A pair of dopaminergic neurons DAN-c1 mediate <i>Drosophila</i> larval aversive olfactory learning through D2-like receptors.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40801811.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.100890 and PMC identifier 12349901.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The intricate relationship between the dopaminergic system and olfactory associative learning in <i>Drosophila</i> has been an intense scientific inquiry. Leveraging the formidable genetic tools, we conducted a screening of 57 dopaminergic drivers, leading to the discovery of DAN-c1 driver, uniquely targeting a pair of dopaminergic neurons (DANs) in the larval brain. While the involvement of excitatory D1-like receptors is well established, the role of D2-like receptors (D2Rs) remains underexplored. Our investigation reveals the expression of D2Rs in both DANs and the mushroom body (MB) of third-instar larval brains. Silencing D2Rs in DAN-c1 via microRNA disrupts aversive learning, further supported by optogenetic activation of DAN-c1 during training, affirming the inhibitory role of D2R autoreceptor. Intriguingly, D2R knockdown in the MB impairs both appetitive and aversive learning. These findings elucidate the distinct contributions of D2Rs in diverse brain structures, providing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing associative learning in <i>Drosophila</i> larvae.
Medical subject headings
- Dopaminergic Neurons
- Receptors, Dopamine D2
- Drosophila Proteins
- Smell
- Drosophila melanogaster
- Learning
- Avoidance Learning
- Drosophila