title: Sexually dimorphic control of gene expression in sensory neurons regulates decision-making behavior inC. elegans.
abstract: Animal behavior is directed by the integration of sensory information from internal states and the environment. Neuroendocrine regulation of diverse behaviors ofCaenorhabditis elegansis under the control of the DAF-7/TGF-β ligand that is secreted from sensory neurons. Here, we show thatC. elegansmales exhibit an altered, male-specific expression pattern ofdaf-7in the ASJ sensory neuron pair with the onset of reproductive maturity, which functions to promote male-specific mate-searching behavior. Molecular genetic analysis of the switch-like regulation ofdaf-7expression in the ASJ neuron pair reveals a hierarchy of regulation among multiple inputs-sex, age, nutritional status, and microbial environment-which function in the modulation of behavior. Our results suggest that regulation of gene expression in sensory neurons can function in the integration of a wide array of sensory information and facilitate decision-making behaviors inC. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.
authors.forename: Zoë A
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3833-6912
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Hilbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.
authors.forename: Dennis H
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4109-5152
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C102095:DAF-7 protein, C elegans; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
keywords: C. elegans; behavior; daf-7; neuroscience; sexual dimorphism