A5007501870- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Insect Pheromone Research and Control
- Plant and animal studies
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Gene Regulatory Network Analysis
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- French Urban and Social Studies
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Protein Degradation and Inhibitors
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Spatial Cognition and Navigation
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
2012-2025
Centre for Genomic Regulation
2009-2025
University of California, Santa Barbara
2017-2025
Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology
2025
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
2015
Janelia Research Campus
2015
European Bioinformatics Institute
2002-2012
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
2012
Rockefeller University
2005-2009
Genomics (United Kingdom)
2002
The ability to respond chemical stimuli is fundamental the survival of motile organisms, but strategies underlying odour tracking remain poorly understood. Here we show that chemotaxis in Drosophila melanogaster larvae an active sampling process analogous sniffing vertebrates. Combining computer-vision algorithms with reconstructed olfactory environments, establish orient gradients through a sequential organization stereotypical behaviours, including runs, stops, lateral head casts and...
The sense of smell enables animals to react long-distance cues according learned and innate valences. Here, we have mapped with electron microscopy the complete wiring diagram Drosophila larval antennal lobe, an olfactory neuropil similar vertebrate bulb. We found a canonical circuit uniglomerular projection neurons (uPNs) relaying gain-controlled ORN activity mushroom body lateral horn. A second, parallel multiglomerular (mPNs) hierarchically connected local (LNs) selectively integrates...
Abstract Background Most odors are perceived to have the same quality over a large concentration range, but neural mechanisms that permit concentration-invariant olfactory perception unknown. In larvae of vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster , sensed by an array 25 odorant receptors expressed in 21 sensory neurons (OSNs). We investigated how subsets larval OSNs with overlapping distinct response properties cooperate mediate given across range concentrations. Results Using calcium imaging, we...
Behavioral strategies employed for chemotaxis have been described across phyla, but the sensorimotor basis of this phenomenon has seldom studied in naturalistic contexts. Here, we examine how signals experienced during free olfactory behaviors are processed by first-order sensory neurons (OSNs) Drosophila larva. We find that OSNs can act as differentiators transiently normalize stimulus intensity-a property potentially derived from a combination integral feedback and feed-forward regulation...
The nervous functions of an organism are primarily reflected in the behavior it is capable of. Measuring quantitatively, at high-resolution and automated fashion provides valuable information about underlying neural circuit computation. Accordingly, computer-vision applications for animal tracking becoming a key complementary toolkit to genetic, molecular electrophysiological characterization systems neuroscience.We present Sensory Orientation Software (SOS) measure infer sensory experience...
Chemotaxis is a powerful paradigm to study how orientation behavior driven by sensory stimulation. Drosophila larvae navigate odor gradients controlling the duration of their runs and direction turns. Straight wide-amplitude turns represent two extremes behavioral continuum. Here we establish that, on average, curl toward higher concentrations. We find that strength local gradient perpendicular motion modulates individual in gradual manner. discuss this error-correction mechanism, called...
Sensory navigation results from coordinated transitions between distinct behavioral programs. During chemotaxis in the Drosophila melanogaster larva, detection of positive odor gradients extends runs while negative promote stops and turns. This algorithm represents a foundation for control sensory across phyla. In present work, we identified an olfactory descending neuron, PDM-DN, which plays pivotal role organization turns response to graded changes concentrations. Artificial activation...
ABSTRACT Mapping brain function to structure is a fundamental task for neuroscience. For such an endeavour, the Drosophila larva simple enough be tractable, yet complex interesting. It features about 10,000 neurons and capable of various taxes, kineses Pavlovian conditioning. All its are currently being mapped into light-microscopical atlas, Gal4 strains generated experimentally access one at time. In addition, electron microscopic reconstruction nervous system seems within reach. Notably,...
Animals explore their environment to encounter suitable food resources. Despite its vital importance, this behavior puts individuals at risk by consuming limited internal energy during locomotion. We have developed a novel assay investigate how food-search is organized in Drosophila melanogaster larvae dwelling hydrogels mimicking natural habitat. define three main behavioral modes: resting the gel’s surface, digging while feeding near and apneic dives. In unstimulated conditions, spend most...
How do animals adaptively integrate innate with learned behavioral tendencies? We tackle this question using chemotaxis as a paradigm. Chemotaxis in the Drosophila larva largely results from sequence of runs and oriented turns. Thus, larvae minimally need to determine (i) how fast run, (ii) when initiate turn, (iii) where direct turn. first report odor-source intensities modulate these decisions bring about higher levels chemotactic performance for during chemotaxis. then examine whether...
Tools enabling closed-loop experiments are crucial to delineate causal relationships between the activity of genetically labeled neurons and specific behaviors. We developed Raspberry Pi Virtual Reality (PiVR) system conduct optogenetic stimulation neural functions in unrestrained animals. PiVR is an experimental platform that operates at high temporal resolution (70 Hz) with low latencies (<30 milliseconds), while being affordable (<US$500) easy build (<6 hours). Through extensive...
Electrosensation has emerged as a crucial sensory modality for social communication, foraging, and predation across the animal kingdom. However, its presence functional role well neural basis of electric field perception in Drosophila other invertebrates remain unclear. In environments with controlled fields, we identified electrosensation new sense melanogaster larva. We found that larva performs robust electrotaxis: when exposed to uniform field, larvae migrate toward cathode (negatively...
Detailed observations of larval Drosophila chemotaxis have characterised the relationship between odour gradient and runs, head casts turns made by animal. We use a computational model to test whether hypothesised sensorimotor control mechanisms are sufficient account for behaviour. The combines three based on simple transformations recent history intensity at location. first is an increased probability terminating runs in response gradually decreasing concentration, second rapidly...
Larval Drosophila offer a study case for behavioral neurogenetics that is simple enough to be experimentally tractable, yet complex worth the effort. We provide detailed, hands-on manual Pavlovian odor-reward learning in these animals. Given versatility of genetic analyses, combined with evolutionarily shared heritage humans, paradigm has utility not only and experimental psychology, but translational biomedicine as well. Together upcoming total synaptic connectome nervous system...
Upon strong and prolonged excitation, neurons can undergo a silent state called depolarization block that is often associated with disorders such as epileptic seizures. Here, we show in the peripheral olfactory system part of their normal physiological function. Typically, sensory enter at odor concentrations three orders magnitude above detection threshold, thereby defining receptive fields over concentration bands. The silencing high-affinity produces sparser representations high-odor...
Learnt predictive behavior faces a dilemma: stimuli will never 'replay' exactly as during the learning event, requiring generalization. In turn, minute differences can become meaningful, prompting discrimination. To provide study case for an adaptive adjustment of this generalization-discrimination balance, authors ask whether Drosophila melanogaster larvae are able to either generalize or discriminate between two odors (1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanol), depending on task. The find that after...