Vasopressin/Oxytocin-Related Signaling Regulates Gustatory Associative Learning in C. elegans
Vasopressin/Oxytocin-Related Signaling Regulates Gustatory Associative Learning in C. elegans
复制标题
DOI：
10.1126/science.1226860
复制
发表时间：
2012-10-26
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Schoofs, Liliane
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Beets, Isabel;Janssen, Tom;Schoofs, Liliane
抗利尿激素和催产素相关的神经肽是动物生理的关键调节因子，包括水平衡和生殖。虽然这些神经肽也调节哺乳动物的社会行为和认知，但影响行为可塑性的机制和这些影响的进化起源尚不清楚。在这里，我们提出了秀丽隐杆线虫的功能后叶加压素和催产素样信号系统。通过激活其受体NTR-1，一种抗利尿激素/催产素相关的神经肽，被称为线虫素，促进了盐趋化性的经验驱动调节，这是线虫的一种味觉联想学习。我们的研究表明，抗利尿激素和催产素神经肽在调节神经回路的感觉加工中具有古老的作用，这是行为可塑性的基础。
Vasopressin- and oxytocin-related neuropeptides are key regulators of animal physiology, including water balance and reproduction. Although these neuropeptides also modulate social behavior and cognition in mammals, the mechanism for influencing behavioral plasticity and the evolutionary origin of these effects are not well understood. Here, we present a functional vasopressin- and oxytocin-like signaling system in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Through activation of its receptor NTR-1, a vasopressin/oxytocin-related neuropeptide, designated nematocin, facilitates the experience-driven modulation of salt chemotaxis, a type of gustatory associative learning in C. elegans. Our study suggests that vasopressin and oxytocin neuropeptides have ancient roles in modulating sensory processing in neural circuits that underlie behavioral plasticity.