title: PDF-1 neuropeptide signaling modulates a neural circuit for mate-searching behavior in C. elegans.
abstract: Appetitive behaviors require complex decision making that involves the integration of environmental stimuli and physiological needs. C. elegans mate searching is a male-specific exploratory behavior regulated by two competing needs: food and reproductive appetite. We found that the pigment dispersing factor receptor (PDFR-1) modulates the circuit that encodes the male reproductive drive that promotes male exploration following mate deprivation. PDFR-1 and its ligand, PDF-1, stimulated mate searching in the male, but not in the hermaphrodite. pdf-1 was required in the gender-shared interneuron AIM, and the receptor acted in internal and external environment-sensing neurons of the shared nervous system (URY, PQR and PHA) to produce mate-searching behavior. Thus, the pdf-1 and pdfr-1 pathway functions in non-sex-specific neurons to produce a male-specific, goal-oriented exploratory behavior. Our results indicate that secretin neuropeptidergic signaling is involved in regulating motivational internal states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA. a.barrios@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Arantza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: Rajarshi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Emmons
authors.forename: Maureen M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D009479:Neuropeptides; C530057:PDFR-1 protein, C elegans; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled