Nicolas joined our group in January 2000 to study leg taste receptors of Drosophila melanogaster.  He characterized the electrophysiological responses of these receptors in normal flies and an enhancer-trap line, Voila, designed by J.-F. Ferveur (CNRS). This work is an essential step in using different combinations of the P[GAL4] reporter gene and different UASG lines. During his DEA thesis (Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies), he was able to feminize taste receptors in males. Feminized taste receptors in males acquired a sensitivity to sugars that was formerly absent in normal taste receptors. 

He then did PhD thesis with F. Marion-Poll in 2000, working on the physiology of Drosophila leg taste sensilla on the legs using an electrophysiological and pharmacological approach. He visited Teiichi Tanimura's laboratory (Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan) during 9 months (click here to see pictures!) and defended his thesis in december 2002. Since 2003, he is now teaching at the University of Paris 6.

Working on Drosophila is important for us, because we believe it will help us to understand how deterrent molecules are detected and encoded in insects.

Publication:

• Hiroi M.,  Meunier N., Marion-Poll F., Tanimura T., 2004 - Two Antagonistic Gustatory Receptor Neurons Responding to Sweet-Salty and Bitter Taste in Drosophila. Journal of Neurobiology 61(3): 333-342.
• Meunier N., Marion-Poll F., Lansky P., Rospars J.-P., 2003 - Estimation of the individual firing frequencies of two neurons recorded with a single electrode. Chemical Senses 28 (8): 671-679.
• Meunier N., Marion-Poll F., Rospars J.-P., Tanimura T., 2003 - Coding of bitter taste in Drosophila. Journal of Neurobiology 56 (2) 139-152.
• Meunier N., Ferveur J.F., Marion-Poll F. 2000 - Sex-specific non-pheromonal taste receptors in Drosophila. Current Biology  10 (24): 1583-1586.

Useful web links:

• list of P[GAL4] Drosophila strains: flybrain and flytrap (maintained by Prof. Kim Kaiser).
• anatomy of the fly brain.

 Last revised:  janvier 19, 2014