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Physiology data for: Biomechanical origins of proprioceptor feature selectivity and topographic maps in the Drosophila leg

Data files

Aug 01, 2023 version files 6.12 MB

Abstract

Our ability to sense and move our bodies relies on proprioceptors, sensory neurons that detect mechanical forces within the body. Because they are located within complex and dynamic peripheral tissues, the underlying mechanisms of proprioceptor feature selectivity remain poorly understood. Using single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we found that proprioceptor subtypes in the Drosophila leg express similar complements of mechanosensory and other ion channels. However, anatomical reconstruction of the proprioceptive organ and connected tendons revealed major biomechanical differences between proprioceptor subtypes. We constructed a computational model that identified a biomechanical mechanism for joint angle selectivity and predicted the existence of a goniotopic map of joint angle among position-tuned proprioceptors, which we confirmed using calcium imaging. Our findings suggest that biomechanical specialization is a key determinant of proprioceptor feature selectivity in Drosophila. The discovery of proprioceptive maps in the fly leg reveals common organizational principles between proprioception and other topographically organized sensory systems.