Functional dissection of motor circuits by connectomics and optogenetics

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04255
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: NOSE Akinao 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 教授 (30260037)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: コネクトミクス / 光遺伝学 / ショウジョウバエ / 運動回路 / カルシウムイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Drosophila larval peristalsis is generated by sequential contractions of body-wall muscles from the posterior to anterior segments. In this study, we used connectomics and optogenetics to identify excitatory premotor interneurons in this system, termed CLIs. These neurons were segmentally arrayed and activated sequentially from the posterior to anterior segments during peristalsis. The CLIs express ChAT, a marker for cholinergic neurons and were active just prior to motoneuronal firing in each segment. Moreover, local activation of CLI1s induced contraction of muscles in the corresponding body segments. Our results suggest that the CLIs directly activate motoneurons sequentially along the segments during larval locomotion.

Free Research Field

脳神経科学・神経科学一般