Sensation of electric fields in the Drosophila melanogaster larva
Authors not listed · 2025
Drosophila melanogaster larvae migrate toward the cathode in a uniform electric field, and a pair of Gr66a-positive head neurons encodes the field's strength and orientation.
Plain English Summary
Larvae showed robust electrotaxis, moving toward the cathode and adjusting their path when the field orientation changed. A behavioral screen identified a subset of sensory neurons at the tip of the larval head that are necessary for electrotaxis. Calcium imaging revealed that a pair of Gr66a-positive sensory neurons, one on each side of the head, encodes the strength and orientation of the electric field.
Why This Matters
Before this work, it was unclear whether Drosophila could perceive electric fields or how they would do so. The authors conclude that electric fields trigger strong behavioral and neural responses in the larva, supporting the importance of electrosensation in invertebrates.
Show BibTeX
@article{sensation_of_electric_fields_in_the_drosophila_melanogaster_larva_ce4561,
author = {Unknown},
title = {Sensation of electric fields in the Drosophila melanogaster larva},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2025.03.014},
}