Title: Hunger-dependent modulation of neural processing and behavior in Drosophila larvae
Katrin Vogt
Group Leader, Department of Neurobiology
University of Konstanz, Germany
Abstract: Making flexible and appropriate foraging decisions is crucial for all animals, especially when facing starvation. Olfactory information is essential to evaluate food quality before ingestion, and previously we found that Drosophila larvae switch their odor response from aversion to attraction when food deprived. The neural mechanism underlying this switch in behavior involves serotonergic modulation and reconfiguration of odor processing in the early olfactory sensory system. We now investigate if such a change in the internal state also influences other behavioral decisions. Since it has been shown that fly larvae can feed on other conspecifics, we are now also investigating the effect of food deprivation on feeding on dead conspecifics. We find that fed fly larvae rarely use dead conspecifics as a food source. However, food deprivation enhances this feeding behavior. We started to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms of the state-dependent feeding enhancement and discovered that also here, olfactory input and serotonergic signaling are required, however likely via different cell types. Generally, flexibility in foraging behavior enables animals to explore a broader range of stimuli and to expand their feeding choices to overcome starvation.