1. Internal amino acid state modulates yeast taste neurons to support protein homeostasis inDrosophila
- Author
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Steck, Kathrin, Walker, Samuel J., Itskov, Pavel M., Baltazar, Célia, and Ribeiro, Carlos
- Subjects
2. Zero hunger ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,0303 health sciences ,Taste ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Appetite ,Biology ,Protein Homeostasis ,biology.organism_classification ,Yeast ,Amino acid ,Cell biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,chemistry ,Drosophila melanogaster ,Mating ,Drosophila ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common - Abstract
To optimize fitness, animals must dynamically match food choices to their current needs. For drosophilids, yeast fulfils most dietary protein and micronutrient requirements. While several yeast metabolites activate known gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) inDrosophila melanogaster, the chemosensory channels mediating yeast feeding remain unknown. Here we identify a class of proboscis GRNs required for yeast intake, and show that these GRNs act redundantly to mediate yeast feeding. While nutritional and reproductive states synergistically increase yeast appetite, we find a separation of these state signals at the level of GRN responses to yeast: amino acid but not mating state enhances yeast GRN gain. The sensitivity of sweet GRNs to sugar is not increased by protein deprivation, providing a potential basis for protein-specific appetite. The emerging picture is that different internal states act at distinct levels of a dedicated gustatory circuit to elicit nutrient-specific appetites towards a complex, ecologically relevant protein source.
- Published
- 2017