« Previous AbstractSimple analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere using passive samplers    Next AbstractA search for odour encoding in the olfactory lobe »

Science

Title:		Olfactory plasticity is regulated by pheromonal signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans
Author(s):		Yamada K; Hirotsu T; Matsuki M; Butcher RA; Tomioka M; Ishihara T; Clardy J; Kunitomo H; Iino Y;
Address:		"Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan"
Journal Title:		Science
Year:		2010
Volume:		329
Issue:		5999
Page Number:		1647 - 1650
DOI:		10.1126/science.1192020
ISSN/ISBN:		1095-9203 (Electronic) 0036-8075 (Print) 0036-8075 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Population density-dependent dispersal is a well-characterized strategy of animal behavior in which dispersal rate increases when population density is higher. Caenorhabditis elegans shows positive chemotaxis to a set of odorants, but the chemotaxis switches from attraction to dispersal after prolonged exposure to the odorants. We show here that this plasticity of olfactory behavior is dependent on population density and that this regulation is mediated by pheromonal signaling. We show that a peptide, suppressor of NEP-2 (SNET-1), negatively regulates olfactory plasticity and that its expression is down-regulated by the pheromone. NEP-2, a homolog of the extracellular peptidase neprilysin, antagonizes SNET-1, and this function is essential for olfactory plasticity. These results suggest that population density information is transmitted through the external pheromone and endogenous peptide signaling to modulate chemotactic behavior"
Keywords:		"*Adaptation, Physiological Animals Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics/*physiology Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/genetics/*metabolism *Chemotaxis Down-Regulation Gene Expression Regulation Mutation Neprilysin/genetics/*metabolism Neurites/metabolism Neurons;"
Notes:		"MedlineYamada, Koji Hirotsu, Takaaki Matsuki, Masahiro Butcher, Rebecca A Tomioka, Masahiro Ishihara, Takeshi Clardy, Jon Kunitomo, Hirofumi Iino, Yuichi eng R01 CA024487/CA/NCI NIH HHS/ R00 GM087533/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ GM087533/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ CA24487/CA/NCI NIH HHS/ K99 GM087533/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ K99 GM087533-01/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R00 GM087533-03/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2010/10/12 Science. 2010 Sep 24; 329(5999):1647-50. doi: 10.1126/science.1192020"