)-Heptacosadiene. Together, these data indicate that ppk23 and the cells expressing it play an important role in the peripheral sensory system that determines sexual behavior in Drosophila.

| S-EPMC3305452 | biostudies-literature

Optogenetic dissection of descending behavioral control in Drosophila.

Project description:In most animals, the brain makes behavioral decisions that are transmitted by descending neurons to the nerve cord circuitry that produces behaviors. In insects, only a few descending neurons have been associated with specific behaviors. To explore how descending neurons control an insect's movements, we developed a novel method to systematically assay the behavioral effects of activating individual neurons on freely behaving terrestrial D. melanogaster. We calculated a two-dimensional representation of the entire behavior space explored by these flies, and we associated descending neurons with specific behaviors by identifying regions of this space that were visited with increased frequency during optogenetic activation. Applying this approach across a large collection of descending neurons, we found that (1) activation of most of the descending neurons drove stereotyped behaviors, (2) in many cases multiple descending neurons activated similar behaviors, and (3) optogenetically activated behaviors were often dependent on the behavioral state prior to activation.

| S-EPMC6031430 | biostudies-literature

Control of sexual differentiation and behavior by the doublesex gene in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Doublesex proteins, which are part of the structurally and functionally conserved Dmrt gene family, are important for sex determination throughout the animal kingdom. We inserted Gal4 into the doublesex (dsx) locus of Drosophila melanogaster, allowing us to visualize and manipulate cells expressing dsx in various tissues. In the nervous system, we detected differences between the sexes in dsx-positive neuronal numbers, axonal projections and synaptic density. We found that dsx was required for the development of male-specific neurons that coexpressed fruitless (fru), a regulator of male sexual behavior. We propose that dsx and fru act together to form the neuronal framework necessary for male sexual behavior. We found that disrupting dsx neuronal function had profound effects on male sexual behavior. Furthermore, our results suggest that dsx-positive neurons are involved in pre- to post-copulatory female reproductive behaviors.

| S-EPMC3092424 | biostudies-literature

Light dependent courtship behavior in <i>Drosophila simulans</i> and <i>D. melanogaster</i>.

Project description:Differences in courtship signals and perception are well-known among Drosophila species. One such described difference is the dependency on light, and thus presumably vision, for copulation success. Many studies have described a difference in light-dependent copulation success between D. melanogaster and D. simulans, identifying D. simulans as a light-dependent species, and D. melanogaster as a light-independent one. However, many of these studies use assays of varying design and few strains to represent the entire species. Here, we attempt to better characterize this purported difference using 11 strains of each species, paired by collection location, in behavioral assays conducted at two different exposure times. We show that, while there is a species-wide difference in magnitude of light-dependent copulation success, D. melanogaster copulation success is, on average, still impaired in the dark at both exposure times we measured. Additionally, there is significant variation in strain-specific ability to copulate in the dark in both species across two different exposure times. We find that this variation correlates strongly with longitude in D. melanogaster, but not in D. simulans. We hypothesize that differences in species history and demography may explain behavioral variation. Finally, we use courtship assays to show that light-dependent copulation success in one D. simulans strain is driven in part by both males and females. We discuss potential differences in courtship signals and/or signal importance between these species and potential for further comparative studies for functional characterization.

| S-EPMC7369021 | biostudies-literature

Obp56h Modulates Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Social interactions in insects are driven by conspecific chemical signals that are detected via olfactory and gustatory neurons. Odorant binding proteins (Obps) transport volatile odorants to chemosensory receptors, but their effects on behaviors remain poorly characterized. Here, we report that RNAi knockdown of Obp56h gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster enhances mating behavior by reducing courtship latency. The change in mating behavior that results from inhibition of Obp56h expression is accompanied by significant alterations in cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) composition, including reduction in 5-tricosene (5-T), an inhibitory sex pheromone produced by males that increases copulation latency during courtship. Whole genome RNA sequencing confirms that expression of Obp56h is virtually abolished in Drosophila heads. Inhibition of Obp56h expression also affects expression of other chemoreception genes, including upregulation of lush in both sexes and Obp83ef in females, and reduction in expression of Obp19b and Or19b in males. In addition, several genes associated with lipid metabolism, which underlies the production of cuticular hydrocarbons, show altered transcript abundances. Our data show that modulation of mating behavior through reduction of Obp56h is accompanied by altered cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and implicate 5-T as a possible ligand for Obp56h.

