Olfactory Behaviors Assayed by Computer Tracking Of Drosophila in a Four-quadrant Olfactometer

Summary

We describe here a behavioral setup and data analysis method for assaying olfactory responses of up to 100 vinegar flies (Drosophila melanogaster). This system may be used with single or multiple olfactory stimuli, and adaptable for optogenetic activation or silencing of neuronal subsets.

Abstract

A key challenge in neurobiology is to understand how neural circuits function to guide appropriate animal behaviors. Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system for such investigations due to its complex behaviors, powerful genetic techniques, and compact nervous system. Laboratory behavioral assays have long been used with Drosophila to simulate properties of the natural environment and study the neural mechanisms underlying the corresponding behaviors (e.g. phototaxis, chemotaxis, sensory learning and memory)^1-3. With the recent availability of large collections of transgenic Drosophila lines that label specific neural subsets, behavioral assays have taken on a prominent role to link neurons with behaviors^4-11. Versatile and reproducible paradigms, together with the underlying computational routines for data analysis, are indispensable for rapid tests of candidate fly lines with various genotypes. Particularly useful are setups that are flexible in the number of animals tested, duration of experiments and nature of presented stimuli. The assay of choice should also generate reproducible data that is easy to acquire and analyze. Here, we present a detailed description of a system and protocol for assaying behavioral responses of Drosophila flies in a large four-field arena. The setup is used here to assay responses of flies to a single olfactory stimulus; however, the same setup may be modified to test multiple olfactory, visual or optogenetic stimuli, or a combination of these. The olfactometer setup records the activity of fly populations responding to odors, and computational analytical methods are applied to quantify fly behaviors. The collected data are analyzed to get a quick read-out of an experimental run, which is essential for efficient data collection and the optimization of experimental conditions.

Introduction

The ability to adapt and respond to the external environment is critical for the survival of all animals. An animal needs to avoid dangers, seek out food and find mates, and learn from previous experiences. Sensory systems function to receive a variety of stimuli, such as visual, chemical and mechanosensory, and send these signals to the central nervous system to be interpreted and decoded. The brain then directs appropriate motor behaviors based on the perceived environment, such as foraging for food or escaping from a predator. Understanding how sensory systems detect the external world, and how the brain decodes and directs decisions, is a major challenge in neurob....

Protocol

1. Setup Assembly

1. Manufacture the star-shaped arena (19.5 cm by 19.5 cm by 0.7 cm) out of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) according to the provided drawing (Supplementary Materials, SupplementalSketch_StarShapedArena.pdf). The arena may be manufactured by a commercial or a custom facility.
2. Acquire two glass plates (20.25 cm by 20.25 cm with thickness of 2 mm), and drill a hole (~0.7 cm in diameter) precisely in the center of one of the glass plates using a diamond-coated drill bit.
3. Manufacture a light-tight behavior box for the behavioral arena. Also manufacture a light-tight camera box for the infra-red CCD video camera according to the....

Results

The four-quadrant olfactometer assay records and analyzes the walking activities of many flies over a large behavioral space. Odorants can be introduced into the air-streams that enter one, two, three, or all four quadrants. In the absence of odors, the flies will freely move between all four quadrants. This behavior is crucial to observe as it indicates that un-intentional biases have not been introduced into the assay. These biases can include light, temperature fluctuations, difference.......

