Multimodal stimulus coding by a gustatory sensory neuron in Drosophila larvae

Lena van Giesen, Luis Hernandez-Nunez, Sophie Delasoie-Baranek, Martino Colombo, Philippe Renaud, Rémy Bruggmann, Richard Benton, Aravinthan D. T. Samuel () and Simon G. Sprecher ()
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Lena van Giesen: Institute of Zoology, University of Fribourg
Luis Hernandez-Nunez: Harvard University
Sophie Delasoie-Baranek: Microsystems Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Martino Colombo: Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne
Philippe Renaud: Microsystems Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Rémy Bruggmann: Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne
Richard Benton: Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Berne
Aravinthan D. T. Samuel: Harvard University
Simon G. Sprecher: Institute of Zoology, University of Fribourg

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Accurate perception of taste information is crucial for animal survival. In adult Drosophila, gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) perceive chemical stimuli of one specific gustatory modality associated with a stereotyped behavioural response, such as aversion or attraction. We show that GRNs of Drosophila larvae employ a surprisingly different mode of gustatory information coding. Using a novel method for calcium imaging in the larval gustatory system, we identify a multimodal GRN that responds to chemicals of different taste modalities with opposing valence, such as sweet sucrose and bitter denatonium, reliant on different sensory receptors. This multimodal neuron is essential for bitter compound avoidance, and its artificial activation is sufficient to mediate aversion. However, the neuron is also essential for the integration of taste blends. Our findings support a model for taste coding in larvae, in which distinct receptor proteins mediate different responses within the same, multimodal GRN.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10687

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