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Optogenetics pp 167–175Cite as

Optogenetics in Drosophila Neuroscience

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1408))

Abstract

Optogenetic techniques enable one to target specific neurons with light-sensitive proteins, e.g., ion channels, ion pumps, or enzymes, and to manipulate their physiological state through illumination. Such artificial interference with selected elements of complex neuronal circuits can help to determine causal relationships between neuronal activity and the effect on the functioning of neuronal circuits controlling animal behavior. The advantages of optogenetics can best be exploited in genetically tractable animals whose nervous systems are, on the one hand, small enough in terms of cell numbers and to a certain degree stereotypically organized, such that distinct and identifiable neurons can be targeted reproducibly. On the other hand, the neuronal circuitry and the behavioral repertoire should be complex enough to enable one to address interesting questions. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a favorable model organism in this regard. However, the application of optogenetic tools to depolarize or hyperpolarize neurons through light-induced ionic currents has been difficult in adult flies. Only recently, several variants of Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) have been introduced that provide sufficient light sensitivity, expression, and stability to depolarize central brain neurons efficiently in adult Drosophila. Here, we focus on the version currently providing highest photostimulation efficiency, ChR2-XXL. We exemplify the use of this optogenetic tool by applying it to a widely used aversive olfactory learning paradigm. Optogenetic activation of a population of dopamine-releasing neurons mimics the reinforcing properties of a punitive electric shock typically used as an unconditioned stimulus. In temporal coincidence with an odor stimulus this artificially induced neuronal activity causes learning of the odor signal, thereby creating a light-induced memory.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FI 821/3-1 and SFB 889/B4 to A.F., and KI 1460/1-1, SFB 1047/A5, and FOR 2140/TP3 to R.J.K.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Neurobiology of Behavior, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg 3, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Thomas Riemensperger & André Fiala

  2. Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Röntgenring 9, 97070, Würzburg, Germany

    Robert J. Kittel

Authors
  1. Thomas Riemensperger
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  2. Robert J. Kittel
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  3. André Fiala
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to André Fiala .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bielefeld, Dept of Cellular & Dev Biology of Plants, Bielefeld, Germany

    Arash Kianianmomeni

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Riemensperger, T., Kittel, R.J., Fiala, A. (2016). Optogenetics in Drosophila Neuroscience. In: Kianianmomeni, A. (eds) Optogenetics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1408. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3512-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3512-3_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3510-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3512-3

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