Identification and characterization of second-order taste neurons in Drosophila

神经科学中的一个主要问题是动物如何将感觉输入转化为运动输出。一 解决这个问题的特别好的系统是果蝇味觉系统， 因为主要的糖敏感神经元和引起进食的运动神经元 很好地描述了。当一只饥饿的苍蝇遇到开胃的食物时，它会伸出它的长鼻子 开始进食由于初级感觉输入和运动输出都位于近 在果蝇大脑的食管下区（SEZ），局部回路相互接近， 在经济特区可能支配喂养的决定。这个建议旨在识别二阶味觉 神经元可以桥接感觉输入和运动输出。激活7个不同的候选人 二级味觉神经元，类似于初级糖敏感神经元的激活， 足以产生进食行为。因此，到目前为止识别的候选神经元可以是 参与从感觉输入到运动输出的通路。分析第二个角色- 为了味觉神经元在进食中发挥作用，Aim 1将决定 一阶味觉神经元和候选的二阶神经元，目标2将确定刺激 第二阶神经元的反应，目标3将决定第二阶神经元的行为。 命令神经元进行调解。通过识别和表征二级味觉神经元， 该提案将为理解基本感官信息是如何整合的奠定基础 与饥饿等内部线索联系在一起，转化为进食等行为。对喂养的理解 昆虫的决定可能会提供关于如何防止疾病传播的见解， 依靠昆虫传播的疟疾。此外，由于苍蝇对类似的线索作出反应， 哺乳动物，如开胃糖物质和苦味毒素，了解电路， 潜在的进食可能揭示人类进食相关的疾病，如肥胖症， 糖尿病

A major question in neuroscience is how animals translate sensory input into motor output. A particularly good system to address this question is the Drosophila gustatory (taste) system, since both the primary sugar-sensing neurons as well as the motor neurons that elicit feeding are well characterized. When a hungry fly encounters appetizing food, it extends its proboscis and begins feeding. As both the primary sensory inputs and motor outputs are located in close proximity to each other in the subesophageal zone (SEZ) of the Drosophila brain, local circuits in the SEZ likely govern feeding decisions. This proposal intends to identify second-order taste neurons that may bridge sensory inputs and motor outputs. Activation of 7 different candidate second-order taste neurons, similar to activation of the primary sugar sensing neurons, is sufficient to generate feeding behavior. Thus, candidate neurons identified thus far may be involved in the pathway from sensory input to motor output. To analyze the role that second- order taste neurons play in feeding, Aim 1 will determine the anatomical connectivity between first-order taste neurons and candidate second-order neurons, Aim 2 will determine the stimuli that second-order neurons respond to, and Aim 3 will determine the behaviors that second- order neurons mediate. By identifying and characterizing second-order taste neurons, this proposal will build the foundation for understanding how basic sensory information is integrated with internal cues, such as hunger, into behaviors like feeding. An understanding of feeding decisions in insects may provide insights into how to prevent the spread of diseases such as malaria that depend on an insect vector. Furthermore, because flies respond to similar cues as mammals, such as appetizing sugar substances and bitter toxins, understanding the circuits that underlie feeding may shed light into human feeding related disorders such as obesity and diabetes.