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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
04:31
Taste Preference Assay for Adult Drosophila
Published on: September 8, 2016
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Bitter Sensing Protects Drosophila from Developing Experience-Dependent Cocaine Consumption Preference.
Travis J Philyaw1,2, Iris Titos3, Pearl N Cummins-Beebee4
1Bioscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112.
Summary
Cocaine avoidance in fruit flies is mediated by bitter taste receptors. Disrupting this sensation allows for modeling cocaine self-administration, aiding addiction research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a heritable addiction with no approved treatments.
- The fruit fly (Drosophila) is a valuable model for addiction research, but lacks a cocaine self-administration model.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cocaine consumption and preference in Drosophila.
- To identify the sensory mechanisms underlying cocaine avoidance and self-administration in flies.
Main Methods:
- Assayed cocaine consumption and preference in Drosophila males using two-choice paradigms.
- Utilized genetic and imaging tools to study cocaine taste sensing mechanisms.
- Investigated the role of the Gr66a bitter receptor and associated gustatory neurons.
Main Results:
- Cocaine is innately aversive to flies, mediated by bitter sensing via Gr66a gustatory neurons.
- Silencing bitter-sensing neurons or mutating Gr66a reduced cocaine avoidance.
- Flies with impaired bitter sensation developed a preference for cocaine within 12-18 hours.
Conclusions:
- Bitter sensation protects flies from developing cocaine self-administration preference.
- Disrupting bitter perception in Drosophila enables modeling experience-dependent cocaine self-administration.
- This model can be used to test the role of human CUD-associated genetic variants.
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