Contribution of non-circadian neurons to the temporal organization of locomotor activity

PÍREZ, N.; BERNABEI CORNEJO, S.G.; FERNANDEZ-ACOSTA, M.; DUHART, J.; CERIANI, M.F.

Biology Open

The Company of Biologist

Año: 2019

2046-6390

In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, the daily cycle of rest and activity is a rhythmic behavior that relies on the activity of a small number of neurons. The small Lateral Neurons ventral (sLNvs) are considered key in the control of locomotor rhythmicity. Previous work from our laboratory has showed that these neurons undergo structural remodeling on its axonal projections on a daily basis. Such remodeling endows sLNvs with the possibility to make synaptic contacts with different partners at different times along the day as has been previously described. By using different genetic tools to alter membrane excitability of the sLNv putative postsynaptic partners, we tested their functional role on the control of locomotor activity. We also used optical imaging to test the functionality of these contacts. We found that these different neuronal groups affect the consolidation of rhythmic activity, suggesting that non-circadian cells are part of the circuit that controls locomotor activity. Our results suggest that new neuronal groups, in addition to the well-characterized clock neurons, contribute to the operations of the circadian network that controls locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster.