Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

The sex determination gene doublesex is essential for female-specific flight and hearing properties in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

This study shows that the doublesex gene is essential for female-specific flight and hearing traits in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes by regulating gene expression in thoraces and ears.

Sex-specific control of locomotor behavior by neuronal Arhgef10 in aged Drosophila

This study investigates the age- and sex-specific role of dArhgef10 in locomotor behavior in Drosophila, finding it critical in neuronal function, particularly in aged females.

Female behavioral cues control male courtship plasticity independent of female pheromones in African Drosophila melanogaster

The paper investigates how male courtship plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster depends on female behavioral cues rather than pheromones, using a Zimbabwe genotype with disrupted pheromone production.

Laboratory and wild Drosophila sechellia have conserved niche specialization phenotypes

The paper compares laboratory and wild Drosophila sechellia to assess if lab strains retain specialization phenotypes from their natural environment.

The larval Drosophila mushroom body balances lateralized sensing and interhemispheric integration

The paper investigates how the Drosophila larval mushroom body integrates left and right olfactory information and balances lateralized sensing with interhemispheric integration.

The organization of visual pathways in the Drosophila brain

The paper uses a Drosophila connectome to analyze visual pathway organization, revealing multi-layered, functionally interpretable pathways that transform visual input into perceptual representations.

Whole-brain chemosensory responses of both C. elegans sexes

The paper compares whole-brain neural activity between sexes of C. elegans in response to various chemical stimuli, finding widespread sexual dimorphism in sensory neurons.

The motor pattern of rolling escape locomotion in Drosophila larvae

This paper identifies the motor pattern of rolling escape locomotion in Drosophila larvae by analyzing muscle activation sequences during optogenetically triggered rolling.

Sexual dimorphism in the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system

The paper presents the complete connectome of the Drosophila male central nervous system and compares it to the female connectome, identifying sex-specific and dimorphic neuronal types.

Cross-Kingdom Control: Yeast Prion Protein Modulates Host Physiology in Drosophila

This study shows that a yeast prion modulates host physiology in Drosophila by affecting cold tolerance and locomotion through gut-brain signaling pathways.

A transcriptomic and spatial map of serotonin autoreceptor expression in Drosophila

The paper maps serotonin autoreceptor expression in Drosophila using single-cell sequencing and genetic labeling, identifying 5-HT2A and 5-HT7 in serotonergic neurons.

Networks of sexually dimorphic neurons that regulate social behaviors in Drosophila

The paper identifies and characterizes sexually dimorphic neuron networks in Drosophila that regulate social behaviors, revealing their connectivity and distinct functional roles.

Population Morphology Implies a Common Developmental Blueprint for Drosophila Motion Detectors

The paper quantifies the morphology of T4 and T5 neuron dendrites in Drosophila to determine if their directional orientation arises from subtype-specific or shared mechanisms.

Neural coding of isopentyl acetate alarm pheromone signals in the honey bee brain

The paper examines how honey bees encode isopentyl acetate alarm pheromone signals in the antennal lobe using electrophysiological and morphological methods.

The insect brain is specified by a conserved transcriptional program distinct from the segmental CNS

The paper identifies brain-specific transcription factors in insect neuroblasts, revealing a distinct regulatory program for the insect brain compared to the posterior CNS.

Ovipositor morphology and mechanosensory innovation traits favor niche width expansion in Drosophila

This study identifies two evolutionary strategies in Drosophila species for overcoming physical barriers to oviposition, showing niche specialization in D. suzukii and niche expansion in D. immigrans.

Color-dependent foraging in C. elegans integrates chromoprotein photosensitization with bacterial metabolic cues

This study shows C. elegans uses chromoprotein photosensitization and bacterial metabolic cues to prefer red over blue food, independent of light and photoreceptors.

Connectomic mapping of pharyngeal and gut sensory circuits in adult Drosophila

This study maps internal sensory circuits in Drosophila's pharynx and gut using the FAFB connectome, revealing distinct axonal projections and connections to motor and endocrine systems.

Deciphering the combinatorial expression pattern and genetic regulatory mechanisms of Beats and Sides in the olfactory circuits of Drosophila

The paper investigates the combinatorial expression of Beat and Side genes in Drosophila olfactory circuits and their role in synaptic specificity and development.

Ligand Binding Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Gating of Insect Odorant Receptor

This study investigates the ligand binding kinetics, thermodynamics, and gating of the insect odorant receptor MhOR5 using molecular dynamics simulations, revealing key structural determinants and differences in ligand behavior.

A Conserved SIFamide Circuit Functions as the Insect Vagus Nerve

The paper identifies the SIFamide circuit in Drosophila as the functional homolog of the mammalian vagus nerve, showing its role in integrating metabolic and reproductive signals.

Nutritional Regulation of DN1a-Dh44 Signaling Modulates Sleep Across the Lifespan

This study shows that nutritional changes affect sleep in Drosophila larvae and adults through CCHamide-1 signaling and glucose metabolism, independent of clock-arousal connectivity.

C. elegans Nuclear Hormone Receptor NHR-49 promotes attractive chemotaxis independently of its role in fatty acid metabolism

This study identifies a new role for NHR-49 in promoting attractive chemotaxis in C. elegans, independent of its known role in fatty acid metabolism.

An Essential Role of the AMPK-Related Kinase SNRK in Regulating Drosophila Sleep

This study identifies SNRK as essential for sleep regulation in Drosophila, showing that its loss causes severe sleep loss, which is rescued by neuronal SNRK expression or nicotinic acetylcholine receptor blockade.

Flies evolved a gyrocompass to maintain navigational accuracy during rapid flight maneuvers

This study shows that fly halteres function as a gyrocompass, maintaining heading accuracy during rapid flight turns by integrating inertial measurements with efference copy signals.

Genetics of Cocaine Consumption and Preference in Drosophila melanogaster

This study identifies genetic variants associated with cocaine consumption and preference in Drosophila melanogaster, revealing potential human orthologs linked to substance use disorders.

A Premotor Excitation-Inhibition Motif Shapes Protopodium Dynamics During Drosophila Larval Forward Crawling

In Drosophila larvae, ventral oblique (VO) muscles drive protopodium folding, and a tri-segmental A27h–A18b3–A06c premotor excitation-inhibition motif restricts their activation to a late, forward-specific window.

The structural logic of insect olfactory receptor assembly and gating

This study investigates the structural and functional mechanisms of insect olfactory receptor assembly and gating using cryo-EM and functional analyses.

Motor control of the Drosophila antennae

This study identifies and characterizes motor neurons controlling antennal movement in Drosophila, revealing their functional roles in sensory positioning.

Optogenetic Analysis of Behavior in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti

This paper describes optogenetic methods to study neural circuits controlling biting behavior in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, using behavioral assays and machine vision for quantification.