title: Gap junction networks in mushroom bodies participate in visual learning and memory in Drosophila.
abstract: Gap junctions are widely distributed in the brains across species and play essential roles in neural information processing. However, the role of gap junctions in insect cognition remains poorly understood. Using a flight simulator paradigm and genetic tools, we found that gap junctions are present in Drosophila Kenyon cells (KCs), the major neurons of the mushroom bodies (MBs), and showed that they play an important role in visual learning and memory. Using a dye coupling approach, we determined the distribution of gap junctions in KCs. Furthermore, we identified a single pair of MB output neurons (MBONs) that possess a gap junction connection to KCs, and provide strong evidence that this connection is also required for visual learning and memory. Together, our results reveal gap junction networks in KCs and the KC-MBON circuit, and bring new insight into the synaptic network underlying fly's visual learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qingqing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6710-0012
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jingsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhongbao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, CAS, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Aike
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6515-7944
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D062308:Optogenetics; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000066908:Simulation Training; D065853:Spatial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C557617:GAL4 protein, Drosophila; C489461:Kir2.1 channel; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C120024:inx2 protein, Drosophila
keywords: D. melanogaster; gap junctions; neuroscience; optogenetics; visual learning and memory