We thank our colleagues at the Department of Biology, University of Fribourg for fruitful discussions. We thank the Bloomington Stock Center for providing fly stocks. This work was financially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (PP00P3_123339) and the Velux Foundation to S.G.S.

1. Larval Rearing
<ol>
 <li>Keep fly strains or genetic crosses in mass culture at 25 &deg;C on corn meal medium under a 12-hr light-12-hr dark cycle in a fly incubator equipped with light and timer.</li>
 <li>Dilute backer yeast in water to form a fluid paste (10 g of backer yeast diluted with 3-4 ml distilled H2O). Add a small drop to the corn meal food and cover the vials. Let dry for at least one hour to avoid adult flies sticking to the yeast paste. Putting a small drop of yeast diluted in water on th...

<ol>
	<li>Sawin-McCormack, E. P., Sokolowski, M. B., Campos, A. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+and+genetic+analysis+of+Drosophila+melanogaster+photobehavior+during+larval+development.">Characterization and genetic analysis of Drosophila melanogaster photobehavior during larval development.</a> J. Neurogenet. 10, 119-135 (1995).</li><li>Sprecher, S. G., Pichaud, F., Desplan, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adult+and+larval+photoreceptors+use+different+mechanisms+to+specify+the+same+Rhodopsin+fates.">Adult and larval photoreceptors use different mechanisms to specify the same Rhodopsin fates.</a> Genes Dev. 21, 2182-2195 (2007).</li><li>Sprecher, S. G., Desplan, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Switch+of+rhodopsin+expression+in+terminally+differentiated+Drosophila+sensory+neurons.">Switch of rhodopsin expression in terminally differentiated Drosophila sensory neurons.</a> Nature. 454, 533-537 (2008).</li><li>Xiang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Light-avoidance-mediating+photoreceptors+tile+the+Drosophila+larval+body+wall.">Light-avoidance-mediating photoreceptors tile the Drosophila larval body wall.</a> Nature. 468, 921-926 (2010).</li><li>Diaz, N. N., Sprecher, S. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photoreceptors:+unconventional+ways+of+seeing.">Photoreceptors: unconventional ways of seeing.</a> Curr. Biol. 21, R25-R27 (2011).</li><li>Emery, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Drosophila+CRY+is+a+deep+brain+circadian+photoreceptor.">Drosophila CRY is a deep brain circadian photoreceptor.</a> Neuron. 26, 493-504 (2000).</li><li>Mazzoni, E. O., Desplan, C., Blau, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Circadian+pacemaker+neurons+transmit+and+modulate+visual+information+to+control+a+rapid+behavioral+response.">Circadian pacemaker neurons transmit and modulate visual information to control a rapid behavioral response.</a> Neuron. 45, 293-300 (2005).</li><li>Keene, A. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Distinct+visual+pathways+mediate+Drosophila+larval+light+avoidance+and+circadian+clock+entrainment.">Distinct visual pathways mediate Drosophila larval light avoidance and circadian clock entrainment.</a> J. Neurosci. 31, 6527-6534 (2011).</li><li>Gong, Z. F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Two+Pairs+of+Neurons+in+the+Central+Brain+Control+Drosophila+Innate+Light+Preference.">Two Pairs of Neurons in the Central Brain Control Drosophila Innate Light Preference.</a> Science. 330, 499-502 (2010).</li><li>Lilly, M., Carlson, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=smellblind:+a+gene+required+for+Drosophila+olfaction.">smellblind: a gene required for Drosophila olfaction.</a> Genetics. 124, 293-302 (1990).</li><li>Bodenstein, D., Demerec, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+postembryonic+development+of+Drosophila.">The postembryonic development of Drosophila.</a> Biology of Drosophila. , 275-367 (1950).</li><li>Pittendrigh, C. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

The light preference test described takes advantage of the larval innate photobehavior. The assay is easy to establish, allows many repetitions at low cost and delivers valuable information about light sensing and processing. The experimental paradigm allows relatively quick quantification of how many individuals prefer light or dark. Such preference can be displayed as crude percentages or alternatively as Preference Index (PREF). The PREF is expressed as the difference of animals that preferred light and animals that p...

Here we describe a behavioral assay based on the larval preference for dark (or light). Larvae react with a strong and stereotypic photonegative response during foraging stages (L1 to early L3)1. The assay is aimed to assess the photophobic behavior of the larva and compares the light or dark preference of a group of larvae moving freely in a Petri dish coated with agar. This behavioral assay not only provides information about the sensitivity, integration and temporal plasticity of the visual system, it further provides hints on how light sensitivity and its process is controlled by the circadian system.
The Drosophila larval eye (also termed Bowlig Organ; BO), is the main organ for light perception. Each eye is composed of 12 photoreceptors (PR), eight PRs express the green-sensitive rhodopsin6 (rh6) and four PRs express the blue-sensitive rhodopsin5 (rh5)2,3. In addition to PRs, also class IV multidendritic neurons, which cover the larval body wall, have been identified to respond to noxious light intensities4,5. It is also known that pacemaker neurons situated in the central larval brain express the light sensitive protein Cryptochrome (Cry) that acts as clock intrinsic blue light sensor within the brain6,7. Intriguingly photophobicity of wild type animals shows a circadian component at different time points during the course of day and night when testing with this assay. Responses to light of foraging L3 larva showed stronger photophobicity at dawn and lower photophobicity at dusk when tested for light-dark preference7. Interestingly only Rh5-PRs are required for light avoidance, while Rh6-PRs are dispensable. Both, Rh5-PRs and Rh6-PRs are involved in resetting the molecular clock by light8. The Cry pathway must be coordinated with the other light-sensing pathways to orchestrate an appropriate behavioral output in the course of the day. Acetylcholine in PRs plays an essential role in light avoidance behavior as well as entrainment of the molecular clock. Blocking acetylcholine neurotransmission from PRs to circadian pacemaker neurons reduces the photophobic response in the light-darkness preference assay8. Employing the same assay, two symmetrical pairs of neurons have been recently identified to switch the light preference of the third larval instar of Drosophila9. These two pairs of neurons may be functioning during late larval stages, when animals leave the food to presumably find an appropriate pupariation site. However, the question of how the visual pathways interact and control larval visual behavior in a circadian manner remains largely unanswered. The light preference assay allows comparisons among circadian time points, fly lines and circadian state under different light qualities. The assay is easily prepared and inexpensive and has been useful previously in several labs to describe and study light derived behavior in the larva.

