Modulation by NPY/NPF-like receptor underlies experience-dependent, sexually dimorphic learning

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: Jan. 14, 2025

The evolutionary paths taken by each sex within a given species sometimes diverge, resulting in behavioral differences. Given their distinct needs, the mechanism which learns from shared experience is still an open question. Here, we reveal sexual dimorphism learning: C. elegans males do not learn to avoid pathogenic bacteria PA14 as efficiently and rapidly hermaphrodites. Notably, neuronal activity following pathogen exposure was dimorphic: hermaphrodites generate robust representations, while males, line with behavior, exhibit contrasting representations. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that neuropeptide receptor npr-5, ortholog of mammalian NPY/NPF-like receptor, regulates male learning modulating activity. Furthermore, show dependency males' decision-making on status demonstrate role npr-5 modulator incoming sensory cues. Taken together, these findings illustrate how neuromodulators drive sex-specific plasticity response experience. Experience-dependent vital for survival. authors uncover neuromodulator sex- state-specific elegans, shaping responses.

Language: Английский

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Hierarchical regulation of functionally antagonistic neuropeptides expressed in a single neuron pair

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Nov. 3, 2024

Abstract Neuronal communication involves small-molecule transmitters, gap junctions, and neuropeptides. While neurons often express multiple neuropeptides, our understanding of the coordination their actions mutual interactions remains limited. Here, we demonstrate that two NLP-10 FLP-1, released from same interneuron pair, AVKL/R, exert antagonistic effects on locomotion speed in Caenorhabditis elegans . accelerates by activating G protein-coupled receptor NPR-35 premotor interneurons promote forward movement. Notably, establish is crucial for aversive response to mechanical noxious light stimuli. Conversely, AVK-derived FLP-1 slows down suppressing secretion AVK, through autocrine feedback via activation its DMSR-7 AVK neurons. Our findings suggest peptidergic motifs, exemplified interaction between might represent a widespread mechanism nervous systems across species. These functional among co-transmitters could fine-tune brain activity.

Language: Английский

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Behavioral plasticity

Genetics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 228(1)

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

Behavioral plasticity allows animals to modulate their behavior based on experience and environmental conditions. Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits experience-dependent changes in its behavioral responses various modalities of sensory cues, including odorants, salts, temperature, mechanical stimulations. Most these forms plasticity, such as adaptation, habituation, associative learning, imprinting, are shared with other animals. The C. nervous system is considerably tractable for experimental studies-its function can be characterized manipulated molecular genetic methods, activity visualized analyzed imaging approaches, the connectivity relatively small number neurons well described. Therefore, provides an opportunity study molecular, neuronal, circuit mechanisms underlying that either conserved or unique this species. These findings reveal insights into how interacts cues generate adaptive values.

Language: Английский

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Neuropeptide signaling network of Caenorhabditis elegans: from structure to behavior

Genetics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Sept. 30, 2024

Abstract Neuropeptides are abundant signaling molecules that control neuronal activity and behavior in all animals. Owing part to its well-defined compact nervous system, Caenorhabditis elegans has been one of the primary model organisms used investigate how neuropeptide networks organized these neurochemicals regulate behavior. We here review recent work expanded our understanding neuropeptidergic network C. by mapping evolutionary conservation, molecular expression, receptor–ligand interactions, system-wide organization pathways system. also describe general insights into circuit motifs spatiotemporal range peptidergic transmission have emerged from vivo studies on signaling. With efforts ongoing chart peptide other organisms, connectome can serve as a prototype further understand dynamics at organismal level.

Language: Английский

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Functional analysis of conserved C. elegans bHLH family members uncovers lifespan control by a peptidergic hub neuron

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(1), P. e3002979 - e3002979

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

Throughout the animal kingdom, several members of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family act as proneural genes during early steps nervous system development. Roles bHLH in specifying terminal differentiation postmitotic neurons have been less extensively studied. We analyze here function 5 Caenorhabditis elegans genes, falling into 3 phylogenetically conserved subfamilies, which are continuously expressed a very small number central system. show (a) that 2 orthologs vertebrate bHLHe22/e23 called hlh-17 and hlh-32, redundantly to specify identity single head interneuron class (AUA), well an individual motor neuron (VB2); (b) PTF1a ortholog hlh-13 acts selector control sole octopaminergic C. elegans, RIC; (c) NHLH1/2 hlh-15 controls peptidergic AVK class, known neuropeptidergic signaling hub animal. Strikingly, through null mutant analysis cell-specific rescue experiments, we find loss hlh-15/NHLH resulting abrogation neuropeptide secretion from these causes substantially extended lifespan animal, propose be akin hypothalamic vertebrates. Our functional reveals themes gene complementary earlier lineage specification roles other members. However, such late functions much more sparsely employed by transcription factor family, compared broadly homeodomain family.

