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Journal article
Drosophila DNp03 descending neurons serve as a hub within a flight saccade network
Current biology, v 36(1), p133
12 Dec 2025
PMID: 41389794
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Animals rely on rapid sensorimotor processing to detect and respond to visual stimuli in their environment, yet how sensorimotor networks are organized to generate appropriate behaviors remains unclear. Here, we identify a bilateral pair of descending neurons (DNs), DNp03, as a hub for collision avoidance in flying flies. DNp03 receives visual information related to looming objects approaching on a collision course and connects directly and indirectly to motor neurons of the wings and neck, enabling the coordinated banked turn and head stabilization maneuvers of a rapid saccade. Although DNp03 can drive saccade-like behavior when optogenetically activated, naturalistic looming-evoked saccade behavior relies on a network of interconnected DNs that can partially compensate for DNp03 in its absence. The connectivity of this hierarchical network suggests DNp03 operates in parallel with two additional DN hubs that directly recruit subservient DNs to reinforce and expand behavioral outputs. We also find competition between the saccade network and descending pathways for landing behavior, where direct inhibitory connections from DNp03 reduce the likelihood a fly decides to land on, rather than turn away from, a looming object. Altogether, we provide a detailed mapping of one key sensorimotor pathway from visual inputs to motor outputs to demonstrate how even rapid, innate sensorimotor transformations rely on complex networks. These findings reveal intricate interconnectivity and hierarchy in descending pathways, a strategy that may represent a general principle of motor control across species.
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Details
- Title
- Drosophila DNp03 descending neurons serve as a hub within a flight saccade network
- Creators
- Haley Croke - Drexel UniversityHyoJong Jang - Drexel UniversityB Kemper Ludlow - Cornell UniversityAbby Leung - Cornell UniversityKatharina EichlerTomke StürnerMarta Costa - University of CambridgeItai Cohen - Cornell UniversityJessica Ausborn - Drexel UniversityCatherine R von Reyn
- Publication Details
- Current biology, v 36(1), p133
- Publisher
- CELL PRESS
- Number of pages
- 33
- Grant note
- NIH BRAIN Initiative: 1RF1MH120679-01 Medical Research Council: MC_U105188491 National Science Foundation: IOS-1921065 NINDS: R01NS118562 NSF/MRC Neuronex2: NSF 2014862/MC_EX_MR/T046279/1
We thank all current and past members of the von Reyn and Ausborn laboratories for their discussion of this work, including Pinar Kullu for exploring behavior tracking software. Confocal experiments were conducted at Drexel University's Cell Imaging Center, RRID: SCR_022689. Development of the natverse, including the coconatfly and fafbseg packages, has been supported by the NIH BRAIN Initiative (grant 1RF1MH120679-01) , NSF/MRC Neuronex2 (NSF 2014862/MC_EX_MR/T046279/1) , and core funding from the Medical Research Council (MC_U105188491) . This work was supported by the National Science Foundation grant no. IOS-1921065 (C.R.v.R.) and NINDS R01NS118562 (J.A. and C.R.v.R.) .
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Neurobiology and Anatomy; School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001660254800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105025151692
- Other Identifier
- 991022145523604721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Biology
- Cell Biology