Smell and Taste Perception in Drosophila melanogaster Larva: Toxin Expression Studies in Chemosensory Neurons

GAL4-driven targeted expression of tetanus toxin light chain (UAS-TeTxLC) in a subset of chemosensory neurons of the larval antennomaxillary complex (AMC) and pharynx causes abnormal chemosensory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Consistent with strongest staining in the dorsal organ (DO), the pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of neuroscience 1999-08, Vol.19 (15), p.6599-6609
Main Authors: Heimbeck, Gertrud, Bugnon, Veronique, Gendre, Nanae, Haberlin, Corinne, Stocker, Reinhard F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
antennomaxillary complex
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Carbohydrates - pharmacology
Chemoreceptor Cells - metabolism
DNA Transposable Elements - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster - growth & development
Drosophila melanogaster - physiology
Larva - physiology
Neurons, Afferent - drug effects
Neurons, Afferent - pathology
Neurons, Afferent - physiology
Odorants
Peripheral Nerves - metabolism
sensilla
Smell - physiology
Sodium Chloride - pharmacology
Synaptic Transmission - physiology
Taste - drug effects
Taste - physiology
tetanus toxin
Tetanus Toxin - chemistry
Tetanus Toxin - genetics
Tetanus Toxin - metabolism
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Summary:GAL4-driven targeted expression of tetanus toxin light chain (UAS-TeTxLC) in a subset of chemosensory neurons of the larval antennomaxillary complex (AMC) and pharynx causes abnormal chemosensory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Consistent with strongest staining in the dorsal organ (DO), the presumed olfactory organ of the AMC, tetanus toxin-expressing larvae subjected to an olfactory preference assay show anosmic behavior to most volatile substances tested. Furthermore, we observed reduced responses to sodium chloride, fructose, and sucrose in gustatory plate assays. Surprisingly, the entire subset of labeled sensory neurons from the terminal (maxillary) organ (TO) of the AMC was found to project via the antennal nerve to the larval antennal lobe region. The maxillary nerve remained completely unstained. Hence, a subset of neurons from the TO builds an anatomical entity with projections from the DO. Our results suggest that the AMC contains both olfactory and gustatory sensilla, and that the DO is the main olfactory organ in larvae.
ISSN:0270-6474
1529-2401
DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.19-15-06599.1999