Speaker
Description
Understanding how odors are represented in the locust antennal lobe, which comprises over 2,000 glomeruli, has been a longstanding challenge. To investigate this phenomenon, we used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to generate transgenic migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria) that expressed the genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP6f, in their olfactory sensory neurons. Using two-photon functional imaging, we examined the spatial activation patterns evoked by a variety of ecologically relevant odors. Our findings revealed a ring-shaped functional organization within the antennal lobe characterized by specific clusters of glomeruli. This spatial arrangement gives rise to an odor-specific chemotopic map in which distinct chemical classes and ecologically relevant odors are encoded as glomerular rings. Building on these results, we are currently investigating how these ring-shaped activity patterns differ between the migratory locust's two distinct phases: the gregarious and solitary states. These states exhibit pronounced ecological, behavioral, and phenotypic differences.
