CRF-like receptor SEB-3 in sex-common interneurons potentiates stress handling and reproductive drive in C. elegans.
Environmental conditions can modulate innate behaviours. Although male Caenorhabditis elegans copulation can be perturbed in the presence of stress, the mechanisms underlying its decision to sustain copulation are unclear. Here we describe a mating interference assay, which quantifies the persistence of male C. elegans copulation in noxious blue light. We show that between copulations, the male escapes from blue light illumination at intensities over 370 μW mm(-2). This response is attenuated in mutants with constitutive activation of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor family homologue SEB-3. We show that activation of this receptor causes sex-common glutamatergic lumbar ganglion interneurons (LUA) to potentiate downstream male-specific reproduction circuits, allowing copulatory behaviours to partially override the light-induced escape responses in the male. SEB-3 activation in LUA also potentiates copulation during mild starvation. We suggest that SEB-3 activation allows C. elegans to acclimate to the environment and thus continue to execute innate behaviours even under non-optimal conditions.
Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-3258, USA.
Changhoon
C
Jee
Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-3258, USA.
Jimmy F
JF
Goncalves
Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-3258, USA.
Brigitte
B
LeBoeuf
Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-3258, USA.
L Rene
LR
Garcia
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003307:Copulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D057850:Hermaphroditic Organisms / Q000502:physiology; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013217:Starvation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C582721:SEB-3 protein, C elegans