title: Modulation of serotonin-controlled behaviors by Go in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Seven transmembrane receptors and their associated heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) have been proposed to play a key role in modulating the activities of neurons and muscles. The physiological function of the Caenorhabditis elegans G protein Go has been genetically characterized. Mutations in the goa-1 gene, which encodes an alpha subunit of Go (G alpha o), cause behavioral defects similar to those observed in mutants that lack the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT), and goa-1 mutants are partially resistant to exogenous 5-HT. Mutant animals that lack G alpha o and transgenic animals that overexpress G alpha o [goa-1(xs) animals] have reciprocal defects in locomotion, feeding, and egg laying behaviors. In normal animals, all of these behaviors are regulated by 5-HT. These results demonstrate that the level of Go activity is a critical determinant of several C. elegans behaviors and suggest that Go mediates many of the behavioral effects of 5-HT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ségalat
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Elkes
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003672:Defecation; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009655:Octopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D009655:Octopamine; D012701:Serotonin; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins