1
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Vidal-Saez MS, Vilarroya O, Garcia-Ojalvo J. A multiscale sensorimotor model of experience-dependent behavior in a minimal organism. Biophys J 2024; 123:1654-1667. [PMID: 38815587 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
To survive in ever-changing environments, living organisms need to continuously combine the ongoing external inputs they receive, representing present conditions, with their dynamical internal state, which includes influences of past experiences. It is still unclear in general, however 1) how this happens at the molecular and cellular levels and 2) how the corresponding molecular and cellular processes are integrated with the behavioral responses of the organism. Here, we address these issues by modeling mathematically a particular behavioral paradigm in a minimal model organism, namely chemotaxis in the nematode C. elegans. Specifically, we use a long-standing collection of elegant experiments on salt chemotaxis in this animal, in which the migration direction varies depending on its previous experience. Our model integrates the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels to reproduce the experimentally observed experience-dependent behavior. The model proposes specific molecular mechanisms for the encoding of current conditions and past experiences in key neurons associated with this response, predicting the behavior of various mutants associated with those molecular circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Sol Vidal-Saez
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oscar Vilarroya
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Marquina-Solis J, Feng L, Vandewyer E, Beets I, Hawk J, Colón-Ramos DA, Yu J, Fox BW, Schroeder FC, Bargmann CI. Antagonism between neuropeptides and monoamines in a distributed circuit for pathogen avoidance. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114042. [PMID: 38573858 PMCID: PMC11063628 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic infection elicits behaviors that promote recovery and survival of the host. After exposure to the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans modifies its sensory preferences to avoid the pathogen. Here, we identify antagonistic neuromodulators that shape this acquired avoidance behavior. Using an unbiased cell-directed neuropeptide screen, we show that AVK neurons upregulate and release RF/RYamide FLP-1 neuropeptides during infection to drive pathogen avoidance. Manipulations that increase or decrease AVK activity accelerate or delay pathogen avoidance, respectively, implicating AVK in the dynamics of avoidance behavior. FLP-1 neuropeptides drive pathogen avoidance through the G protein-coupled receptor DMSR-7, as well as other receptors. DMSR-7 in turn acts in multiple neurons, including tyraminergic/octopaminergic neurons that receive convergent avoidance signals from the cytokine DAF-7/transforming growth factor β. Neuromodulators shape pathogen avoidance through multiple mechanisms and targets, in agreement with the distributed neuromodulatory connectome of C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Marquina-Solis
- Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Likui Feng
- Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Isabel Beets
- Department of Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Josh Hawk
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neuroscience and of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Daniel A Colón-Ramos
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Departments of Neuroscience and of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Instituto de Neurobiología José del Castillo, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR 00901, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jingfang Yu
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Bennett W Fox
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Cornelia I Bargmann
- Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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3
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Cowen MH, Reddy KC, Chalasani SH, Hart MP. Conserved autism-associated genes tune social feeding behavior in C. elegans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.05.570116. [PMID: 38106124 PMCID: PMC10723370 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.05.570116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Animal foraging is an essential and evolutionarily conserved behavior that occurs in social and solitary contexts, but the underlying molecular pathways are not well defined. We discover that conserved autism-associated genes (NRXN1(nrx-1), NLGN3(nlg-1), GRIA1,2,3(glr-1), GRIA2(glr-2), and GLRA2,GABRA3(avr-15)) regulate aggregate feeding in C. elegans, a simple social behavior. NRX-1 functions in chemosensory neurons (ADL and ASH) independently of its postsynaptic partner NLG-1 to regulate social feeding. Glutamate from these neurons is also crucial for aggregate feeding, acting independently of NRX-1 and NLG-1. Compared to solitary counterparts, social animals show faster presynaptic release and more presynaptic release sites in ASH neurons, with only the latter requiring nrx-1. Disruption of these distinct signaling components additively converts behavior from social to solitary. Aggregation induced by circuit activation is also dependent on nrx-1. Collectively, we find that aggregate feeding is tuned by conserved autism-associated genes through complementary synaptic mechanisms, revealing molecular principles driving social feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara H. Cowen
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Kirthi C. Reddy
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Michael P. Hart
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
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4
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Jetti SK, Crane AB, Akbergenova Y, Aponte-Santiago NA, Cunningham KL, Whittaker CA, Littleton JT. Molecular logic of synaptic diversity between Drosophila tonic and phasic motoneurons. Neuron 2023; 111:3554-3569.e7. [PMID: 37611584 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Although neuronal subtypes display unique synaptic organization and function, the underlying transcriptional differences that establish these features are poorly understood. To identify molecular pathways that contribute to synaptic diversity, single-neuron Patch-seq RNA profiling was performed on Drosophila tonic and phasic glutamatergic motoneurons. Tonic motoneurons form weaker facilitating synapses onto single muscles, while phasic motoneurons form stronger depressing synapses onto multiple muscles. Super-resolution microscopy and in vivo imaging demonstrated that synaptic active zones in phasic motoneurons are more compact and display enhanced Ca2+ influx compared with their tonic counterparts. Genetic analysis identified unique synaptic properties that mapped onto gene expression differences for several cellular pathways, including distinct signaling ligands, post-translational modifications, and intracellular Ca2+ buffers. These findings provide insights into how unique transcriptomes drive functional and morphological differences between neuronal subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K Jetti
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Andrés B Crane
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nicole A Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Karen L Cunningham
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charles A Whittaker
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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5
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Tomioka M, Umemura Y, Ueoka Y, Chin R, Katae K, Uchiyama C, Ike Y, Iino Y. Antagonistic regulation of salt and sugar chemotaxis plasticity by a single chemosensory neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010637. [PMID: 37669262 PMCID: PMC10503759 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans memorizes various external chemicals, such as ions and odorants, during feeding. Here we find that C. elegans is attracted to the monosaccharides glucose and fructose after exposure to these monosaccharides in the presence of food; however, it avoids them without conditioning. The attraction to glucose requires a gustatory neuron called ASEL. ASEL activity increases when glucose concentration decreases. Optogenetic ASEL stimulation promotes forward movements; however, after glucose conditioning, it promotes turning, suggesting that after glucose conditioning, the behavioral output of ASEL activation switches toward glucose. We previously reported that chemotaxis toward sodium ion (Na+), which is sensed by ASEL, increases after Na+ conditioning in the presence of food. Interestingly, glucose conditioning decreases Na+ chemotaxis, and conversely, Na+ conditioning decreases glucose chemotaxis, suggesting the reciprocal inhibition of learned chemotaxis to distinct chemicals. The activation of PKC-1, an nPKC ε/η ortholog, in ASEL promotes glucose chemotaxis and decreases Na+ chemotaxis after glucose conditioning. Furthermore, genetic screening identified ENSA-1, an ortholog of the protein phosphatase inhibitor ARPP-16/19, which functions in parallel with PKC-1 in glucose-induced chemotactic learning toward distinct chemicals. These findings suggest that kinase-phosphatase signaling regulates the balance between learned behaviors based on glucose conditioning in ASEL, which might contribute to migration toward chemical compositions where the animals were previously fed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Tomioka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Umemura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaro Ueoka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Risshun Chin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keita Katae
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chihiro Uchiyama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Ike
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Iino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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6
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Shen Y, Wen Y, Sposini S, Vishwanath AA, Abdelfattah AS, Schreiter ER, Lemieux MJ, de Juan-Sanz J, Perrais D, Campbell RE. Rational Engineering of an Improved Genetically Encoded pH Sensor Based on Superecliptic pHluorin. ACS Sens 2023; 8:3014-3022. [PMID: 37481776 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Genetically encoded pH sensors based on fluorescent proteins are valuable tools for the imaging of cellular events that are associated with pH changes, such as exocytosis and endocytosis. Superecliptic pHluorin (SEP) is a pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein (GFP) variant widely used for such applications. Here, we report the rational design, development, structure, and applications of Lime, an improved SEP variant with higher fluorescence brightness and greater pH sensitivity. The X-ray crystal structure of Lime supports the mechanistic rationale that guided the introduction of beneficial mutations. Lime provides substantial improvements relative to SEP for imaging of endocytosis and exocytosis. Furthermore, Lime and its variants are advantageous for a broader range of applications including the detection of synaptic release and neuronal voltage changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Shen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Yurong Wen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
- Center for Microbiome Research of Med-X Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Silvia Sposini
- CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Anjali Amrapali Vishwanath
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Häpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Ahmed S Abdelfattah
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virgina 20147, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02906, United States
| | - Eric R Schreiter
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virgina 20147, United States
| | - M Joanne Lemieux
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Jaime de Juan-Sanz
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Häpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
| | - David Perrais
- CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, UMR 5297, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33076, France
| | - Robert E Campbell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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7
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Seidenthal M, Jánosi B, Rosenkranz N, Schuh N, Elvers N, Willoughby M, Zhao X, Gottschalk A. pOpsicle: An all-optical reporter system for synaptic vesicle recycling combining pH-sensitive fluorescent proteins with optogenetic manipulation of neuronal activity. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1120651. [PMID: 37066081 PMCID: PMC10102542 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1120651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
pH-sensitive fluorescent proteins are widely used to study synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion and recycling. When targeted to the lumen of SVs, fluorescence of these proteins is quenched by the acidic pH. Following SV fusion, they are exposed to extracellular neutral pH, resulting in a fluorescence increase. SV fusion, recycling and acidification can thus be tracked by tagging integral SV proteins with pH-sensitive proteins. Neurotransmission is generally activated by electrical stimulation, which is not feasible in small, intact animals. Previous in vivo approaches depended on distinct (sensory) stimuli, thus limiting the addressable neuron types. To overcome these limitations, we established an all-optical approach to stimulate and visualize SV fusion and recycling. We combined distinct pH-sensitive fluorescent proteins (inserted into the SV protein synaptogyrin) and light-gated channelrhodopsins (ChRs) for optical stimulation, overcoming optical crosstalk and thus enabling an all-optical approach. We generated two different variants of the pH-sensitive optogenetic reporter of vesicle recycling (pOpsicle) and tested them in cholinergic neurons of intact Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. First, we combined the red fluorescent protein pHuji with the blue-light gated ChR2(H134R), and second, the green fluorescent pHluorin combined with the novel red-shifted ChR ChrimsonSA. In both cases, fluorescence increases were observed after optical stimulation. Increase and subsequent decline of fluorescence was affected by mutations of proteins involved in SV fusion and endocytosis. These results establish pOpsicle as a non-invasive, all-optical approach to investigate different steps of the SV cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Seidenthal
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Barbara Jánosi
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nils Rosenkranz
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Noah Schuh
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nora Elvers
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Miles Willoughby
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Xinda Zhao
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Alexander Gottschalk
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
- *Correspondence: Alexander Gottschalk,
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8
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Jetti SK, Crane AB, Akbergenova Y, Aponte-Santiago NA, Cunningham KL, Whittaker CA, Littleton JT. Molecular Logic of Synaptic Diversity Between Drosophila Tonic and Phasic Motoneurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.17.524447. [PMID: 36711745 PMCID: PMC9882338 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.17.524447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Although neuronal subtypes display unique synaptic organization and function, the underlying transcriptional differences that establish these features is poorly understood. To identify molecular pathways that contribute to synaptic diversity, single neuron PatchSeq RNA profiling was performed on Drosophila tonic and phasic glutamatergic motoneurons. Tonic motoneurons form weaker facilitating synapses onto single muscles, while phasic motoneurons form stronger depressing synapses onto multiple muscles. Super-resolution microscopy and in vivo imaging demonstrated synaptic active zones in phasic motoneurons are more compact and display enhanced Ca 2+ influx compared to their tonic counterparts. Genetic analysis identified unique synaptic properties that mapped onto gene expression differences for several cellular pathways, including distinct signaling ligands, post-translational modifications and intracellular Ca 2+ buffers. These findings provide insights into how unique transcriptomes drive functional and morphological differences between neuronal subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K Jetti
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - Andrés B Crane
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - Nicole A Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - Karen L Cunningham
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - Charles A Whittaker
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139
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9
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Tu S, Li J, Zhang K, Chen J, Yang W. Characterizing Three Azides for Their Potential Use as C. elegans Anesthetics. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000794. [PMID: 37082349 PMCID: PMC10111736 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Sodium azide (NaN 3 ) is widely used as an anesthetic in the C. elegans community for studying animal behavior. It is not known whether other azides can function as anesthetics. This is quite important for the C. elegans labs in which NaN 3 is not a convenient choice, such as all the labs located in China, where NaN 3 is under tight regulation, and alternative anesthetics need to be characterized. In the present study, we focused on another three azides, potassium azide (KN 3 ), trimethylsilyl azide (TMSA), and diphenyl phosphoryl azide (DPPA), which are not regulated in China. We characterized their performance in chemotactic behavioral assays and buffer-based assays. Our results suggest that KN 3 can immobilize worms as effectively as NaN 3 in the above-mentioned assays. Therefore, we recommend KN 3 as a routine anesthetic for C. elegans labs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Tu
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangyun Li
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kui Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenxing Yang
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Correspondence to: Wenxing Yang (
)
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10
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Nicoletti M, Luchetti N, Chiodo L, Loppini A, Folli V, Ruocco G, Filippi S. Modeling of olfactory transduction in AWC ON neuron via coupled electrical-calcium dynamics. Biomol Concepts 2023; 14:bmc-2022-0035. [PMID: 37574865 DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2022-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphid wing "C" (AWC) neurons are among the most important and studied neurons of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this work, we unify the existing electrical and intracellular calcium dynamics descriptions to obtain a biophysically accurate model of olfactory transduction in AWCON neurons. We study the membrane voltage and the intracellular calcium dynamics at different exposure times and odorant concentrations to grasp a complete picture of AWCON functioning. Moreover, we investigate the complex cascade of biochemical processes that allow AWC activation upon odor removal. We analyze the behavior of the different components of the models and, by suppressing them selectively, we extrapolate their contribution to the overall neuron response and study the resilience of the dynamical system. Our results are all in agreement with the available experimental data. Therefore, we provide an accurate mathematical and biophysical model for studying olfactory signal processing in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Nicoletti
- Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science (CLN2S@Sapienza), Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicole Luchetti
- Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science (CLN2S@Sapienza), Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Chiodo
- Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Viola Folli
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science (CLN2S@Sapienza), Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
- D-tails s.r.l., Via di Torre Rossa 66, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Ruocco
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science (CLN2S@Sapienza), Italian Institute of Technology, Rome, Italy
| | - Simonetta Filippi
- Department of Engineering, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale di Ottica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-INO), Florence, Italy
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11
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Cheng D, Lee JS, Brown M, Ebert MS, McGrath PT, Tomioka M, Iino Y, Bargmann CI. Insulin/IGF signaling regulates presynaptic glutamate release in aversive olfactory learning. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111685. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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12
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Pechuk V, Goldman G, Salzberg Y, Chaubey AH, Bola RA, Hoffman JR, Endreson ML, Miller RM, Reger NJ, Portman DS, Ferkey DM, Schneidman E, Oren-Suissa M. Reprogramming the topology of the nociceptive circuit in C. elegans reshapes sexual behavior. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4372-4385.e7. [PMID: 36075218 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The effect of the detailed connectivity of a neural circuit on its function and the resulting behavior of the organism is a key question in many neural systems. Here, we study the circuit for nociception in C. elegans, which is composed of the same neurons in the two sexes that are wired differently. We show that the nociceptive sensory neurons respond similarly in the two sexes, yet the animals display sexually dimorphic behaviors to the same aversive stimuli. To uncover the role of the downstream network topology in shaping behavior, we learn and simulate network models that replicate the observed dimorphic behaviors and use them to predict simple network rewirings that would switch behavior between the sexes. We then show experimentally that these subtle synaptic rewirings indeed flip behavior. Interestingly, when presented with aversive cues, rewired males were compromised in finding mating partners, suggesting that network topologies that enable efficient avoidance of noxious cues have a reproductive "cost." Our results present a deconstruction of the design of a neural circuit that controls sexual behavior and how to reprogram it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladyslava Pechuk
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Gal Goldman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Yehuda Salzberg
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Aditi H Chaubey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - R Aaron Bola
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Jonathon R Hoffman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Morgan L Endreson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Renee M Miller
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Noah J Reger
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Douglas S Portman
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Denise M Ferkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Elad Schneidman
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
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13
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Dhakal P, Chaudhry SI, Signorelli R, Collins KM. Serotonin signals through postsynaptic Gαq, Trio RhoGEF, and diacylglycerol to promote Caenorhabditis elegans egg-laying circuit activity and behavior. Genetics 2022; 221:iyac084. [PMID: 35579369 PMCID: PMC9252285 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activated Gαq signals through phospholipase-Cβ and Trio, a Rho GTPase exchange factor (RhoGEF), but how these distinct effector pathways promote cellular responses to neurotransmitters like serotonin remains poorly understood. We used the egg-laying behavior circuit of Caenorhabditis elegans to determine whether phospholipase-Cβ and Trio mediate serotonin and Gαq signaling through independent or related biochemical pathways. Our genetic rescue experiments suggest that phospholipase-Cβ functions in neurons while Trio Rho GTPase exchange factor functions in both neurons and the postsynaptic vulval muscles. While Gαq, phospholipase-Cβ, and Trio Rho GTPase exchange factor mutants fail to lay eggs in response to serotonin, optogenetic stimulation of the serotonin-releasing HSN neurons restores egg laying only in phospholipase-Cβ mutants. Phospholipase-Cβ mutants showed vulval muscle Ca2+ transients while strong Gαq and Trio Rho GTPase exchange factor mutants had little or no vulval muscle Ca2+ activity. Treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate that mimics 1,2-diacylglycerol, a product of PIP2 hydrolysis, rescued egg-laying circuit activity and behavior defects of Gαq signaling mutants, suggesting both phospholipase-C and Rho signaling promote synaptic transmission and egg laying via modulation of 1,2-diacylglycerol levels. 1,2-Diacylglycerol activates effectors including UNC-13; however, we find that phorbol esters, but not serotonin, stimulate egg laying in unc-13 and phospholipase-Cβ mutants. These results support a model where serotonin signaling through Gαq, phospholipase-Cβ, and UNC-13 promotes neurotransmitter release, and that serotonin also signals through Gαq, Trio Rho GTPase exchange factor, and an unidentified, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-responsive effector to promote postsynaptic muscle excitability. Thus, the same neuromodulator serotonin can signal in distinct cells and effector pathways to coordinate activation of a motor behavior circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pravat Dhakal
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Sana I Chaudhry
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | | | - Kevin M Collins
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
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14
