title: Drosophila Avoids Parasitoids by Sensing Their Semiochemicals via a Dedicated Olfactory Circuit.
abstract: Detecting danger is one of the foremost tasks for a neural system. Larval parasitoids constitute clear danger to Drosophila, as up to 80% of fly larvae become parasitized in nature. We show that Drosophila melanogaster larvae and adults avoid sites smelling of the main parasitoid enemies, Leptopilina wasps. This avoidance is mediated via a highly specific olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) type. While the larval OSN expresses the olfactory receptor Or49a and is tuned to the Leptopilina odor iridomyrmecin, the adult expresses both Or49a and Or85f and in addition detects the wasp odors actinidine and nepetalactol. The information is transferred via projection neurons to a specific part of the lateral horn known to be involved in mediating avoidance. Drosophila has thus developed a dedicated circuit to detect a life-threatening enemy based on the smell of its semiochemicals. Such an enemy-detecting olfactory circuit has earlier only been characterized in mice and nematodes.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Shimaa A M
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ebrahim
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Hany K M
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Dweck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stökl
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, United States of America.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hofferberth
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trona
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weniger
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rybak
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marcus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Stensmyr
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sachse
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Bill S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knaden
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D039823:Iridoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009812:Odorants; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010058:Oviposition; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000819:agonists* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014863:Wasps / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D039823:Iridoids; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011725:Pyridines; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D013729:Terpenes; C497341:nepetalactol; C024948:actinidine; C575112:iridomyrmecin