title: A Forward Genetic Screen for Molecules Involved in Pheromone-Induced Dauer Formation in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Animals must constantly assess their surroundings and integrate sensory cues to make appropriate behavioral and developmental decisions. Pheromones produced by conspecific individuals provide critical information regarding environmental conditions. Ascaroside pheromone concentration and composition are instructive in the decision of Caenorhabditis elegans to either develop into a reproductive adult or enter into the stress-resistant alternate dauer developmental stage. Pheromones are sensed by a small set of sensory neurons, and integrated with additional environmental cues, to regulate neuroendocrine signaling and dauer formation. To identify molecules required for pheromone-induced dauer formation, we performed an unbiased forward genetic screen and identified phd (pheromone response-defective dauer) mutants. Here, we describe new roles in dauer formation for previously identified neuronal molecules such as the WD40 domain protein QUI-1 and MACO-1 Macoilin, report new roles for nociceptive neurons in modulating pheromone-induced dauer formation, and identify tau tubulin kinases as new genes involved in dauer formation. Thus, phd mutants define loci required for the detection, transmission, or integration of pheromone signals in the regulation of dauer formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 711-873, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: JiSoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DiTirro
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibuya
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 711-873, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woochan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611.
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu 711-873, Republic of Korea sengupta@brandeis.edu khkim@dgist.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Kyuhyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 National Center for Behavioral Genomics, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454 sengupta@brandeis.edu khkim@dgist.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Piali
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sengupta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005820:Genetic Testing; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D009154:Mutation; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D010675:Pheromones
keywords: C. elegans; che-12; dauer; maco-1; pheromone; qui-1; ttbk