Fine thermotactic discrimination between the optimal and slightly cooler temperatures via a TRPV channel in chordotonal neurons

Animals select their optimal environmental temperature, even when faced with alternatives that differ only slightly. This behavior is critical as small differences in temperature of only several degrees can have a profound effect on the survival and rate of development of poikilothermic animals, suc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of neuroscience 2010-08, Vol.30 (31), p.10465-10471
Main Authors: Kwon, Young, Shen, Wei L, Shim, Hye-Seok, Montell, Craig
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Choice Behavior - physiology
Discrimination (Psychology) - physiology
Drosophila
Drosophila Proteins - genetics
Ion Channels - genetics
Locomotion - genetics
Neurons - physiology
Sensory Thresholds - physiology
Temperature
Thermosensing - physiology
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Summary:Animals select their optimal environmental temperature, even when faced with alternatives that differ only slightly. This behavior is critical as small differences in temperature of only several degrees can have a profound effect on the survival and rate of development of poikilothermic animals, such as the fruit fly. Here, we demonstrate that Drosophila larvae choose their preferred temperature of 17.5 degrees C over slightly cooler temperatures (14-16 degrees C) through activation of chordotonal neurons. Mutations affecting a transient receptor potential (TRP) vanilloid channel, Inactive (Iav), which is expressed specifically in chordotonal neurons, eliminated the ability to choose 17.5 degrees C over 14-16 degrees C. The impairment in selecting 17.5 degrees C resulted from absence of an avoidance response, which is normally mediated by an increase in turns at the lower temperatures. We conclude that the decision to select the preferred over slightly cooler temperatures requires iav and is achieved by activating chordotonal neurons, which in turn induces repulsive behaviors, due to an increase in high angle turns.
ISSN:0270-6474
1529-2401
DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.1631-10.2010