Interactions between Transplanted Antennae and Host Brain Shape Odor Space in Male Moths

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Interactions between Transplanted Antennae and Host Brain Shape Odor Space in Male Moths Neil Vickers1*, Seong-Gyu Lee1, Kathy Poole2 and Charlie Linn2 1 University of Utah, Biology, United States 2 Cornell University, Entomology, United States The initiation of odor-mediated behavioral responses is first dependent upon accurate detection of the odor by peripheral olfactory structures. Male moths are highly sensitive to specific blends released by conspecific females and peripheral detectors (olfactory receptor neurons, ORNs) on the antenna are often exquisitely tuned to the presence of a particular odorant in the attractive mixture. In this way, detection at the periphery dissembles the odor into its constitutive components. This component-specific information is communicated to identifiable olfactory glomeruli in the antennal lobe such that any particular odor is represented across a subset of the total glomerular array. Subsequent central processing presumably allows the animal to reassemble and recognize combinations of inputs as single odor entities. To investigate the interactions between peripheral and central olfactory pathways in shaping odor perception, antennal imaginal discs were transplanted between male larvae of two different species of heliothine moth that employ distinct pheromone blends. The antennal ORN repertoire of each species differs as a function of the distinct pheromone blends that they use. During metamorphosis, ORNs arising from the transplanted disc form connections with central host brain neurons within olfactory glomeruli. In behavioral tests, adult antennal transplant recipients responded at high levels to two odor blends that were dissimilar to those that are attractive to normal males of either species. Physiological and morphological investigations of peripheral and central olfactory neurons revealed that these behavioral responses were attributable to at least two factors: 1. responses of donor ORNs to odorants unique to donor pheromone blend and, 2. central processing in the host brain that normally requires peripheral input to three distinct glomeruli to elicit behavioral responses. The results suggest that the host brain dictates the “perceptual scope” of sensory input that is required for positive behavioral responses and that imprecision in mapping of transplant ORNs into recipient brain likely accounts for some of the variability observed during behavioral assays. Acknowledgements Collaborative research supported by NSF grants to NJV (NSF-IOB 0641014) and CEL (NSF-IOB 0640655) Keywords: Behavior, Heliothis subflexa, Heliothis virescens, Imaginal Disc, moth, Olfaction, pheromone Conference: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (see alternatives below as well) Topic: Sensory: Olfaction and Taste Citation: Vickers N, Lee S, Poole K and Linn C (2012). Interactions between Transplanted Antennae and Host Brain Shape Odor Space in Male Moths. Conference Abstract: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00403 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 01 May 2012; Published Online: 07 Jul 2012. * Correspondence: Prof. Neil Vickers, University of Utah, Biology, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States, vickers@biology.utah.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Neil Vickers Seong-Gyu Lee Kathy Poole Charlie Linn Google Neil Vickers Seong-Gyu Lee Kathy Poole Charlie Linn Google Scholar Neil Vickers Seong-Gyu Lee Kathy Poole Charlie Linn PubMed Neil Vickers Seong-Gyu Lee Kathy Poole Charlie Linn Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.