FLIC: High-throughput, Continuous Analysis of Feeding Behaviors in Drosophila

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2014 Jul 1

PMID 24978054

Citations 78

Authors

Jennifer Ro

Zachary M Harvanek

Scott D Pletcher

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We present a complete hardware and software system for collecting and quantifying continuous measures of feeding behaviors in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. The FLIC (Fly Liquid-Food Interaction Counter) detects analog electronic signals as brief as 50 µs that occur when a fly makes physical contact with liquid food. Signal characteristics effectively distinguish between different types of behaviors, such as feeding and tasting events. The FLIC system performs as well or better than popular methods for simple assays, and it provides an unprecedented opportunity to study novel components of feeding behavior, such as time-dependent changes in food preference and individual levels of motivation and hunger. Furthermore, FLIC experiments can persist indefinitely without disturbance, and we highlight this ability by establishing a detailed picture of circadian feeding behaviors in the fly. We believe that the FLIC system will work hand-in-hand with modern molecular techniques to facilitate mechanistic studies of feeding behaviors in Drosophila using modern, high-throughput technologies.

Citing Articles

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