Olfactory neurons expressing identified receptor genes project to subsets of glomeruli within the antennal lobe of Drosophila melanogaster.
We have used green fluorescent protein to trace the projection patterns of olfactory neurons expressing identified candidate odorant receptors to the brain of Drosophila. At the periphery, receptor expression correlates with specific sense-organ subtype, independent of location on the antennal surface. The majority of neurons expressing a given receptor converge onto one or two major glomeruli as described previously. However, we detected a few additional glomeruli, which are less intensely innervated and also tend to be somewhat variable. This means that functionally similar olfactory neurons connect to small subsets of glomeruli rather than to a single glomerulus as believed previously. This finding has important implications for our understanding of odor coding and the generation of olfactory behavior.
Bhalerao
Sheetal
S
Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Rd., Mumbai 400005, India.
Sen
Anindya
A
Stocker
Reinhard
R
Rodrigues
Veronica
V
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000378:metabolism*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000378:metabolism; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism
D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins