Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

Neuropeptidergic circuit modulation of developmental sleep in Drosophila

The paper identifies a neuropeptidergic circuit involving Hugin and PK2-R1 that regulates larval sleep in Drosophila, but not adult sleep.

Peripheral modulation of Pumilio in intestinal stem cells and the corpus allatum affects sleep latency in Drosophila

This study shows that Pumilio in intestinal stem cells and the corpus allatum modulates sleep latency in Drosophila by affecting brain gene expression.

Multimodal immobilization of second-instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae using PF-127 hydrogel and diethyl ether for calcium imaging

This paper evaluates a multimodal immobilization method for Drosophila larvae to improve calcium imaging by reducing motion artifacts.

Disruption of Drosophila melanogaster Larval Locomotion Caused by Silver Ions

This study examines the short-term effects of silver ions on Drosophila melanogaster larval locomotion, finding reduced crawling speed and disrupted peristalsis at higher concentrations.

The Drosophila connectome reveals Axo-Axonic Synapses on Descending Neurons

The paper maps axo-axonic synapses onto descending neurons in the Drosophila ventral nerve cord and identifies their functional roles in motor control.

Branch-specific axon pruning induced by Dpr4/DIP-{Theta} transneuronal interactions

The paper shows Dpr4/DIP-{Theta} transneuronal interactions control branch-specific axon pruning in Drosophila mushroom body neurons, with N-Cadherin mediating this process.

Task-specificity of local load feedback depends on intersegmental information in an insect walking system

The study shows that load proprioceptive feedback in stick insects has direction-dependent effects on motor neuron activity during stepping, influenced by intersegmental signals.

Natural statistics of host odours predict species-specific olfactory behaviours in Drosophilids

The paper shows that Drosophila species prefer odour components most distinctive in their natural host blends, revealing that olfactory behaviours exploit the statistical structure of odour environments.

Inhibitory-modulatory coupling generates persistent activity during working memory

This study identifies reciprocal inhibition and modulatory signaling as critical for sustaining persistent neural activity during working memory in Drosophila.

Quantifying Drosophila Feeding Behavior Using flyPAD and optoPAD

The paper describes a protocol for quantifying Drosophila feeding behavior using flyPAD/optoPAD, enabling high-throughput measurements and optogenetic control.

Ovary-Derived Signals Align Protein Appetite with Oogenesis

This paper identifies an ovarian signaling axis in Drosophila that modulates yeast appetite by linking oogenesis progression to nutrient selection through Dilp8.

Sequential formation of Drosophila circuit asymmetry via prolonged structural plasticity.

This study shows that directional asymmetry in Drosophila brain circuits arises from axonal interactions of pioneer neurons and requires Fasciclin 2 for structural plasticity, impacting adult brain function.

The digital sphinx: Can a worm brain control a fly body?

The paper demonstrates that a virtual animal combining a worm connectome and fly biomechanics can produce realistic behavior without biological accuracy, highlighting risks of overinterpreting such models.

A Signaling Hub in the Mosquito Rectum Coordinates Reproductive Investment After Blood Feeding

This study identifies a non-neuronal cell population in the mosquito rectum that uses NPYLR7 to coordinate reproductive investment after blood feeding.

A mushroom-body output neuron that mediates octopamine-driven and hunger-motivated feeding in Drosophila

The paper identifies a mushroom-body output neuron (MBON11) that mediates octopamine-driven and hunger-motivated feeding in Drosophila through synaptic connections with specific neuromodulatory neurons.

Sleep Facilitates Pattern Separation through SK Channel-Mediated Sparse Coding

This study shows that sleep deprivation in Drosophila impairs pattern separation by disrupting sparse coding in the mushroom body through SK channel-mediated changes in inhibitory neurons.

Precise kinematic and muscle recording in freely behaving flies enabled by closed-loop tracking and annotation-free pose estimation

The paper presents a system for high-resolution kinematic and muscle activity measurement in freely behaving flies using closed-loop tracking and pose estimation.

The Hidden Sweet Tooth of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)

This study investigates sugar detection in adult black soldier flies using behavioral, morphological, and molecular approaches, finding they can detect and consume sucrose with female-specific preference.

MEC-2/Stomatin is required for aversive behaviour but dispensable for prey detection in the predatory nematode Pristionchus pacificus

The paper shows that MEC-2 is needed for aversive touch response but not for prey detection in P. pacificus, highlighting functional divergence in mechanosensory pathways.

Peripheral anatomy and central connectivity of proprioceptive sensory neurons in the Drosophila wing

The paper bridges the gap between the central and peripheral nervous systems in Drosophila by reconstructing wing sensory axons and mapping them to peripheral structures, identifying novel proprioceptors and their connectivity.

Cardiac neurons expressing a glucagon-like receptor mediate cardiac arrhythmia induced by high-fat diet in Drosophila

This study identifies cardiac neurons expressing the Akh receptor that mediate high-fat diet-induced arrhythmia in Drosophila.

A minimal visual world model predicts exploration of naturalistic landscapes in flies

The paper develops a minimal visual world model to predict exploration behavior in flies navigating natural landscapes, showing individual decision-making patterns and their ecological implications.

Maternal age modulates progeny social behavior via a small RNA-neuropeptide axis

The paper shows that maternal age in C. elegans affects progeny social behavior through a small RNA-neuropeptide signaling pathway involving AVH interneurons and ADL sensory neurons.

Organization and evolution of sex-biased gene expression in Drosophila adult sexual circuits

The paper examines sex-biased gene expression in Drosophila sexual circuits using single-cell transcriptomics, finding limited and cell-type-specific expression with species-specific divergence and shared gene programs.

Predictive coding and oscillations underlie the optomotor response in distant insect lineages

The paper shows that the optomotor response in ants and earwigs is driven by predictive coding and oscillations, not direct visual input, and concludes these mechanisms are ancestral in insect brains.

Cell body clustering drives gap junction-mediated synchronous activity in command neurons

The paper shows that cell body clustering of Drosophila MDNs enables gap junction-mediated synchronous activity essential for backward walking.

Sociability is a multidimensional trait in Drosophila melanogaster

This study quantifies sociability in Drosophila melanogaster using three paradigms and finds that sociability is multidimensional with uncorrelated traits.

Recent social experience alters song behavior in Drosophila

The paper shows that male Drosophila adjust their innate courtship strategy based on altered social feedback using optogenetics.

A spiking neural network model for proprioception of limb kinematics in insect locomotion

The paper develops a spiking neural network model to simulate proprioceptive encoding of limb kinematics in stick insects, showing accurate integration of joint position and velocity across multiple joints.

A multi-resolution imaging and analysis pipeline for comparative circuit reconstruction in insects

The paper presents a multi-resolution imaging and analysis pipeline for circuit reconstruction in insects, revealing conserved and specialized neural circuits across six species.