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Zhang L, Wang Y, Dong Y, Pant A, Liu Y, Masserman L, Xu Y, McLaughlin RN, Bai J. The endophilin curvature-sensitive motif requires electrostatic guidance to recycle synaptic vesicles in vivo. Dev Cell 2022; 57:750-766.e5. [PMID: 35303431 PMCID: PMC8969179 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Curvature-sensing mechanisms assist proteins in executing particular actions on various membrane organelles. Here, we investigate the functional specificity of curvature-sensing amphipathic motifs in Caenorhabditis elegans through the study of endophilin, an endocytic protein for synaptic vesicle recycling. We generate chimeric endophilin proteins by replacing the endophilin amphipathic motif H0 with other curvature-sensing amphipathic motifs. We find that the role of amphipathic motifs cannot simply be extrapolated from the identity of their parental proteins. For example, the amphipathic motif of the nuclear pore complex protein NUP133 functionally replaces the synaptic role of endophilin H0. Interestingly, non-functional endophilin chimeras have similar defects-producing fewer synaptic vesicles but more endosomes-and this indicates that the curvature-sensing motifs in these chimeras have a common deficiency for reforming synaptic vesicles. Finally, we convert non-functional endophilin chimeras into functional proteins by changing the cationic property of amphipathic motifs, successfully reprogramming the functional specificity of curvature-sensing motifs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China; Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Yongming Dong
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Aaradhya Pant
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Laura Masserman
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Ye Xu
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Jihong Bai
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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15
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Yang W, Wu T, Tu S, Qin Y, Shen C, Li J, Choi MK, Duan F, Zhang Y. Redundant neural circuits regulate olfactory integration. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010029. [PMID: 35100258 PMCID: PMC8830790 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory integration is important for survival in a natural habitat. However, how the nervous system processes signals of two odorants present simultaneously to generate a coherent behavioral response is poorly understood. Here, we characterize circuit basis for a form of olfactory integration in Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that the presence of a repulsive odorant, 2-nonanone, that signals threat strongly blocks the attraction of other odorants, such as isoamyl alcohol (IAA) or benzaldehyde, that signal food. Using a forward genetic screen, we found that genes known to regulate the structure and function of sensory neurons, osm-5 and osm-1, played a critical role in the integration process. Loss of these genes mildly reduces the response to the repellent 2-nonanone and disrupts the integration effect. Restoring the function of OSM-5 in either AWB or ASH, two sensory neurons known to mediate 2-nonanone-evoked avoidance, is sufficient to rescue. Sensory neurons AWB and downstream interneurons AVA, AIB, RIM that play critical roles in olfactory sensorimotor response are able to process signals generated by 2-nonanone or IAA or the mixture of the two odorants and contribute to the integration. Thus, our results identify redundant neural circuits that regulate the robust effect of a repulsive odorant to block responses to attractive odorants and uncover the neuronal and cellular basis for this complex olfactory task. In their natural environment, animals, including humans, encounter complex olfactory stimuli. Thus, how the brain processes multiple sensory cues to generate a coherent behavioral output is critical for the survival of the animal. In the present study, we combined molecular cellular genetics, optical physiology and behavioral analysis to study a common olfactory phenomenon in which the presence of one odorant blocks the response to another. Our results show that the integrated response is regulated by redundant neuronal circuits that engage several interneurons essential for olfactory sensorimotor responses, a mechanism that likely ensures a robust behavioral response to sensory cues representing information critical for survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxing Yang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- * E-mail: (WY); (YZ)
| | - Taihong Wu
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Shasha Tu
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuang Qin
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chengchen Shen
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangyun Li
- Department of Physiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Myung-Kyu Choi
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Fengyun Duan
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WY); (YZ)
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16
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Hino T, Hirai S, Ishihara T, Fujiwara M. EGL-4/PKG regulates the role of an interneuron in a chemotaxis circuit of C. elegans through mediating integration of sensory signals. Genes Cells 2021; 26:411-425. [PMID: 33817914 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Interneurons, innervated by multiple sensory neurons, need to integrate information from these sensory neurons and respond to sensory stimuli adequately. Mechanisms how sensory information is integrated to form responses of interneurons are not fully understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, loss-of-function mutations of egl-4, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), cause a defect in chemotaxis to odorants. Our genetic and imaging analyses revealed that the response property of AIY interneuron to an odorant is reversed in the egl-4 mutant, while the responses of two upstream olfactory neurons, AWA and AWC, are largely unchanged. Cell- ablation experiments show that AIY in the egl-4 mutant functions to suppress chemotaxis. Furthermore, the reversal of AIY response occurs only in the presence of sensory signals from both AWA and AWC. These results suggest that sensory signals are inadequately integrated in the egl-4 mutant. We also show that egl-4 expression in AWA and another sensory neuron prevents the reversed AIY response and restores chemotaxis in the egl-4 mutants. We propose that EGL-4/PKG, by suppressing aberrant integration of signals from olfactory neurons, converts the response property of an interneuron to olfactory stimuli and maintains the role of the interneuron in the circuit to execute chemotactic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Hino
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Shota Hirai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ishihara
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Manabi Fujiwara
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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17
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Park C, Sakurai Y, Sato H, Kanda S, Iino Y, Kunitomo H. Roles of the ClC chloride channel CLH-1 in food-associated salt chemotaxis behavior of C. elegans. eLife 2021; 10:e55701. [PMID: 33492228 PMCID: PMC7834019 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of animals to process dynamic sensory information facilitates foraging in an ever-changing environment. However, molecular and neural mechanisms underlying such ability remain elusive. The ClC anion channels/transporters play a pivotal role in cellular ion homeostasis across all phyla. Here, we find a ClC chloride channel is involved in salt concentration chemotaxis of Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetic screening identified two altered-function mutations of clh-1 that disrupt experience-dependent salt chemotaxis. Using genetically encoded fluorescent sensors, we demonstrate that CLH-1 contributes to regulation of intracellular anion and calcium dynamics of salt-sensing neuron, ASER. The mutant CLH-1 reduced responsiveness of ASER to salt stimuli in terms of both temporal resolution and intensity, which disrupted navigation strategies for approaching preferred salt concentrations. Furthermore, other ClC genes appeared to act redundantly in salt chemotaxis. These findings provide insights into the regulatory mechanism of neuronal responsivity by ClCs that contribute to modulation of navigation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanhyun Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Yuki Sakurai
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Hirofumi Sato
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Shinji Kanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
- Laboratory of Physiology, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of TokyoChibaJapan
| | - Yuichi Iino
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
| | - Hirofumi Kunitomo
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, The University of TokyoTokyoJapan
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18
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Wang M, Witvliet D, Wu M, Kang L, Shao Z. Temperature regulates synaptic subcellular specificity mediated by inhibitory glutamate signaling. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009295. [PMID: 33428618 PMCID: PMC7822552 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors such as temperature affect neuronal activity and development. However, it remains unknown whether and how they affect synaptic subcellular specificity. Here, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans AIY interneurons as a model, we found that high cultivation temperature robustly induces defects in synaptic subcellular specificity through glutamatergic neurotransmission. Furthermore, we determined that the functional glutamate is mainly released by the ASH sensory neurons and sensed by two conserved inhibitory glutamate-gated chloride channels GLC-3 and GLC-4 in AIY. Our work not only presents a novel neurotransmission-dependent mechanism underlying the synaptic subcellular specificity, but also provides a potential mechanistic insight into high-temperature-induced neurological defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqing Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Daniel Witvliet
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mengting Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijun Kang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurosurgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhiyong Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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19
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Fusogen-mediated neuron-neuron fusion disrupts neural circuit connectivity and alters animal behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:23054-23065. [PMID: 32855296 PMCID: PMC7502713 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919063117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ramón y Cajal’s neuron doctrine, which states that neurons are individual cells that do not share any membrane or cytoplasmic continuity between them, has underpinned our view of modern neuroscience. However, there is considerable evidence that fusogens, specialized proteins essential and sufficient for the fusion of cells in other tissues, are expressed in the nervous system of several species in response to viral infection, stress conditions, and neurological disease. By manipulating the expression of fusogens in the chemosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans, our results provide conclusive evidence that deregulation of fusogen expression causes neuronal fusion and can have deleterious effects on neural circuitry and behavioral outputs, revealing a possible novel underlying cause of neurological disorders. The 100-y-old neuron doctrine from Ramón y Cajal states that neurons are individual cells, rejecting the process of cell−cell fusion in the normal development and function of the nervous system. However, fusogens—specialized molecules essential and sufficient for the fusion of cells—are expressed in the nervous system of different species under conditions of viral infection, stress, or disease. Despite these findings, whether the expression of fusogens in neurons leads to cell−cell fusion, and, if so, whether this affects neuronal fate, function, and animal behavior, has not been explored. Here, using Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensory neurons as a model system, we provide proof-of-principle that aberrant expression of fusogens in neurons results in neuron−neuron fusion and behavioral impairments. We demonstrate that fusion between chemoattractive neurons does not affect the response to odorants, whereas fusion between chemoattractive and chemorepulsive neurons compromises chemosensation. Moreover, we provide evidence that fused neurons are viable and retain their original specific neuronal fate markers. Finally, analysis of calcium transients reveals that fused neurons become electrically coupled, thereby compromising neural circuit connectivity. Thus, we propose that aberrant expression of fusogens in the nervous system disrupts neuronal individuality, which, in turn, leads to a change in neural circuit connectivity and disruption of normal behavior. Our results expose a previously uncharacterized basis of circuit malfunction, and a possible underlying cause of neurological diseases.
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20
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Aponte-Santiago NA, Ormerod KG, Akbergenova Y, Littleton JT. Synaptic Plasticity Induced by Differential Manipulation of Tonic and Phasic Motoneurons in Drosophila. J Neurosci 2020; 40:6270-6288. [PMID: 32631939 PMCID: PMC7424871 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0925-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional plasticity induced by neuronal competition is a common feature of developing nervous systems. However, the rules governing how postsynaptic cells differentiate between presynaptic inputs are unclear. In this study, we characterized synaptic interactions following manipulations of tonic Ib or phasic Is glutamatergic motoneurons that coinnervate postsynaptic muscles of male or female Drosophila melanogaster larvae. After identifying drivers for each neuronal subtype, we performed ablation or genetic manipulations to alter neuronal activity and examined the effects on synaptic innervation and function at neuromuscular junctions. Ablation of either Ib or Is resulted in decreased muscle response, with some functional compensation occurring in the Ib input when Is was missing. In contrast, the Is terminal failed to show functional or structural changes following loss of the coinnervating Ib input. Decreasing the activity of the Ib or Is neuron with tetanus toxin light chain resulted in structural changes in muscle innervation. Decreased Ib activity resulted in reduced active zone (AZ) number and decreased postsynaptic subsynaptic reticulum volume, with the emergence of filopodial-like protrusions from synaptic boutons of the Ib input. Decreased Is activity did not induce structural changes at its own synapses, but the coinnervating Ib motoneuron increased the number of synaptic boutons and AZs it formed. These findings indicate that tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons respond independently to changes in activity, with either functional or structural alterations in the Ib neuron occurring following ablation or reduced activity of the coinnervating Is input, respectively.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Both invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems display synaptic plasticity in response to behavioral experiences, indicating that underlying mechanisms emerged early in evolution. How specific neuronal classes innervating the same postsynaptic target display distinct types of plasticity is unclear. Here, we examined whether Drosophila tonic Ib and phasic Is motoneurons display competitive or cooperative interactions during innervation of the same muscle, or compensatory changes when the output of one motoneuron is altered. We established a system to differentially manipulate the motoneurons and examined the effects of cell type-specific changes to one of the inputs. Our findings indicate Ib and Is motoneurons respond differently to activity mismatch or loss of the coinnervating input, with the Ib subclass responding robustly compared with Is motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Aponte-Santiago
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Kiel G Ormerod
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - Yulia Akbergenova
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
| | - J Troy Littleton
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Biology and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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21
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Ashida K, Shidara H, Hotta K, Oka K. Optical Dissection of Synaptic Plasticity for Early Adaptation in Caenorhabditis elegans. Neuroscience 2020; 428:112-121. [PMID: 31917348 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
To understand neuronal information processing, it is essential to investigate the input-output relationship and its modulation via detailed dissections of synaptic transmission between pre- and postsynaptic neurons. In Caenorhabditis elegans, pre-exposure to an odorant for five minutes reduces chemotaxis (early adaptation). AWC sensory neurons and AIY interneurons are crucial for this adaptation; AWC neurons sense volatile odors, and AIY interneurons receive glutamatergic inputs from AWC neurons. However, modulations via early adaptation of the input-output relationship between AWC and AIY are not well characterized. Here we use a variety of fluorescent imaging techniques to show that reduced synaptic-vesicle release without Ca2+ modulation in AWC neurons suppresses the Ca2+ response in AIY neurons via early adaptation. First, early adaptation modulates the Ca2+ response in AIY but not AWC neurons. Adaptation in the Ca2+ signal measured in AIY neurons is caused by adaptation in glutamate release from AWC neurons. Further, we found that a G protein γ-subunit, GPC-1, is related to modulation of glutamate input to AIY. Our results dissect the modulation of the pre- and postsynaptic relationship in vivo based on optical methods, and demonstrate the importance of neurotransmitter-release modulation in presynaptic neurons without Ca2+ modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Ashida
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan.
| | - Hisashi Shidara
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan.
| | - Kohji Hotta
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan.
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 80708, Taiwan; Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.
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22
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Ashida K, Hotta K, Oka K. The Input-Output Relationship of AIY Interneurons in Caenorhabditis elegans in Noisy Environment. iScience 2019; 19:191-203. [PMID: 31377664 PMCID: PMC6698291 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining how neurotransmitter input causes various neuronal activities is crucial to understanding neuronal information processing. In Caenorhabditis elegans, AIY interneurons receive several sources of sensory information as glutamate inputs and regulate behavior by integrating these inputs. However, the relationship between glutamate input and the Ca2+ response in AIY under environmental noise, in other words, without explicit stimulation, remains unknown. Here, we show that glutamate-input fluctuations evoke a sporadic Ca2+ response in AIY without stimulation. To ensure that Ca2+ response can be considered AIY output, we show that the membrane-potential depolarization precedes Ca2+ responses in AIY. We used an odor as model stimulation to modulate the sensory inputs. Simultaneous imaging of glutamate input and Ca2+ response, together with glutamate transmission mutants, showed that glutamate-input fluctuations evoke sporadic Ca2+ responses. We identified the input-output relationships under environmental noise in vivo, and our results address the relationship between sensory-input fluctuations and behavioral variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Ashida
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kohji Hotta
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Biosciences and Informatics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan; Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 80708, Taiwan; Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.
