TY - JOUR TI - Selective dendritic localization of mRNA in Drosophila mushroom body output neurons AU - Mitchell, Jessica AU - Smith, Carlas S AU - Titlow, Josh AU - Otto, Nils AU - van Velde, Pieter AU - Booth, Martin AU - Davis, Ilan AU - Waddell, Scott A2 - Ramaswami, Mani A2 - VijayRaghavan, K VL - 10 PY - 2021 DA - 2021/03/16 SP - e62770 C1 - eLife 2021;10:e62770 DO - 10.7554/eLife.62770 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.62770 AB - Memory-relevant neuronal plasticity is believed to require local translation of new proteins at synapses. Understanding this process requires the visualization of the relevant mRNAs within these neuronal compartments. Here, we used single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization to localize mRNAs at subcellular resolution in the adult Drosophila brain. mRNAs for subunits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and kinases could be detected within the dendrites of co-labeled mushroom body output neurons (MBONs) and their relative abundance showed cell specificity. Moreover, aversive olfactory learning produced a transient increase in the level of CaMKII mRNA within the dendritic compartments of the γ5β'2a MBONs. Localization of specific mRNAs in MBONs before and after learning represents a critical step towards deciphering the role of dendritic translation in the neuronal plasticity underlying behavioral change in Drosophila. KW - memory KW - neural circuitry KW - mRNA localisation KW - dendrite JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -