title: Caenorhabditis elegans male sensory-motor neurons and dopaminergic support cells couple ejaculation and post-ejaculatory behaviors.
abstract: The circuit structure and function underlying post-coital male behaviors remain poorly understood. Using mutant analysis, laser ablation, optogenetics, and Ca2+ imaging, we observed that following C. elegans male copulation, the duration of post-coital lethargy is coupled to cellular events involved in ejaculation. We show that the SPV and SPD spicule-associated sensory neurons and the spicule socket neuronal support cells function with intromission circuit components, including the cholinergic SPC and PCB and the glutamatergic PCA sensory-motor neurons, to coordinate sex muscle contractions with initiation and continuation of sperm movement. Our observations suggest that the SPV and SPD and their associated dopamine-containing socket cells sense the intrauterine environment through cellular endings exposed at the spicule tips and regulate both sperm release into the hermaphrodite and the recovery from post-coital lethargy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: LeBoeuf
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Correa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States.
authors.forename: Changhoon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States.
authors.forename: L René
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D004298:Dopamine / Q000737:chemistry; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D004542:Ejaculation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: C. elegans; G-CaMP; acetylcholine; dopamine; ejaculation; glutamate; male mating behavior; neuroscience