title: Activity of theC. elegansegg-laying behavior circuit is controlled by competing activation and feedback inhibition.
abstract: Like many behaviors,Caenorhabditis elegansegg laying alternates between inactive and active states. To understand how the underlying neural circuit turns the behavior on and off, we optically recorded circuit activity in behaving animals while manipulating circuit function using mutations, optogenetics, and drugs. In the active state, the circuit shows rhythmic activity phased with the body bends of locomotion. The serotonergic HSN command neurons initiate the active state, but accumulation of unlaid eggs also promotes the active state independent of the HSNs. The cholinergic VC motor neurons slow locomotion during egg-laying muscle contraction and egg release. The uv1 neuroendocrine cells mechanically sense passage of eggs through the vulva and release tyramine to inhibit egg laying, in part via the LGC-55 tyramine-gated Cl-channel on the HSNs. Our results identify discrete signals that entrain or detach the circuit from the locomotion central pattern generator to produce active and inactive states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, United States.|Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9930-0924
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, United States.
authors.forename: Addys
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tanis
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Jacob C
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2780-2874
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Creamer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, United States.|Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, United States.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9486-8481
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Koelle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008124:Locomotion; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D062308:Optogenetics; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D010507:Periodicity; D017982:Receptors, Biogenic Amine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014439:Tyramine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018118:Chloride Channels; C542018:LGC-55 protein, c elegans; D017982:Receptors, Biogenic Amine; D012701:Serotonin; D002794:Choline; D014439:Tyramine
keywords: C. elegans; behavior; calcium; circuit; neuromodulator; neuroscience; serotonin; tyramine