Neuronal processing of amino acids in Drosophila: from taste sensing to behavioural regulation

Toshima, Naoko; Schleyer, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2019.07.007

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…These findings suggest that D. melanogaster foraging behaviour for proteinogenic food is regulated according to the animal's internal needs (see also Simpson and Raubenheimer, 1993). Compared with other nutrients such as carbohydrates, however, much less is known about the sensory and central-brain processing of amino acids in D. melanogaster (Toshima and Schleyer, 2019; see also Discussion), and about how these animals learn about them. Indeed, in adult D. melanogaster, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have been published using amino acids as tastant reinforcers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

An amino-acid mixture can be both rewarding and punishing to larval Drosophila

Toshima

Weigelt

Weiglein

et al. 2019

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Amino acids are important nutrients for animals because they are necessary for protein synthesis in particular during growth, as well as for neurotransmission. However, little is known about how animals use past experience to guide their search for amino-acid-rich food. We reasoned that the larvae of Drosophila melanogaster are suitable for investigating this topic because they are the feeding and growth stages in the life cycle of these holometabolous insects. Specifically, we investigated whether experiencing an odour with a 20 amino-acid mixture as a semi-natural tastant during training establishes odourtastant associative memories. Across a broad concentration range (0.01-20 mmol l −1 ), such an amino-acid mixture was found to have a rewarding effect, establishing appetitive memory for the odour. To our surprise, however, manipulation of the test conditions revealed that relatively high concentrations of the amino-acid mixture (3.3 mmol l −1 and higher) in addition establish aversive memory for the odour. We then characterized both of these oppositely valenced memories in terms of their dependency on the number of training trials, their temporal stability, their modulation through starvation and the specific changes in locomotion underlying them. Collectively, and in the light of what is known about the neuronal organization of odour-food memory in larval D. melanogaster, our data suggest that these memories are established in parallel. We discuss the similarity of our results to what has been reported for sodium chloride, and the possible neurogenetic bases for concentration-dependent changes in valence when these tastants are used as reinforcers.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

An amino-acid mixture can be both rewarding and punishing to larval Drosophila

Toshima

Weigelt

Weiglein

et al. 2019

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…In addition, we also observed that blocking dTTP production significantly decreased the reproduction of B. tabaci MED adults and the hatchability of their offspring. The supply of enough EAAs is essential for insect reproduction (Roy et al, 2018;Toshima and Schleyer, 2019). EAAs also construct vitellogenin, which is a nutrient needed in egg hatching (Franz, 1979).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Deoxythymidine Triphosphate Synthesis-Related Genes Regulate Obligate Symbiont Density and Reproduction in the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci MED

Yang

Chen

et al. 2021

Front. Physiol.

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Deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP) is essential for DNA synthesis and cellular growth in all organisms. Here, genetic capacity analysis of the pyrimidine pathway in insects and their symbionts revealed that dTTP is a kind of metabolic input in several host insect/obligate symbiont symbiosis systems, including Bemisia tabaci MED/Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum (hereafter Portiera). As such, the roles of dTTP on both sides of the symbiosis system were investigated in B. tabaci MED/Portiera. Dietary RNA interference (RNAi) showed that suppressing dTTP production significantly reduced the density of Portiera, significantly repressed the expression levels of horizontally transferred essential amino acid (EAA) synthesis-related genes, and significantly decreased the reproduction of B. tabaci MED adults as well as the hatchability of their offspring. Our results revealed the regulatory role of dTTP in B. tabaci MED/Portiera and showed that dTTP synthesis-related genes could be potential targets for controlling B. tabaci as well as other sucking pests.

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“…Little is known about the neuronal circuits underlying amino acid sensing and processing [9]. In adults, both sweet-sensing and bitter-sensing gustatory receptor neurons have been shown to respond to amino acids, dependent on different combinations of gustatory and ionotropic receptors [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This unexpected dissociation in neuronal processing of amino acids for different behavioural functions provides a study case for functional divisions of labour in gustatory systems. 'push-pull' behavioural organization may help the animals to find an optimal concentration of amino acids.Little is known about the neuronal circuits underlying amino acid sensing and processing [9]. In adults, both sweet-sensing and bitter-sensing gustatory receptor neurons have been shown to respond to amino acids, dependent on different combinations of gustatory and ionotropic receptors [10].…”

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confidence: 99%

IR76b-expressing neurons in Drosophila melanogaster are necessary for associative reward learning of an amino acid mixture

Toshima,

Schleyer

2024

Biol. Lett.

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Learning where to find nutrients while at the same time avoiding toxic food is essential for survival of any animal. Using Drosophila melanogaster larvae as a study case, we investigate the role of gustatory sensory neurons expressing IR76b for associative learning of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. We found surprising complexity in the neuronal underpinnings of sensing amino acids, and a functional division of sensory neurons. We found that the IR76b receptor is dispensable for amino acid learning, whereas the neurons expressing IR76b are specifically required for the rewarding but not the punishing effect of amino acids. This unexpected dissociation in neuronal processing of amino acids for different behavioural functions provides a study case for functional divisions of labour in gustatory systems.

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Neuronal processing of amino acids in Drosophila: from taste sensing to behavioural regulation

Cited by 10 publications

References 49 publications

An amino-acid mixture can be both rewarding and punishing to larval Drosophila

An amino-acid mixture can be both rewarding and punishing to larval Drosophila

Two Deoxythymidine Triphosphate Synthesis-Related Genes Regulate Obligate Symbiont Density and Reproduction in the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci MED

IR76b-expressing neurons in Drosophila melanogaster are necessary for associative reward learning of an amino acid mixture

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