11New tools and techniques have enabled many key advances in our understanding of the brain. To elucidate circuit function, it is necessary to identify, record from and manipulate networks of connected neurons. Here we present BAcTrace (Botulinum Activated Tracer), the first fully genetically encoded, retrograde, transsynaptic labelling system. BAcTrace is based on C. botulinum neurotoxin A, Botox, which we have engineered to act as a Trojan horse that jumps retrogradely between neurons to activate an otherwise silent transcription factor. We validate BAcTrace at three connections in the Drosophila olfactory system and show that it enables electrophysiological recordings of connected neurons. Finally, in a challenging circuit with highly divergent connections, we used Electron Microscopy connectomics to show that BAcTrace correctly identifies 12 out of 16 connections.The development of genetic tools to elucidate connectivity and manipulate neurons and circuits has 13 been key to advancing our understanding of how the brain works. Increasingly these tools are being 14 used to study diseases of the nervous system and develop effective treatments [31, 57].
15In the context of circuit research, the ability to identify and manipulate pre-or post-synaptic cells to 16 neurons of interest is of crucial importance. For example, if genetic drivers are available for sensory 17 neurons in the skin then one might want to label downstream, post-synaptic cells in the nerve cord.
18Conversely, when studying motor circuits, genetic drivers for motor neurons might be available and 19 revealing upstream, pre-synaptic cells will be appropriate. Tools to label downstream neurons (e.g. for 20 "walking" from sensory input towards motor-outputs as in the first example) are called anterograde, 21 while retrograde tools reveal the input neurons to a given population.
22Drosophila melanogaster is a key model organisms to study the genetic and circuit basis of animal 23 behaviour (e.g. see [62, 15]). The fly has a rich behavioural repertoire encoded in a relatively small 24 nervous system. This numerical simplicity is paired with extensive collections of genetic reagents, 25 both to investigate gene function (e.g. mutant and RNAi collections) and to label and manipulate 26 most neuronal classes (using the orthogonal expression systems Gal4, LexA, QF and their split versions 27 [4, 45, 30, 58]). While these reagents offer excellent genetic access to neurons, until recently the 28 fly lacked tools to map synaptic connections between neurons. This has recently changed with the 29 development of electron microscopy methods to map connections in larval [38] and adult [63] brains. 30 Furthermore, two genetically encoded systems for anterograde tracing: trans-Tango [54] and TRACT 31 [22] have recently been developed. Despite these important additions to the experimental toolbox, a 32 retrograde labelling system is still missing. Rabies virus and its modifications constitute the most notable 33 examples of retrograde transsynaptic tools [31]. While...