To see whether the initial preference but also the preference shift, observed for flies expressing the optogenetic Chrimson-Channel in neurons from the PPM2 cluster (tested for preference in JoyStick and T-Maze), does depend on dopamine signaling, I want to repeat these experiments with dopamine depleted flies. For this I plan to use 3-Iodo-Tyrosine, which should reduce dopamine production. To verify the effect 3IY I conducted two sets of experiments, testing locomotion and geotaxis. Successfully depleting dopamine should decrease locomotion and performance in geotaxis assays. At this point both experiments have the same outcome, that the tested method to apply 3IY does not work.

Locomotion in open field arena

Geotaxis in Benzer Counter-Current