Reference Report

Reference
Citation	Wernet, M.F., Velez, M.M., Clark, D.A., Baumann-Klausener, F., Brown, J.R., Klovstad, M., Labhart, T., Clandinin, T.R. (2012). Genetic dissection reveals two separate retinal substrates for polarization vision in Drosophila. Curr. Biol. 22(1): 12--20. (Export to RIS)
FlyBase ID	FBrf0217218
Publication Type	Research paper
PubMed ID	22177904
PubMed Abstract	Linearly polarized light originates from atmospheric scattering or surface reflections and is perceived by insects, spiders, cephalopods, crustaceans, and some vertebrates. Thus, the neural basis underlying how this fundamental quality of light is detected is of broad interest. Morphologically unique, polarization-sensitive ommatidia exist in the dorsal periphery of many insect retinas, forming the dorsal rim area (DRA). However, much less is known about the retinal substrates of behavioral responses to polarized reflections.Drosophila exhibits polarotactic behavior, spontaneously aligning with the e-vector of linearly polarized light, when stimuli are presented either dorsally or ventrally. By combining behavioral experiments with genetic dissection and ultrastructural analyses, we show that distinct photoreceptors mediate the two behaviors: inner photoreceptors R7+R8 of DRA ommatidia are necessary and sufficient for dorsal polarotaxis, whereas ventral responses are mediated by combinations of outer and inner photoreceptors, both of which manifest previously unknown features that render them polarization sensitive.Drosophila uses separate retinal pathways for the detection of linearly polarized light emanating from the sky or from shiny surfaces. This work establishes a behavioral paradigm that will enable genetic dissection of the circuits underlying polarization vision.
DOI	10.1016/j.cub.2011.11.028
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Language of Publication	English
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Publication Type	Journal
Abbreviation	Curr. Biol.
Title	Current Biology
Publication Year	1991-
ISBN/ISSN	0960-9822
Data from Reference
Alleles (12)
	norpA^ninaE.PM norpA^Scer\UAS.cWa norpA^unspecified Scer\GAL4^hth-GAL4 Scer\GAL4^ninaE.PT Scer\GAL4^Rh2.PB Scer\GAL4^Rh3.PP Scer\GAL4^Rh4.PT Scer\GAL4^Rh5.PT Scer\GAL4^Rh6.PD Scer\GAL4^Rh6+DRA shi^1.Scer\UAS
Constructs (10)
	P{ninaE/norpA} P{rh1-GAL4} P{Rh2-GAL4.B} P{Rh3-GAL4} P{Rh4-GAL4} P{Rh5-GAL4} P{Rh6-GAL4.D} P{RH6-GAL4.DRA} P{UAS-norpA.W} P{UAS-shi^ts1.K}
Genes (10)
	hth ninaE norpA Rh2 Rh3 Rh4 Rh5 Rh6 Scer\GAL4 shi
Insertions (1)
	P{GawB}hth^GAL4
Natural transposons (1)
	P-element