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A Temperature Gradient Assay to Determine Thermal Preferences of Drosophila Larvae
Published on: June 25, 2018
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Temperature sensitivity and temperature response across development in the Drosophila larva
Anastasiia Evans1,2, Anggie J Ferrer1,2, Erica Fradkov1,2
1Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States.
Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
|November 15, 2023
Summary
Fruit fly larvae (Drosophila) exhibit remarkable temperature sensitivity, adjusting their movement and navigation behaviors as they develop. Their cool sensing neurons can detect minute temperature changes, crucial for survival.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Animal survival and fitness depend on the surrounding thermal environment.
- Thermosensory neurons and behavioral responses to temperature changes are critical for animals.
- Temperature variation significantly impacts animal locomotion and navigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate thermosensory neuronal signals and the effects of temperature variation on *Drosophila* larvae locomotion and navigation.
- To characterize developmental changes in sensory neuronal and behavioral responses to temperature.
- To determine the strategies larvae use for directed navigation along thermal gradients and how these change during development.
Main Methods:
- Characterizing behavioral components (speed, turning rate) dependence on temperature in non-nociceptive environments.
- Distinguishing physical effects of temperature from sensory processing-based behavior changes.
- Investigating cool sensing neurons in the dorsal organ ganglion using single-cell-resolution 3D imaging and response to temperature modulation.
- Simulations based on modified random walks to contextualize thermotaxis strategies.
Main Results:
- Behavioral and neuronal responses to temperature variation change across larval development.
- Larvae employ specific strategies to navigate thermal gradients, with developmental modulation of these strategies.
- Cool sensing neurons in *Drosophila* larvae exhibit high sensitivity to temperature changes.
- Observed sensitivity to temperature changes as low as 0.001 °C/sec or 0.01 °C absolute.
Conclusions:
- *Drosophila* larvae possess sophisticated thermosensory capabilities that adapt during development.
- These findings provide insights into the neural basis of thermotaxis and navigation in developing animals.
- The study quantifies the high sensitivity of larval thermosensation, essential for survival in dynamic thermal environments.
