A Neuronal Pathway that Commands Deceleration in Drosophila Larval Light-Avoidance.
10.1007/s12264-019-00349-w
- Author:
Caixia GONG
1
;
Zhenhuan OUYANG
2
;
Weiqiao ZHAO
1
;
Jie WANG
1
;
Kun LI
1
;
Peipei ZHOU
1
;
Ting ZHAO
3
;
Nenggan ZHENG
4
;
Zhefeng GONG
5
Author Information
1. Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
2. Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310007, China.
3. Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, 22011, USA.
4. Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310007, China. zng@zju.edu.cn.
5. Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China. zfgong@zju.edu.cn.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Deceleration;
Drosophila;
EH neurons;
Larva;
Light avoidance;
PTTH neurons;
Tdc2 motor neurons
- From:
Neuroscience Bulletin
2019;35(6):959-968
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
When facing a sudden danger or aversive condition while engaged in on-going forward motion, animals transiently slow down and make a turn to escape. The neural mechanisms underlying stimulation-induced deceleration in avoidance behavior are largely unknown. Here, we report that in Drosophila larvae, light-induced deceleration was commanded by a continuous neural pathway that included prothoracicotropic hormone neurons, eclosion hormone neurons, and tyrosine decarboxylase 2 motor neurons (the PET pathway). Inhibiting neurons in the PET pathway led to defects in light-avoidance due to insufficient deceleration and head casting. On the other hand, activation of PET pathway neurons specifically caused immediate deceleration in larval locomotion. Our findings reveal a neural substrate for the emergent deceleration response and provide a new understanding of the relationship between behavioral modules in animal avoidance responses.
