Search results for "chemosensory system"

High-NaCl perception in drosophila melanogaster

2014

Salt is a fundamental nutrient that is required for many physiological processes, including electrolyte homeostasis and neuronal activity. In mammals and Drosophila, the detection of NaCl induces two different behaviors: low-salt concentrations provide an attractive stimulus, whereas high-salt concentrations are avoided. We identified the gene called serrano (sano) as being expressed in the sensory organs of Drosophila larvae. A transgenic reporter line showed that sano was coexpressed with Gr66a in a subset of gustatory neurons in the terminal organ of third-instar larvae. The disruption of sano gene expression in gustatory neurons led to the specific loss of high-salt concentration avoida…