Early Integration of Temperature and Humidity Stimuli in the Drosophila Brain.

ABSTRACT: The Drosophila antenna contains receptor neurons for mechanical, olfactory, thermal, and humidity stimuli. Neurons expressing the ionotropic receptor IR40a have been implicated in the selection of an appropriate humidity range [1, 2], but although previous work indicates that insect hygroreceptors may be made up by a "triad" of neurons (with a dry-, a cold-, and a humid-air-responding cell [3]), IR40a expression included only cold- and dry-air cells. Here, we report the identification of the humid-responding neuron that completes the hygrosensory triad in the Drosophila antenna. This cell type expresses the Ir68a gene, and Ir68a mutation perturbs humidity preference. Next, we follow the projections of Ir68a neurons to the brain and show that they form a distinct glomerulus in the posterior

SUBMITTER: Frank DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5600489 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature