Walking Drosophila align with the e-vector of linearly polarized light through directed modulation of angular acceleration.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the mechanisms that link sensory stimuli to animal behavior is a central challenge in neuroscience. The quantitative description of behavioral responses to defined stimuli has led to a rich understanding of different behavioral strategies in many species. One important navigational cue perceived by many vertebrates and insects is the e-vector orientation of linearly polarized light. Drosophila manifests an innate orientation response to this cue ('polarotaxis'), aligning its body axis with the e-vector field. We have established a population-based behavioral paradigm for the genetic dissection of neural circuits guiding polarotaxis to both celestial as well as reflected polarized stimuli. However, the behavioral mechanisms by which flies align with a linearly polarized stimul

SUBMITTER: Velez MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4500532 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature