GSE135687
RNA-seq profiling of BAG neurons in C. elegans npr-1 and npr-1;arcp-1 animals
The extent to which behavior is shaped by experience varies between individuals. Genetic differences contribute to this variation but the neural mechanisms are not understood. In this study, we identify a natural genetic variant of the dendritic scaffolding protein ARCP-1 that modifies individual behavioral flexibility in C. elegans. Disrupting ARCP-1 alters how previous oxygen experience modulates escape behavior in response to carbon dioxide. ARCP-1 normally suppresses CO2 aversion by inhibiting signaling from the BAG CO2-sensing neurons. To further investigate how disrupting ARCP-1 alters BAG function, we specifically labeled these neurons with GFP, used FACS to isolate the fluorescent cells from acutely dissociated arcp-1 mutant and control animals, and profiled their gene expression using RNA-Seq. We find transcriptional changes for a broad range of gene classes and link altered neuropeptide expression to increased CO2 aversion in the arcp-1 mutant. Overall design: Examination of gene expression in C. elegans BAG neurons for two different genotypes