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23
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Nagashima T, Iino Y, Tomioka M. DAF-16/FOXO promotes taste avoidance learning independently of axonal insulin-like signaling. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008297. [PMID: 31323047 PMCID: PMC6668909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The avoidance of starvation is critical for the survival of most organisms, thus animals change behavior based on past nutritional conditions. Insulin signaling is important for nutritional state-dependent behavioral plasticity, yet the underlying regulatory mechanism at the cellular level remains unclear. Previous studies showed that insulin-like signaling is required for taste avoidance learning, in which the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans avoids salt concentrations encountered under starvation conditions. DAF-2c, a splice isoform of the DAF-2 insulin receptor, functions in the axon of the ASER sensory neuron, which senses changes in salt concentrations. In addition, mutants of a major downstream factor of DAF-2, the forkhead transcription factor O (FOXO) homolog DAF-16, show defects in taste avoidance learning. Interestingly, the defect of the daf-2 mutant is not suppressed by daf-16 mutations in the learning, unlike those in other phenomena, such as longevity and development. Here we show that multiple DAF-16 isoforms function in ASER. By epistasis analysis using a DAF-2c isoform-specific mutant and an activated form of DAF-16, we found that DAF-16 acts in the nucleus in parallel with the DAF-2c-dependent pathway in the axon, indicating that insulin-like signaling acts both in the cell body and axon of a single neuron, ASER. Starvation conditioning induces nuclear translocation of DAF-16 in ASER and degradation of DAF-16 before starvation conditioning causes defects in taste avoidance learning. Forced nuclear localization of DAF-16 in ASER biased chemotaxis towards lower salt concentrtions and this effect required the Gq/PKC pathway and neuropeptide processing enzymes. These data imply that DAF-16/FOXO transmits starvation signals and modulates neuropeptide transmission in the learning. Animals change behavior based on remembered experiences of hunger and appetite. Signaling by insulin and insulin-like peptides in the nervous system plays key roles in behavioral responses to hunger and satiety. In C. elegans, insulin-like signaling in the gustatory sensory neuron ASER regulates learned avoidance of salt concentrations experienced during fasting, which we call taste avoidance learning. DAF-2c, an isoform of the insulin receptor homolog, is localized to the axon of ASER and regulates taste avoidance learning. Here, we show that DAF-16, the forkhead transcription factor O (FOXO) homolog, translocates into the nucleus of ASER during fasting and promotes taste avoidance learning. DAF-16 is negatively regulated by insulin-like signaling independently of axonal DAF-2c signaling. This dual function of insulin-like signaling in the cell body and the axon ensures dynamic changes in behavioral responses after experience of hunger. By genetic analyses using constitutively nuclear-translocated DAF-16, we show that DAF-16 in ASER regulates taste avoidance learning via modulating neuropeptide signaling in the nervous system, which is reminiscent of the function of FOXO in the hypothalamus in the regulation of food-seeking behavior in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Nagashima
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Iino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Tomioka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Gan Q, Watanabe S. Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis in Different Model Systems. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:171. [PMID: 30002619 PMCID: PMC6031744 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmission in complex animals depends on a choir of functionally distinct synapses releasing neurotransmitters in a highly coordinated manner. During synaptic signaling, vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents. The rate of vesicle fusion is high and can exceed the rate at which synaptic vesicles can be re-supplied by distant sources. Thus, local compensatory endocytosis is needed to replenish the synaptic vesicle pools. Over the last four decades, various experimental methods and model systems have been used to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic vesicle cycle. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is thought to be the predominant mechanism for synaptic vesicle recycling. However, recent studies suggest significant contribution from other modes of endocytosis, including fast compensatory endocytosis, activity-dependent bulk endocytosis, ultrafast endocytosis, as well as kiss-and-run. Currently, it is not clear whether a universal model of vesicle recycling exist for all types of synapses. It is possible that each synapse type employs a particular mode of endocytosis. Alternatively, multiple modes of endocytosis operate at the same synapse, and the synapse toggles between different modes depending on its activity level. Here we compile review and research articles based on well-characterized model systems: frog neuromuscular junctions, C. elegans neuromuscular junctions, Drosophila neuromuscular junctions, lamprey reticulospinal giant axons, goldfish retinal ribbon synapses, the calyx of Held, and rodent hippocampal synapses. We will compare these systems in terms of their known modes and kinetics of synaptic vesicle endocytosis, as well as the underlying molecular machineries. We will also provide the future development of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Gan
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shigeki Watanabe
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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25
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Hawk JD, Calvo AC, Liu P, Almoril-Porras A, Aljobeh A, Torruella-Suárez ML, Ren I, Cook N, Greenwood J, Luo L, Wang ZW, Samuel ADT, Colón-Ramos DA. Integration of Plasticity Mechanisms within a Single Sensory Neuron of C. elegans Actuates a Memory. Neuron 2018; 97:356-367.e4. [PMID: 29307713 PMCID: PMC5806692 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 09/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Neural plasticity, the ability of neurons to change their properties in response to experiences, underpins the nervous system's capacity to form memories and actuate behaviors. How different plasticity mechanisms act together in vivo and at a cellular level to transform sensory information into behavior is not well understood. We show that in Caenorhabditis elegans two plasticity mechanisms-sensory adaptation and presynaptic plasticity-act within a single cell to encode thermosensory information and actuate a temperature preference memory. Sensory adaptation adjusts the temperature range of the sensory neuron (called AFD) to optimize detection of temperature fluctuations associated with migration. Presynaptic plasticity in AFD is regulated by the conserved kinase nPKCε and transforms thermosensory information into a behavioral preference. Bypassing AFD presynaptic plasticity predictably changes learned behavioral preferences without affecting sensory responses. Our findings indicate that two distinct neuroplasticity mechanisms function together through a single-cell logic system to enact thermotactic behavior. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh D Hawk
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Ana C Calvo
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Agustin Almoril-Porras
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Ahmad Aljobeh
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - María Luisa Torruella-Suárez
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Ivy Ren
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Nathan Cook
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA
| | - Joel Greenwood
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA; Department of Physics and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Linjiao Luo
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zhao-Wen Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Aravinthan D T Samuel
- Department of Physics and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Daniel A Colón-Ramos
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Department of Cell Biology and Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 9812, New Haven, CT 06536-0812, USA; Instituto de Neurobiología, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico, 201 Blvd del Valle, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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