Positive geotactic behaviors induced by geomagnetic field in Drosophila

• Published in: Molecular brain Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 55
• Main Authors: Bae, Ji-Eun, Bang, Sunhoe, Min, Soohong, Lee, Sang-Hyup, Kwon, Soon-Hwan, Lee, Youngseok, Lee, Yong-Ho, Chung, Jongkyeong, Chae, Kwon-Seok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 18.05.2016; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster - physiology; Genetic aspects; Gravitation; Locomotion - physiology; Magnetic Fields; Neurons - metabolism; Organ Specificity; Physiological aspects; Signal Transduction; Taxis (Locomotion); Johnston’s organ; Geomagnetic field; Positive geotaxis; Negative geotaxis; Cryptochrome; Vertical movement; Drosophila melanogaster; Gravity
• ISSN: 1756-6606; 1756-6606
• DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0235-1

Appropriate vertical movement is critical for the survival of flying animals. Although negative geotaxis (moving away from Earth) driven by gravity has been extensively studied, much less is understood concerning a static regulatory mechanism for inducing positive geotaxis (moving toward Earth). Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, we showed that geomagnetic field (GMF) induces positive geotaxis and antagonizes negative gravitaxis. Remarkably, GMF acts as a sensory cue for an appetite-driven associative learning behavior through the GMF-induced positive geotaxis. This GMF-induced positive geotaxis requires the three geotaxis genes, such as cry, pyx and pdf, and the corresponding neurons residing in Johnston's organ of the fly's antennae. These findings provide a novel concept with the neurogenetic basis on the regulation of vertical movement by GMF in the flying animals.