Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

Neural representation of goal direction in the monarch butterfly brain

This study identifies neurons in monarch butterflies that encode goal direction during navigation, similar to goal neurons in the mammalian brain.

Olfactory learning modulates a neural circuit mediating innate odor-guided behavior in Drosophila

This study shows that olfactory learning modulates second-order olfactory neurons in Drosophila, affecting innate odor-guided behavior through bidirectional plasticity.

Neural circuit mechanisms for transforming learned olfactory valences into wind-oriented movement

The paper identifies a neuronal circuit in Drosophila that transforms learned olfactory valences into wind-oriented movement by integrating inputs from memory compartments.

A modular circuit architecture coordinates the diversification of courtship strategies in Drosophila

The paper investigates how Drosophila males adapt their sensory circuits to recognize and respond to pheromones, revealing a modular circuit architecture that enables the evolution of courtship strategies.

Sensory neuron population expansion enhances odor tracking without sensitizing projection neurons

The paper shows that expanded sensory neuron populations in Drosophila enhance odor tracking without increasing projection neuron sensitivity.

Long timescale anti-directional rotation in Drosophila optomotor behavior

This study shows that Drosophila can suppress and reverse optomotor turning in response to specific visual stimuli, indicating complex dynamics beyond simple reflexes.

The astrocyte-enriched gene CG11000 plays a crucial role in the development, locomotion and lifespan of D. melanogaster

This study identifies CG11000 as an astrocyte-enriched gene in Drosophila, showing its role in development, locomotion, and lifespan through single-cell RNA sequencing and functional assays.

Neuronal correlates of time integration into memories

This study identifies DH31-positive clock neurons in the DN1p cluster that regulate memory performance through both direct and indirect signaling mechanisms.

Heterologous expression of insect IRs in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster

The paper functionally characterizes insect IRs by expressing them in transgenic Drosophila neurons, revealing their ligand specificity and potential as a tool for studying chemosensory receptors.

Exposure to high-sugar diet induces transgenerational changes in sweet sensitivity and feeding behavior via H3K27me3 reprogramming

This study shows that ancestral high-sugar diet exposure in Drosophila leads to transgenerational changes in sweet sensitivity and feeding behavior through H3K27me3 reprogramming.

Flygenvectors: The spatial and temporal structure of neural activity across the fly brain

The paper uses SCAPE microscopy to analyze neural activity in Drosophila brains during different behaviors, revealing both behavior-related and residual high-dimensional activity patterns.

Chemogenetic activation of target neurons expressing insect Ionotropic Receptors in the mammalian central nervous system by systemic administration of ligand precursors

This paper develops a method to activate specific neurons in the mammalian brain using peripheral administration of ligand precursors, demonstrating its effectiveness in inducing neurotransmitter release and behavioral responses.

Programmed Cell Death Modifies Neural Circuits and Tunes Intrinsic Behavior

The paper shows that blocking programmed cell death in C. elegans leads to extra neurons that alter specific behaviors like reversal frequency and duration.

Genetic Variants That Modify the Neuroendocrine Regulation of Foraging Behavior in C. elegans

The paper identifies genetic variants in gap-2 that modify daf-7 expression and influence exploratory foraging behavior in C. elegans.

Neural correlates of future volitional action in Drosophila

The paper identifies neural activity patterns in Drosophila that predict future turning directions before movement, suggesting internal motor planning.

A cell atlas of the larval Aedes aegypti ventral nerve cord

This study creates a cell atlas of the larval Aedes aegypti ventral nerve cord using scRNA-seq, identifying over 35 cell types and linking larval and adult VNC composition.

Integration of spatially opposing cues by a single interneuron guides decision making in C. elegans

The paper shows how a single neuron in C. elegans integrates opposing spatial cues to guide decision-making during avoidance behavior.

New genetic tools for mushroom body output neurons in Drosophila

The paper develops new GAL4 drivers for Drosophila Mushroom Body Output Neurons (MBONs), enabling optogenetic studies of their roles in behavior and learning.

Opposing subclasses of Drosophila ellipsoid body neurons promote and suppress sleep

The paper identifies two opposing Drosophila ellipsoid body neurons, R3m and R3d, that promote and suppress sleep through distinct effects on sleep duration and architecture.

The role of fruitless in specifying courtship behaviors differs across Drosophila species

This study shows that forcing FruM expression in D. virilis females leads to male-typical behaviors but preserves female song and egg-laying, unlike D. melanogaster.

The mushroom body output encodes behavioral decision during sensory-motor transformation

This study shows that mushroom body output neurons in cockroaches encode behavioral decisions rather than stimulus valence during feeding behavior.

Mitochondrial calcium modulates odor-mediated behavioral plasticity in C. elegans

This study shows that mitochondrial calcium entry via MCU-1 in C. elegans sensory neurons modulates odor-mediated learning and behavior by regulating neuropeptide secretion.

A neurogenetic toolkit to decode Anopheles gambiae olfaction

The paper develops a neurogenetic toolkit to study olfaction in Anopheles gambiae by targeting specific olfactory sensory neuron subsets and analyzing their responses to human-related odorants.

A C. elegans neuron both promotes and suppresses motor behavior to fine tune motor output

The paper shows that the C. elegans neuron RIM both promotes and suppresses locomotion behavior to fine tune motor output through dual neurotransmission mechanisms.

Opposing chemosensory functions of closely related gustatory receptors

The paper identifies opposing chemosensory functions of closely related Gr28 gustatory receptors in Drosophila larvae, showing they mediate attraction and avoidance behaviors to chemically related compounds.

Trithorax regulates long-term memory in Drosophila through epigenetic maintenance of mushroom body metabolic identity and translation capacity.

This study shows that trithorax maintains long-term memory in Drosophila by preserving metabolic identity and translation capacity in mushroom body neurons.

A competitive disinhibitory network for robust optic flow processing in Drosophila

The paper identifies a competitive disinhibitory network in Drosophila that enhances rotational optic flow processing for navigation.

Neural manifolds for odor-driven innate and acquired appetitive preferences

The paper shows that neural responses to odors can be mapped to appetitive preference indices and that these responses are constrained to low-dimensional manifolds, influencing learning.

TGFβ/activin-dependent activation of Torso controls the timing of the metamorphic transition in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum

This study identifies the role of TGFβ/activin and Torso signaling in regulating metamorphic timing in Tribolium castaneum by linking threshold size attainment to JH decay and Tc-torso expression.

Unilateral ephaptic program underlying sweetness dominance

The paper shows that HCN channels in Drosophila sweet-sensing neurons enable them to resist ephaptic suppression from bitter-sensing neurons, promoting sweetness dominance.