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Odor-guided behavior in Drosophila requires calreticulin

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Abstract

The efficient processing of olfactory information is crucial for many aspects of life in animals, including behavior in insects. While much is known about the organization of the insect olfactory system, comparatively little is understood about the molecules that support its function. To further elucidate the molecular basis of olfaction, we explored the role of the calcium-binding chaperone calreticulin in the behavioral response of Drosophila to aversive odorants. We show that avoidance of naturally aversive odorants is impaired in flies harboring mutations in Calreticulin. Calreticulin mutants have broad defects in odor avoidance without abnormalities in antennal responses to odorants, alterations in central nervous system structure, or deficits in overall locomotor abilities. Interestingly, Calreticulin mutants exhibit defects in behavioral responses to odorants at low strength, whereas responses to higher odorant concentrations are preserved in these animals. Our studies indicate that calreticulin plays a key role in olfactory system function, possibly by establishing its overall sensitivity to odorants.

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Abbreviations

BNZ:

benzaldehyde

BDGP:

The Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project

Crc :

calreticulin

Crc + :

control flies

EAG:

electroantennogram

MCH:

4-methylcyclohexanol

OCT:

3-octanol

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Lukasz Stelinski and James Miller for use of and assistance with an EAG recording facility and Sarah Elsea for the use of a Zeiss Axioplan microscope (Michigan State University). The pEP plasmid was kindly provided by Pernille Rørth (E.M.B.L., Heidelberg). The authors acknowledge the expert assistance of Ryan Lewandowski, Chris Garth, Julia Warner-Gargano and Arthur Wohlwill. The authors also thank Heather Eisthen and James Miller (Michigan State University), Marek Michalak (University of Alberta), Mani Ramaswami (University of Arizona) and John Carlson (Yale University) for critical reading of the manuscript. This project was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health to M.S.G. (MH60787 and MH64160). All experiments comply with National Institute of Health principles of animal care and current laws of the United States of America.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1312, USA

    J. R. Stoltzfus, W. J. Horton & M. S. Grotewiel

  2. Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1312, USA

    J. R. Stoltzfus & M. S. Grotewiel

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  1. J. R. Stoltzfus
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Correspondence to M. S. Grotewiel.

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Stoltzfus, J.R., Horton, W.J. & Grotewiel, M.S. Odor-guided behavior in Drosophila requires calreticulin. J Comp Physiol A 189, 471–483 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-003-0425-z

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