Activity of the Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-86 POU transcription factor modulates olfactory sensitivity.
The activity of transcription factors modulates several neural pathways that mediate complex behaviors. We describe here the role of the POU transcription factor UNC-86 in the olfactory behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans. unc-86-null mutants are defective in response to odor attractants but avoid odor repellents normally. Continuous UNC-86 activity is necessary for maintenance of odortaxis behavior; hyperactivation of UNC-86 by fusion to a VP16 activation domain dramatically enhances sensitivity to odor attractants and promotes odor-attractant adaptation. UNC-86 is not expressed in olfactory sensory neurons but is expressed throughout the life of the animal in the AIZ interneurons of the odorsensory pathway. We suggest that UNC-86 transcriptional activity regulates the expression of genes that mediate synaptic properties of AIZ and that hyperactive UNC-86::VP16 may enhance the expression of synaptic components to affect the capacity to analyze and process sensory information.
Sze
Ji Ying
JY
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Ruvkun
Gary
G
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D019070:Cell Lineage; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009812:Odorants; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012903:Smell; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C081539:unc-86 protein, C elegans; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins