An interneuronal chemoreceptor required for olfactory imprinting in C. elegans.
Animals alter their behavioral patterns in an experience-dependent manner. Olfactory imprinting is a process in which the exposure of animals to olfactory cues during specific and restricted time windows leaves a permanent memory ("olfactory imprint") that shapes the animal's behavior upon encountering the olfactory cues at later times. We found that Caenorhabditis elegans displays olfactory imprinting behavior that is mediated by a single pair of interneurons. To function in olfactory imprinting, this interneuron pair must express a G protein-coupled chemoreceptor family member encoded by the sra-11 gene. Our study provides insights into the cellular and molecular basis of olfactory imprinting and reveals a function for a chemosensory receptor family member in interneurons.
Remy
Jean-Jacques
JJ
Laboratoire NMDA CNRS UMR 6156, Institut de Biologie du Développement (IBDM), 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France. remy@ibdm.univ-mrs.fr.
Hobert
Oliver
O
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001547:Benzaldehydes; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005502:Food; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D009812:Odorants; D010058:Oviposition; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*
D001547:Benzaldehydes; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C502934:SRA-11 protein, C elegans; D012701:Serotonin; C032175:benzaldehyde