Language: Английский

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Sensory Plasticity Caused by Up-down Regulation Encodes the Information of Short-term Learning and Memory

iScience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 28(4), P. 112215 - 112215

Published: March 13, 2025

Language: Английский

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Pathogen infection induces sickness behaviors through neuromodulators linked to stress and satiety in C. elegans

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: April 3, 2025

Abstract When animals are infected by a pathogen, peripheral sensors of infection signal to the brain induce adaptive behavioral changes known as sickness behaviors. While pathways that from periphery have been intensively studied, how central circuits reconfigured elicit these is not well understood. Here we find neuromodulatory systems linked stress and satiety recruited during chronic pathogen alter behavior Caenorhabditis elegans . Upon bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, C. decrease feeding, then display reversible bouts quiescence, eventually die. The ALA neuron its neuropeptides FLP-7, FLP-24, NLP-8, which control stress-induced sleep in uninfected animals, promote PA14-induced feeding reduction. However, neuropeptide FLP-13 instead delays quiescence death animals. Cell-specific genetic perturbations show neurons release delay distinct ALA. A brain-wide imaging screen reveals infection-induced involves ASI DAF-7/TGF-beta, satiety-induced Our results suggest common set neuromodulators across different physiological states, acting neural sources combinations drive state-dependent

Language: Английский

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Food sensing controls C. elegans reproductive behavior by neuromodulatory disinhibition

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 11(16)

Published: April 16, 2025

Like many organisms, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans incorporates an assessment of environmental quality into its reproductive strategy. C. hermaphrodites release fertilized eggs food-rich environments but retain them in absence food. Here, we report discovery a neural circuit required for modulation behavior by food sensing. A mutation that electrically silences AVK interneurons uncouples egg laying from detection cues. We find activity inhibits laying, and AVKs themselves are inhibited dopamine released food-sensing neurons. express large number structurally functionally diverse neuropeptides. Coordination requires subset neuropeptides converge on small ensemble premotor neurons coexpress their cognate receptors. Modulation behavior, therefore, cascade neuromodulatory signals uses disinhibition combinatorial neuropeptide to activate when is sensed.

Language: Английский

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Functional analysis of conserved C. elegans bHLH family members uncovers lifespan control by a peptidergic hub neuron

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 16, 2024

ABSTRACT Throughout the animal kingdom, several members of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family act as proneural genes during early steps nervous system development. Roles bHLH in specifying terminal differentiation postmitotic neurons have been less extensively studied. We analyze here function five C. elegans genes, falling into three phylogenetically conserved subfamilies, which are continuously expressed a very small number central system. show (a) that two orthologs vertebrate bHLHb4/b5 called hlh-17 and hlh-32, redundantly to specify identity single head interneuron (AUA), well an individual motor neuron (VB2), (b) PTF1a ortholog hlh-13 acts selector control sole octopaminergic class , RIC, (c) NHLH1/2 hlh-15 controls peptidergic AVK class, known neuropeptidergic signaling hub animal. Strikingly, through null mutant analysis cell-specific rescue experiments, we find loss hlh-15/NHLH resulting abrogation neuropeptide secretion causes substantially expanded lifespan animal, revealing unanticipated impact central, regulating lifespan, propose be akin hypothalamic vertebrates. Taken together, our functional reveals themes gene complementary earlier lineage specification roles other members. However, such late functions much more sparsely employed by transcription factor family, compared broadly homeodomain family.

Language: Английский

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Neural Sequences Underlying Directed Turning inC. elegans

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 11, 2024

Complex behaviors like navigation rely on sequenced motor outputs that combine to generate effective movement. The brain-wide organization of the circuits integrate sensory signals select and execute appropriate sequences is not well understood. Here, we characterize architecture neural control

Language: Английский

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