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Development of connectivity in a motoneuronal network in Drosophila larvae.


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Couton, Louise 
Mauss, Alex S 
Diegelmann, Soeren 
Evers, Jan Felix 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Much of our understanding of how neural networks develop is based on studies of sensory systems, revealing often highly stereotyped patterns of connections, particularly as these diverge from the presynaptic terminals of sensory neurons. We know considerably less about the wiring strategies of motor networks, where connections converge onto the dendrites of motoneurons. Here, we investigated patterns of synaptic connections between identified motoneurons with sensory neurons and interneurons in the motor network of the Drosophila larva and how these change as it develops. RESULTS: We find that as animals grow, motoneurons increase the number of synapses with existing presynaptic partners. Different motoneurons form characteristic cell-type-specific patterns of connections. At the same time, there is considerable variability in the number of synapses formed on motoneuron dendrites, which contrasts with the stereotypy reported for presynaptic terminals of sensory neurons. Where two motoneurons of the same cell type contact a common interneuron partner, each postsynaptic cell can arrive at a different connectivity outcome. Experimentally changing the positioning of motoneuron dendrites shows that the geography of dendritic arbors in relation to presynaptic partner terminals is an important determinant in shaping patterns of connectivity. CONCLUSIONS: In the Drosophila larval motor network, the sets of connections that form between identified neurons manifest an unexpected level of variability. Synapse number and the likelihood of forming connections appear to be regulated on a cell-by-cell basis, determined primarily by the postsynaptic dendrites of motoneuron terminals.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Connectome, Drosophila, Larva, Microscopy, Confocal, Models, Neurological, Motor Neurons, Nerve Net, Sensory Receptor Cells, Synapses

Journal Title

Curr Biol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0960-9822
1879-0445

Volume Title

25

Publisher

Cell Press
Sponsorship
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/I022414/1)
Wellcome Trust (079204/Z/06/Z)
Wellcome Trust (075934/Z/04/Z)
L.C. was supported by a Fyssen Foundation post-doctoral fellowship. This work was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK) grant (BB/I022414/1) to M.L., a Wellcome Trust Programme Grant (WT075934) to Michael Bate and M.L., a Grass Foundation fellowship to A.S.M., and a Sir Isaac Newton Trust grant to A.S.M. and M.L. The work benefited from facilities supported by a Wellcome Trust Equipment Grant (WT079204) and contributions by the Sir Isaac Newton Trust in Cambridge.