Discussion

The four-field olfactometer described here is a versatile behavioral system for studying the olfactory responses of large populations of wild-type and mutant Drosophila flies. Each experiment takes ~1 hr (including setup, experimental runs, and cleaning), and 4-6 experiments can be routinely performed each day. A typical assay using 40-50 flies for 5 minutes generates approximately 450,000 tracked data points for analysis. The described configuration may also be used, with minor modifications, to monitor movemen.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Air delivery system			(Quantity needed)
Tubing and connectors
Thermoplastic NPT(F) Manifolds	Cole-Parmer, IL, USA	R-31522-31	1
Hex reducing  nipple (1/4MNPT->1/8MNPT)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5232T314	1
Tubing (ID:1/8)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5108K43	50 Ft
Tubing (ID:1/16)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	52355K41	100 Ft
Barbed tube fittings	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5117K71	1 pack
Push-to-connect tube fittings	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5779K102	4
Barbed Tube Fittings (1/4MNPT->1/8BF)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5463K439	1 pack (10)
Barbed Tube Fittings (1/8MNPT->1/8BF)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5463K438	2 pack (10)
Barbed Tube Fittings (1/8MNPT->1/16BF)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5463K4	2 pack (10)
Barbed Tube Fittings (1/4MNPT->1/4BF)	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	5670K84	1
Hex head plug	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	48335K152	1
Air pressure regulator, air filter and flowmeters			(Quantity needed)
Labatory gas drying unit	W A HAMMOND DRIERITE CO LTD, OH, USA	Model: L68-NP-303; stock #26840	1
Multitube frames for 150 mm flowtubes	Cole-Parmer, IL, USA	R03215-30	1
Multitube frames for 150 mm flowtubes	Cole-Parmer, IL, USA	R03215-76	1
150 mm flowtubes	Cole-Parmer, IL, USA	R-03217-15	9
Valve Cartridge	Cole-Parmer, IL, USA	R-03218-72	9
Precision Air regulator	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	6162K13	1
Soleniod valves	Automate Scientific, Berkeley, CA	02-10i	4
Solenoid valve controller	ValveLink 8.2, Automate Scientific, Berkeley, CA	01-18	1
Electronic flow meter	Honeywell	AWM3100V	1
DAQ (NI USB-6009, National Instruments) and a	National Instruments	NI USB-6009	1
Power supply	Extech Instruments	382200	1
Odor chambers
Polypropylene Wide Mouth jar 2 oz; 60 ml	Nalgene	562118-0002	At least 5 are required per experiment, but a separate chamber is required for each dillution of each odorant. Available at Container Store, part #635114)
Glass odor chamber, 0.25 oz	Sunburst Bottle	LB4B	At least 5 are required per experiment
"In" valve for odor chamber	Smart Products, Inc., CA, USA	214224PB-0011S000-4074	1 of these parts is used per odor chamber but they need to be replaced frequently
"Out" valve for odor chamber	Smart Products, Inc., CA, USA	224214PB-0011S000-4074	1 of these parts is used per odor chamber but they need to be replaced frequently
O ring	RT Dygert International, MN, USA	AS568-029 Buna-N O-R	1 pack (100)
Fly arena, camera and behavior boxes			(Quantity needed)
Behavior and camera box material	Interstate plastics, CA, USA	ABS black extruded (https://www.interstateplastics.com/Abs-Black-Extruded-Sheet-ABSBE~~ST.php)	1803 sq inch
Teflon for fly arena and odor chamber inserts, 3/8" thick, 12" x 12"	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	8545K27	1
Glass plates, 1/8" Thick, 9" x 9"	McMaster-Carr, IL, USA	8476K191	2
Dual action thermoelectric controller	WAtronix Inc, CA, USA	DA12V-K-0	1
IR LED array	Advanced Illumination, Rochester, VT, USA	AL4554-88024, PS24-TL	2 LED arrays and one power supply
Air conditioner Unit	Melcor Store	MAA280T-12	1
Imaging system			(Quantity needed)
Cosmicar/Pentax C21211TH (12.5 mm F/1.4) C-mount Lens	B AND H PHOTO AND ELECTRONICS CORP, NY, USA	PEC21211 KP	1
CCXC-12P05N Interconnect Cable	B AND H PHOTO AND ELECTRONICS CORP, NY, USA	SOCCXC12P05N	1
DC-700 Camera Adapter	B AND H PHOTO AND ELECTRONICS CORP, NY, USA	SODC700	1
B+W 40,5 093 IR filter	B AND H PHOTO AND ELECTRONICS CORP, NY, USA	65-072442	1
TiFFEN 40.5 mm Circular polarizer	Amazon		1
IR Videocamera	Industrial Vision Source, FL, USA	Sony XC-EI50 (SY-XC-E150)	1
USB video converter	The Imagingsource, NC, USA	DFG/USB2-It	1
iFlySpy2 (fly tracking software)	Julian Brown, Stanford, Calfornia: julianrbrown@gmail.com	iFlySpy2	1
IC Capture 2.2 software	The Imagingsource, NC, USA (http://www.theimagingsource.com/en_US/products/software/iccapture/)
Miscellaneous			(Quantity needed)
Dremel rotary tool	Dremel, Racine, WI, USA	Dremel 8000-03	1
Diamond-coated drill bits for glass cutting	Available from various suppliers; MSC industrial Supply Co, Melville, NY	90606328	1