Imaging and Mechanical Probing of Drosophila Mechanosensory Organs - Christoph Schmidt | Duke FIP

Mechanosensory receptors in animals detect and convert a diverse range of physical forces such as sound, vibration and stretch into biological (electrical) signals. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster possesses specialized organs, chordotonal organs (ChO), to “hear” external sound, feel airflow and keep track of body motions (propiosensing). The cells CHOs are built from display extraordinary mechanical properties, based on cytoskeletal and extracellular polymer structures. Mechanoelectrical transduction in these organs is controlled by active, force-generating processes (adaptation motors). We have combined super-resolution microscopy with optogenetics, electrophysiological analysis and mechanical stimulation, to understand the dynamic function of these organs in Drosophila larvae. We found that non-muscle myosin II activity in ChOs is responsible for both mechanosensory adaptation and neuronal responsiveness. Mechanical experiments suggest that elasticity and pretension in the ChO’s depend on the activities of myosin motors as well as on collagen-related extracellular matrix proteins.