Drosophila larvae establish appetitive olfactory memories via mushroom body neurons of embryonic origin.
Insect mushroom bodies are required for diverse behavioral functions, including odor learning and memory. Using the numerically simple olfactory pathway of the Drosophila melanogaster larva, we provide evidence that the formation of appetitive olfactory associations relies on embryonic-born intrinsic mushroom body neurons (Kenyon cells). The participation of larval-born Kenyon cells, i.e., neurons that become gradually integrated in the developing mushroom body during larval life, in this task is unlikely. These data provide important insights into how a small set of identified Kenyon cells can store and integrate olfactory information in a developing brain. To investigate possible functional subdivisions of the larval mushroom body, we anatomically disentangle its input and output neurons at the single-cell level. Based on this approach, we define 10 subdomains of the larval mushroom body that may be implicated in mediating specific interactions between the olfactory pathway, modulatory neurons, and neuronal output.
Pauls
Dennis
D
Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
Selcho
Mareike
M
Gendre
Nanae
N
Stocker
Reinhard F
RF
Thum
Andreas S
AS
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006918:Hydroxyurea