A genetic dissociation of learning and recall in Caenorhabditis elegans.
A learning event can be dissociated into 3 components: acquisition, storage, and recall. When the laboratory wild-type strain of Caenorhabditis elegans (N2 strain) is exposed to benzaldehyde in the absence of food, the worms display a reduction of their attractive response to this volatile odorant. This results from the association between benzaldehyde and a nutrient-deficient environment. Another wild-type isolate, the CB4856 strain, fails to display this decreased response to benzaldehyde after exposure to benzaldehyde in the absence of food. However, like the N2 strain, when tested to isoamyl alcohol after benzaldehyde conditioning, the CB4856 strain displays a decreased isoamyl alcohol response. Therefore, the CB4856 strain does not have an acquisition deficit, but it suffers from a recall deficit specific to benzaldehyde.
Atkinson-Leadbeater
Karen
K
Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. atkinsok@ucalgary.ca
Nuttley
William M
WM
van der Kooy
Derek
D
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology; D003931:Diacetyl / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000235:genetics; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D009812:Odorants; D000439:Pentanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013217:Starvation
D001547:Benzaldehydes; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D000439:Pentanols; C029683:isopentyl alcohol; D003931:Diacetyl; C032175:benzaldehyde