<table border="1">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of Reagent/Material</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 <td>Catalog Number</td>
 <td>Comments</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Agar</td>
 <td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
 <td>A5093-500G</td>
 <td>2.5%; Sigma-Aldrich, 9471 Buchs, Switzerland </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Petri dishes</td>
 <td>Greiner Bio-One GmbH</td>
 <td>633180</td>
 <td>90-mm diameter; Greiner Bio-One GmbH, 4550 Kremsmeinster, Austria</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>LEDs Lamp</td>
 <td>OSARAM </td>
 <td>80012 White</td>
 <td>LED lamp, 80012 White</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Environment Meter</td>
 <td>PCE</td>
 <td>PCE EM882</td>
 <td>Lux, Temp, RH%</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Thermostatic cabinet</td>
 <td>Aqua Lytic (Liebherr)</td>
 <td>ET636-6</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Light timer</td>
 <td>Timer T</td>
 <td>6185.104</td>
 <td>230V/50HZ (check specifications for your country)</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Universal thermostat</td>
 <td>Conrad</td>
 <td>UT200</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Humidifier</td>
 <td>Boneco</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Balck tape</td>
 <td>Tesa</td>
 <td></td>
 <td>5 cm </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Glue</td>
 <td>Uhu</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>lncubator lamp</td>
 <td>Phillips</td>
 <td>Softtone</td>
 <td>5W</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Timer clock</td>
 <td>Ziliss</td>
 <td></td>
 <td>Ziliss, Switzerland</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Excel Software</td>
 <td>Microsoft</td>
 <td></td>
 <td>Excel</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Origin Software 8.5</td>
 <td>OriginLab</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Backer Yeast</td>
 <td>Migros Switzerland</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Iron support stand 17X28CM</td>
 <td>Fisher Scientific</td>
 <td>S47808</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Acetic acid</td>
 <td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
 <td>A6283-100ML</td>
 <td>20% acetic acid dilluted in H2O</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Red light lamp</td>
 <td>Phillips</td>
 <td>PFE712E*8C</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Spatula </td>
 <td>Fisher Scientific</td>
 <td>14-373-25A</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Power supply</td>
 <td>EA</td>
 <td>EA PS 2042-06B</td>
 <td>Optional</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Aluminium foil</td>
 <td>Prix Coop</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Heater</td>
 <td>GOON</td>
 <td>NSB200C</td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Microwave Oven</td>
 <td>Intertronic</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Standard corn meal fly food</td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Destilled water </td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 <td></td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

light preference assay to study innate and circadian regulated photobehavior in drosophila larvae

Light acts as environmental signal to control animal behavior at various levels. The Drosophila larval nervous system is used as a unique model to answer basic questions on how light information is processed and shared between rapid and circadian behaviors. Drosophila larvae display a stereotypical avoidance behavior when exposed to light. To investigate light dependent behaviors comparably simple light-dark preference tests can be applied. In vertebrates and arthropods the neural pathways involved in sensing and processing visual inputs partially overlap with those processing photic circadian information. The fascinating question of how the light sensing system and the circadian system interact to keep behavioral outputs coordinated remains largely unexplored. Drosophila is an impacting biological model to approach these questions, due to a small number of neurons in the brain and the availability of genetic tools for neuronal manipulation. The presented light-dark preference assay allows the investigation of a range of visual behaviors including circadian control of phototaxis.

Following the protocol described above, we tested light-dark preference in early third larval stadium of wild type Canton-S flies at two different circadian times CT0 and CT12. Adults were reared 12-hr light-12-hr dark and left to lay eggs for 12 hr. Larvae grow the first two days under the same light-dark regime. Since we wanted to test circadian modulation under constant conditions (free running of the circadian clock), larvae were then transferred to constant darkness for the next three days until test was performed ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Light Preference Assay to Study Innate and Circadian Regulated Photobehavior in Drosophila Larvae at JoVE.com

Light Preference Assay to Study Innate and Circadian Regulated Photobehavior in Drosophila Larvae

Here we describe a light-dark preference test for Drosophila larva. This assay provides information about innate and circadian regulation of light sensing and processing photobehavior.

Light Preference Assay to Study Innate and Circadian Regulated Photobehavior in Drosophila Larvae

Light acts as environmental signal to control animal behavior at various levels. The Drosophila larval nervous system is used as a unique model to answer ...

light-preference-assay-to-study-innate-circadian-regulated

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12.8K Views.  University of Fribourg. Here we describe a light-dark preference test for Drosophila larva. This assay provides information about innate and circadian regulation of light sensing and processing photobehavior.