title: Aversive Behavior in the Nematode C. elegans Is Modulated by cGMP and a Neuronal Gap Junction Network.
abstract: All animals rely on their ability to sense and respond to their environment to survive. However, the suitability of a behavioral response is context-dependent, and must reflect both an animal's life history and its present internal state. Based on the integration of these variables, an animal's needs can be prioritized to optimize survival strategies. Nociceptive sensory systems detect harmful stimuli and allow for the initiation of protective behavioral responses. The polymodal ASH sensory neurons are the primary nociceptors in C. elegans. We show here that the guanylyl cyclase ODR-1 functions non-cell-autonomously to downregulate ASH-mediated aversive behaviors and that ectopic cGMP generation in ASH is sufficient to dampen ASH sensitivity. We define a gap junction neural network that regulates nociception and propose that decentralized regulation of ASH signaling can allow for rapid correlation between an animal's internal state and its behavioral output, lending modulatory flexibility to this hard-wired nociceptive neural circuit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Krzyzanowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1873-8575
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woldemariam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jordan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Aditi H
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4092-6567
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chaubey
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brueggemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bowitch
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bethke
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Noelle D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: L'Etoile
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Denise M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ferkey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000235:genetics; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000235:genetics*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000378:metabolism; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D017869:Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C470349:EGL-4 protein, C elegans; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; C584108:ODR-1 protein, C elegans; D006152:Cyclic GMP