Variable brain wiring through scalable and relative synapse formation in Drosophila

Abstract

Variability of synapse numbers and partners despite identical genes reveals limits of genetic determinism. Non-genetic perturbation of brain wiring can therefore reveal to what extent synapse formation is precise and absolute, or promiscuous and relative. Here, we show the role of relative partner availability for synapse formation in the fly brain through perturbation of developmental temperature. Unexpectedly, slower development at lower temperatures substantially increases axo-dendritic branching, synapse numbers and non-canonical synaptic partnerships of various neurons, while maintaining robust ratios of canonical synapses. Using R7 photoreceptors as a model, we further show that scalability of synapse numbers and ratios is preserved when relative availability of synaptic partners is changed in a DIPγ mutant that ablates R7’s preferred synaptic partner. Behaviorally, movement activity scales inversely with synapse numbers, while movement precision and relative connectivity are congruently robust. Hence, the fly genome encodes scalable relative connectivity to develop functional, but not identical, brains.

One-Sentence Summary

Non-identical connectivity and behavior result from temperature-dependent synaptic partner availability in Drosophila.