Cholesterol taste avoidance in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>.

ABSTRACT: The question as to whether animals taste cholesterol taste is not resolved. This study investigates whether the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is capable of detecting cholesterol through their gustatory system. We found that flies are indifferent to low levels of cholesterol and avoid higher levels. The avoidance is mediated by gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs), demonstrating that flies can taste cholesterol. The cholesterol-responsive GRNs comprise a subset that also responds to bitter substances. Cholesterol detection depends on five ionotropic receptor (IR) family members, and disrupting any of these genes impairs the flies' ability to avoid cholesterol. Ectopic expressions of these IRs in GRNs reveals two classes of cholesterol receptors, each with three shared IRs and one

SUBMITTER: Nhuchhen Pradhan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12005718 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature