Identification and functional analyses of gustatory second-order neurons of Drosophila melanogaster with the goal of elucidation of the decision-making mechanism

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H07417
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Takaaki 国立遺伝学研究所, 構造遺伝学研究センター, 博士研究員 (00777807)
• Research Collaborator: SUZUKI Emiko 国立遺伝学研究所, 構造遺伝学研究センター, 准教授 (20173891) ; ITO Kei Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Senior Fellow (00311192)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-08-26 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 神経科学 / 味覚 / 学習と行動 / キイロショウジョウバエ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sugar stimuli detected by the gustatory system serve as reward cues for associative learning as well as triggers for immediate feeding behaviors. Gustatory sensory neurons (GSNs) send information about sugar from the mouth to a specific subregion of the brain. A specific subpopulation of brain neurons mediate the reward　signal required for associative learning, while another subset of neurons command the feeding behavior. In the previous study, we achieved genetic identification of 15 types of gustatory second-order neurons (G2Ns), which functionally contact onto sugar-responsive GSNs. In this research, we found that one/four type(s) of G2Ns directly connect to the feeding/reward system, respectively.
We established a genetic tool to manipulate G2Ns without a side-effect on other neurons in gustatory behavioral experiments.
We established an experimental system in which we can record concentration of taste stimulation near the fly's mouth and responses of gustatory neurons in the brain.

Free Research Field

神経科学