| S-EPMC5068952 | biostudies-literature

Quantitative genomics of aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:Aggressive behavior is important for animal survival and reproduction, and excessive aggression is an enormous social and economic burden for human society. Although the role of biogenic amines in modulating aggressive behavior is well characterized, other genetic mechanisms affecting this complex behavior remain elusive. Here, we developed an assay to rapidly quantify aggressive behavior in Drosophila melanogaster, and generated replicate selection lines with divergent levels of aggression. The realized heritability of aggressive behavior was approximately 0.10, and the phenotypic response to selection specifically affected aggression. We used whole-genome expression analysis to identify 1,539 probe sets with different expression levels between the selection lines when pooled across replicates, at a false discovery rate of 0.001. We quantified the aggressive behavior of 19 mutations in candidate genes that were generated in a common co-isogenic background, and identified 15 novel genes affecting aggressive behavior. Expression profiling of genetically divergent lines is an effective strategy for identifying genes affecting complex traits.

| S-EPMC1564424 | biostudies-literature

Quantitative genomics of locomotor behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Project description:BackgroundLocomotion is an integral component of most animal behaviors, and many human health problems are associated with locomotor deficits. Locomotor behavior is a complex trait, with population variation attributable to many interacting loci with small effects that are sensitive to environmental conditions. However, the genetic basis of this complex behavior is largely uncharacterized.ResultsWe quantified locomotor behavior of Drosophila melanogaster in a large population of inbred lines derived from a single natural population, and derived replicated selection lines with different levels of locomotion. Estimates of broad-sense and narrow-sense heritabilities were 0.52 and 0.16, respectively, indicating substantial non-additive genetic variance for locomotor behavior. We used whole genome expression analysis to identify 1,790 probe sets with different expression levels between the selection lines when pooled across replicates, at a false discovery rate of 0.001. The transcriptional responses to selection for locomotor, aggressive and mating behavior from the same base population were highly overlapping, but the magnitude of the expression differences between selection lines for increased and decreased levels of behavior was uncorrelated. We assessed the locomotor behavior of ten mutations in candidate genes with altered transcript abundance between selection lines, and identified seven novel genes affecting this trait.ConclusionExpression profiling of genetically divergent lines is an effective strategy for identifying genes affecting complex behaviors, and reveals that a large number of pleiotropic genes exhibit correlated transcriptional responses to multiple behaviors.

| S-EPMC2375002 | biostudies-literature

Visual Control of Walking Speed in Drosophila.

Project description:An animal's self-motion generates optic flow across its retina, and it can use this visual signal to regulate its orientation and speed through the world. While orientation control has been studied extensively in Drosophila and other insects, much less is known about the visual cues and circuits that regulate translational speed. Here, we show that flies regulate walking speed with an algorithm that is tuned to the speed of visual motion, causing them to slow when visual objects are nearby. This regulation does not depend strongly on the spatial structure or the direction of visual stimuli, making it algorithmically distinct from the classic computation that controls orientation. Despite the different algorithms, the visual circuits that regulate walking speed overlap with those that regulate orientation. Taken together, our findings suggest that walking speed is controlled by a hierarchical computation that combines multiple motion detectors with distinct tunings. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

| S-EPMC6405217 | biostudies-literature

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

OmicsDI is an Elixir interoperability service. Learn more ›

Tweets

OmicsDI Databases

PRIDE
PeptideAtlas
MassIVE
JPOST Repository
Physiome Model Repository

EGA
EVA
ENA
LINCS
PAXDB
Cell Collective

MetaboLights
Metabolomics Workbench
MetabolomeExpress
GNPS
BioModels
FAIRDOMHub

ArrayExpress
dbGaP
ExpressionAtlas
GEO
NODE

Information

Databases
Help
API
Contact us
Code on GitHub
Terms of use
Submit Data