Cited by 39Neurobiology and Insect Physiology ResearchBiochemical Analysis and Sensing TechniquesIon Channels and Receptors

Complex representation of taste quality by second-order gustatory neurons in Drosophila

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Snell, Nathaniel J., Fisher, John D., Hartmann, Griffin G., Zolyomi, Bence, Talay, Mustafa, Barnea, Gilad·2022·Current Biology

Abstract

Sweet and bitter compounds excite different sensory cells and drive opposing behaviors. However, it remains unclear how sweet and bitter tastes are represented by the neural circuits linking sensation to behavior. To investigate this question in Drosophila, we devised trans-Tango(activity), a strategy for calcium imaging of second-order gustatory projection neurons based on trans-Tango, a genetic transsynaptic tracing technique. We found spatial overlap between the projection neuron populations activated by sweet and bitter tastants. The spatial representation of bitter tastants in the projection neurons was consistent, while that of sweet tastants was heterogeneous. Furthermore, we discovered that bitter tastants evoke responses in the gustatory receptor neurons and projection neurons upon both stimulus onset and offset and that bitter offset and sweet onset excite overlapping second-order projections. These findings demonstrate an unexpected complexity in the representation of sweet and bitter tastants by second-order neurons of the gustatory circuit.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.048

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  • The neurons reached early from gustatory neurons match second-order projection neurons identified by Snell et al. using trans-Tango.

    “For instance, the neurons reached early from gustatory neurons (Fig. 6b) match second-order projection neurons identified by Snell et al.86 using trans-Tango.”

    From Neuronal wiring diagram of an adult brain (2024) · cites this paper as [86]

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  1. [8]Dunipace L, Meister S, Mcnealy C, and Amrein H (2001). Spatially restricted expression of candidate taste receptors in the. Curr. Biol, 822– 835. 11516643

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Authors
Snell, N. J., Fisher, J. D., Hartmann, G. G., Zolyomi, B., Talay, M., & Barnea, G.
Affiliations
Brown University (US)
Corresponding author
Barnea, Gilad
Venue
Current Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-09
Volume
32
Issue
17
Pages
3758-3772.e4
ISSN
0960-9822 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4291582620
Cited by
39
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3
FWCI
3.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Biology (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1058262)
  • Brown University
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH105368, T32MH020068)
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R01DC017146)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Ion Channels and Receptors
Keywords
sweet taste, bitter taste, gustatory receptor neurons, transsynaptic tracing, calcium imaging, Drosophila
MeSH terms
Animals, Drosophila, Neurons, Taste, Drosophila Proteins, Taste Perception

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