Central processing of leg proprioception in Drosophila: Physiology and behavior data
Cite this dataset
Agrawal, Sweta et al. (2020). Central processing of leg proprioception in Drosophila: Physiology and behavior data [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd55t
Abstract
Proprioception, the sense of self-movement and position, is mediated by mechanosensory neurons that detect diverse features of body kinematics. Although proprioceptive feedback is crucial for accurate motor control, little is known about how downstream circuits transform limb sensory information to guide motor output. Here, we investigate neural circuits in Drosophila that process proprioceptive information from the fly leg. We identify three cell-types from distinct developmental lineages that are positioned to receive input from proprioceptor subtypes encoding tibia position, movement, and vibration. 13Bα neurons encode femur-tibia joint angle and mediate postural changes in tibia position. 9Aα neurons also drive changes in leg posture, but encode a combination of directional movement, high-frequency vibration, and joint angle. Activating 10Bα neurons, which encode tibia vibration at specific joint angles, elicits pausing in walking flies. Altogether, our results reveal that central circuits integrate information across proprioceptor subtypes to construct complex sensorimotor representations that mediate diverse behaviors, including reflexive control of limb posture and detection of leg vibration.
Methods
See manuscript (https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60299) for details.
Funding
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Award: R01NS102333
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Pew Charitable Trusts, Award: Scholar Award
Kinship Conservation Fellows, Award: Scholar Award
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Award: Scholar Award
McKnight Foundation, Award: Scholar Award
UW Royalty Research Fund, Award: 112375
Klingenstein Simon Fellowship Award