Neuronal Goα and CAPS regulate behavioral and immune responses to bacterial pore-forming toxins.
Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are abundant bacterial virulence factors that attack host cell plasma membranes. Host defense mechanisms against PFTs described to date all function in the host tissue that is directly attacked by the PFT. Here we characterize a rapid and fully penetrant cessation of feeding of Caenorhabditis elegans in response to PFT attack. We demonstrate via analyses of C. elegans mutants that inhibition of feeding by PFT requires the neuronal G protein Goα subunit goa-1, and that maintenance of this response requires neuronally expressed calcium activator for protein secretion (CAPS) homolog unc-31. Independently from their role in feeding cessation, we find that goa-1 and unc-31 are additionally required for immune protection against PFTs. We thus demonstrate that the behavioral and immune responses to bacterial PFT attack involve the cross-talk between the nervous system and the cells directly under attack.
University of California San Diego, Division of Biological Sciences, Section of cell and developmental biology, La Jolla, California, USA.
Ferdinand C O
FC
Los
Christine
C
Ha
Raffi V
RV
Aroian
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go / Q000378:metabolism*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins / Q000633:toxicity
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C516620:GOA-1 protein, C elegans; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; C107581:UNC-31 protein, C elegans; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go