RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Distinct combinations of variant ionotropic glutamate 1 receptors mediate thermosensation and hygrosensation in Drosophila JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 056267 DO 10.1101/056267 A1 Zachary A. Knecht A1 Ana F. Silbering A1 Lina Ni A1 Mason Klein A1 Gonzalo Budelli A1 Rati Bell A1 Liliane Abuin A1 Anggie J. Ferrer A1 Aravinthan D.T. Samuel A1 Richard Benton A1 Paul A. Garrity YR 2016 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/05/31/056267.abstract AB Ionotropic Receptors (IRs) are a large subfamily of variant ionotropic glutamate receptors present across Protostomia. While these receptors are most extensively studied for their roles in chemosensory detection in insects, recent work has implicated two family members, IR21a and IR25a, in thermosensation in Drosophila. Here we characterize one of the most deeply conserved receptors, IR93a, and show that it is co-expressed and functions with IR21a and IR25a to mediate physiological and behavioral responses to cool temperatures. IR93a is also co-expressed with IR25a and a distinct receptor, IR40a, in a discrete population of sensory neurons in the sacculus, a multi-chambered pocket within the antenna. We demonstrate that this combination of receptors is important for neuronal responses to dry air and behavioral discrimination of humidity differences. Our results identify IR93a as a common component of molecularly and cellularly distinct IR pathways underlying thermosensation and hygrosensation in insects.