A method for mechanically blocking antennal joints in Drosophila

Mechanosensation provides an animal with proprioceptive information about the body's motion and position, and exteroceptive information such as sounds and tactile signals. Insects use chordotonal organs to convert mechanical forces (e.g. airflow and substrate vibrations) into electrical signals that the brain can integrate with other sensations and regulate ongoing motor output. In Drosophila melanogaster, the largest chordotonal organ, composed of about 1000 primary mechanoreceptors, is housed in the antennae. These peripheral sensory neurons detect tonic and phasic changes in the position of the third antennal segment relative to the second, enabling detection of airflow and sound to guide behaviors such as locomotion and courtship. Here, we demonstrate how to precisely apply glue to antennal joints to mechanically block these stretch-mediated receptors. This technique can be used in studies aimed at understanding the contribution of antennal mechanosensation and/or the influence of active antennal movements for sensation and behavior.