title: EOL-1, the homolog of the mammalian Dom3Z, regulates olfactory learning in C. elegans.
abstract: Learning is an essential function of the nervous system. However, our understanding of molecular underpinnings of learning remains incomplete. Here, we characterize a conserved protein EOL-1 that regulates olfactory learning in Caenorhabditis elegans. A recessive allele of eol-1 (enhanced olfactory learning) learns better to adjust its olfactory preference for bacteria foods and eol-1 acts in the URX sensory neurons to regulate learning. The mammalian homolog of EOL-1, Dom3Z, which regulates quality control of pre-mRNAs, can substitute the function of EOL-1 in learning regulation, demonstrating functional conservation between these homologs. Mutating the residues of Dom3Z that are critical for its enzymatic activity, and the equivalent residues in EOL-1, abolishes the function of these proteins in learning. Together, our results provide insights into the function of EOL-1/Dom3Z and suggest that its activity in pre-mRNA quality control is involved in neural plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, and.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
authors.forename: Jiangwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Calarco
authors.affiliation: Departments of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Brain Science, and yzhang@oeb.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002074:Butanones / Q000009:adverse effects; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005095:Exoribonucleases; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002074:Butanones; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C000594550:EOL-1 protein, C elegans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C440928:DXO protein, human; D005095:Exoribonucleases
keywords: invertebrate olfactory plasticity; molecular underpinnings of learning; pre-mRNA quality control