Choline Transporter in α/β core neurons of Drosophila mushroom body non-canonically regulates pupal eclosion and maintains neuromuscular junction integrity

Insect mushroom bodies (MB) have an ensemble of synaptic connections well-studied for their role in experience-dependent learning and several higher cognitive functions. MB requires neurotransmission for an efficient flow of information across synapses with the different flexibility to meet the demand of the dynamically changing environment of an insect. Neurotransmitter transporters coordinate appropriate changes for an efficient neurotransmission at the synapse. Till date, there is no transporter reported for any of the previously known neurotransmitters in the intrinsic neurons of MB. In this study, we report a highly enriched expression of Choline Transporter (ChT) in Drosophila MB. We demonstrate that knockdown of ChT in a sub-type of MB neurons called α/β core (α/βc) neurons leads to eclosion failure, peristaltic defect in larvae, and altered NMJ phenotype. These defects were neither observed on knockdown of proteins of the cholinergic locus in α/βc neurons nor by knockdown of ChT in cholinergic neurons. Thus, our study provides insights into non-canonical roles of ChT in MB.