Sensory neurons of the Atonal lineage pioneer the formation of glomeruli within the adult Drosophila olfactory lobe.
The first centers for processing of odor information by animals lie in the olfactory lobe. Sensory neurons from the periphery synapse with interneurons in anatomically recognizable units, termed glomeruli, seen in both insects and vertebrates. The mechanisms that underlie the formation of functional maps of the odor-world in the glomeruli within the olfactory lobe remains unclear. We address the basis of sensory targeting in the fruitfly Drosophila and show that one class of sensory neurons, those of the Atonal lineage, plays a crucial role in glomerular patterning. Atonal-dependent neurons pioneer the segregation of other classes of sensory neurons into distinct glomeruli. Furthermore, correct sensory innervation is necessary for the arborization of projection neurons into glomeruli and for the elaboration of processes of central glial cells into the lobe.
Jhaveri
Dhanisha
D
Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005 India.
Rodrigues
Veronica
V
D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000254:growth & development*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins; C082142:ato protein, Drosophila