A Comprehensive Exploration of the Morphology and Connectomics of Wing Contralateral Haltere Interneurons in Drosophila

Abstract

Rapid behavior requires both precise timing and control to achieve full functionality. This is especially true for animals such as flying insects that transform sensory information into motor commands at sub-millisecond timescales. In the case of true flies (order Diptera), they have evolved specialized organs known as the halteres, a multifunctional organ that can provide rotational feedback to the fly for flight stabilization and control, making it a biological gyroscope. While much progress has been made in understanding the haltere’s basic processes and role, there is still a prevalent knowledge gap regarding its neural organization and specific modulatory attributes. Specifically, a newly discovered group known as the wing contralateral haltere interneurons (wCHINs) has been a focus of interest due to its possibly significant role in flight control. To address this knowledge gap, I utilized computational techniques and behavioral manipulations using optogenetics to better understand the function of the wCHINs. The results of my exploration show that the wCHINs may do more than just serve as sensory relays, since they synapse onto motor neurons generally associated with decreases in wingstroke amplitude. Additionally, the usage of the NAVis library allowed me to map the synapses of the wCHINs onto the motor neurons as well as compare their morphology with other sensory groups, like the direct haltere afferents. While the optogenetic experiment was inconclusive, overall my computational exploration can serve as a foundation for future research centered around the wCHINs.