Biology subjects

Connors, K. E.

Publications and source records attributed to Connors, K. E..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

A dopamine circuit regulates locomotor initiation and persistence in Drosophila

Decisions to initiate or terminate locomotion reflect the commitment of an animal to expend energy and thus must be appropriately regulated. Dopaminergic system has been implicated in locomotor regulation but how it controls these decisions remains unclear. Here we show that a dopamine circuit in Drosophila mushroom body regulates cue-induced locomotor initiation and termination by integrating locomotor history and current motivation. This circuit consists of the locomotor-initiator mushroom body output neurons, MBON09, and the locomotor-terminator MBON21. Previous locomotor initiation by default suppresses the propensity of future initiation through depression of MBON09 activity by locomotion-sensitive dopamine afferents, preventing redundant action. Locomotor persistence is promoted through combined inhibition of MBON21 by MBON09 and by distinct dopamine afferents that receive fluctuating motivational signals. Persistent locomotion under high motivational state, in turn, causes dopamine-dependent MBON09 facilitation, reinvigorating locomotor initiation program. Our results revealed a dopaminergic mechanism to transform recent behavior and current motivation into a moment-by-moment internal state that in turn regulates locomotor decisions.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

A rapid and bidirectional reporter of neural activity reveals neural correlates of social behaviors in Drosophila

Neural activity is modulated over different timescales encompassing sub-seconds to days reflecting changes in external environment, internal state, and behavior. Using Drosophila as a model, we have developed a rapid and bidirectional reporter that provides a robust cellular readout of recent neural activity. This reporter utilizes nuclear vs cytoplasmic distribution of CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator, CRTC. Subcellular distribution of GFP-tagged CRTC (CRTC::GFP) bidirectionally changes on the order of minutes and reflects both increases and decreases in neural activity. We establish an automated machine-learning-based routine for efficient quantification of reporter signal. Using this reporter, we demonstrate acute mating- evoked activation of peptidergic neurons. We further investigate the functional role of the master courtship regulator gene, fruitless, and show that fruitless is necessary to ensure activation of male arousal neurons by female cues. Together, our results establish CRTC::GFP as a bidirectional reporter of recent neural activity suitable for examining neural correlates in behavioral contexts.

neuroscience↗