Biology subjects

FlyLight Project Team,

Publications and source records attributed to FlyLight Project Team,.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

An updated catalogue of split-GAL4 driver lines for descending neurons in Drosophila melanogaster

Descending neurons (DNs) occupy a key position in the sensorimotor hierarchy, conveying signals from the brain to the rest of the body below the neck. In Drosophila melanogaster flies, approximately 480 DN cell types have been described from electron-microscopy image datasets. Genetic access to these cell types is crucial for further investigation of their role in generating behaviour. We previously conducted the first large-scale survey of Drosophila melanogaster DNs, describing 98 unique cell types from light microscopy and generating cell-type-specific split-Gal4 driver lines for 65 of them. Here, we extend our previous work, describing the morphology of 146 additional DN types from light microscopy, bringing the total number DN types identified in light microscopy datasets to 244, or roughly 50% of all DN types. In addition, we produced 500 new sparse split-Gal4 driver lines and compiled a list of previously published DN lines from the literature for a combined list of 806 split-Gal4 driver lines targeting 190 DN types.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Single-cell type analysis of wing premotor circuits in the ventral nerve cord of Drosophila melanogaster

To perform most behaviors, animals must send commands from higher-order processing centers in the brain to premotor circuits that reside in ganglia distinct from the brain, such as the mammalian spinal cord or insect ventral nerve cord. How these circuits are functionally organized to generate the great diversity of animal behavior remains unclear. An important first step in unraveling the organization of premotor circuits is to identify their constituent cell types and create tools to monitor and manipulate these with high specificity to assess their functions. This is possible in the tractable ventral nerve cord of the fly. To generate such a toolkit, we used a combinatorial genetic technique (split-GAL4) to create 195 sparse transgenic driver lines targeting 196 individual cell types in the ventral nerve cord. These included wing and haltere motoneurons, modulatory neurons, and interneurons. Using a combination of behavioral, developmental, and anatomical analyses, we systematically characterized the cell types targeted in our collection. In addition, we identified correspondences between the cells in this collection and a recent connectomic data set of the ventral nerve cord. Taken together, the resources and results presented here form a powerful toolkit for future investigations of neuronal circuits and connectivity of premotor circuits while linking them to behavioral outputs.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

An image resource of subdivided Drosophila GAL4-driver expression patterns for neuron-level searches

Precise, repeatable genetic access to specific neurons via GAL4/UAS and related methods is a key advantage of Drosophila neuroscience. Neuronal targeting is typically documented using light microscopy of full GAL4 expression patterns, which generally lack the single-cell resolution required for reliable cell type identification. Here we use stochastic GAL4 labeling with the MultiColor FlpOut approach to generate cellular resolution confocal images at large scale. We are releasing aligned images of 74,000 such adult central nervous systems. An anticipated use of this resource is to bridge the gap between neurons identified by electron or light microscopy. Identifying individual neurons that make up each GAL4 expression pattern improves the prediction of split-GAL4 combinations targeting particular neurons. To this end we have made the images searchable on the NeuronBridge website. We demonstrate the potential of NeuronBridge to rapidly and effectively identify neuron matches based on morphology across imaging modalities and datasets.

neuroscience↗