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Functional architecture of neural circuits for leg proprioception in Drosophila

Authors :
Brandon Mark
Sweta Agrawal
Anne Sustar
Gwyneth M Card
Chenghao Chen
Akira Mamiya
Jasper S. Phelps
Wei-Chung Allen Lee
John C. Tuthill
Barry J. Dickson
Source :
Current biology : CB
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

SUMMARY To effectively control their bodies, animals rely on feedback from proprioceptive mechanosensory neurons. In the Drosophila leg, different proprioceptor subtypes monitor joint position, movement direction, and vibration. Here, we investigate how these diverse sensory signals are integrated by central proprioceptive circuits. We find that signals for leg joint position and directional movement converge in second-order neurons, revealing pathways for local feedback control of leg posture. Distinct populations of second-order neurons integrate tibia vibration signals across pairs of legs, suggesting a role in detecting external substrate vibration. In each pathway, the flow of sensory information is dynamically gated and sculpted by inhibition. Overall, our results reveal parallel pathways for processing of internal and external mechanosensory signals, which we propose mediate feedback control of leg movement and vibration sensing, respectively. The existence of a functional connectivity map also provides a resource for interpreting connectomic reconstruction of neural circuits for leg proprioception.<br />In brief To understand how diverse proprioceptive signals from the Drosophila leg are integrated by downstream circuits, Chen et al. use optogenetics and calcium imaging to map functional connectivity between sensory and central neurons. This work identifies parallel neural pathways for processing leg vibration vs. joint position and movement.<br />Graphical abstract

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
18790445 and 09609822
Volume :
31
Issue :
23
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Current biology : CB
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....1f7c2be8d913593c3eac31a5bd2c8ca5