Natural Variation in the npr-1 Gene Modifies Ethanol Responses of Wild Strains of C. elegans

Davies, Andrew G.; Bettinger, Jill C.; Thiele, Tod R.; Judy, Meredith E.; McIntire, Steven L.

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2004.05.004

Cited by 135 publications

(196 citation statements)

References 57 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

183

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In some cases, natural variation in a single gene can be identified that affects the regulation of complex yet distinct behavior patterns (e.g., de Bono and Bargmann, 1998;Krieger and Ross, 2002;Davies et al, 2004;Hammock, 2007). Interestingly, a number of recent achievements in this area involve food-related behaviors and the foraging gene, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) (Osborne et al, 1997;Ben-Shahar et al, 2002Hirose et al, 2003;Fitzpatrick and Sokolowski, 2004;Ingram et al, 2005;Fussnecker and Grozinger, 2008;Garabagi et al, 2008;Heylen et al, 2008;Lucas et al, 2009;Lucas and Sokolowski, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The locust foraging gene

Lucas

Kornfein

Chakaborty-Chatterjee

et al. 2010

Arch Insect Biochem Physiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Our knowledge of how genes act on the nervous system in response to the environment to generate behavioral plasticity is limited. A number of recent advancements in this area concern food-related behaviors and a specific gene family called foraging (for), which encodes a cGMPdependent protein kinase (PKG). The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is notorious for its destructive feeding and long-term migratory behavior. Locust phase polyphenism is an extreme example of environmentally induced behavioral plasticity. In response to changes in population density, locusts dramatically alter their behavior, from solitary and relatively sedentary behavior to active aggregation and swarming. Very little is known about the molecular and genetic basis of this striking behavioral phenomenon. Here we initiated studies into the locust for gene by identifying, cloning, and studying expression of the gene in the locust brain. We determined the phylogenetic relationships between the locust PKG and other known PKG proteins in insects. FOR expression was found to be confined to neurons of the anterior midline of the brain, the pars intercerebralis. Our results suggest that differences in PKG enzyme activity are correlated to well-established phase-related behavioral differences. These results lay the groundwork for functional studies of the locust for gene and its possible relations to locust phase polyphenism.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The locust foraging gene

Lucas

Kornfein

Chakaborty-Chatterjee

et al. 2010

Arch Insect Biochem Physiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We employed a protocol adapted from a published method 1,13 to estimate internal ethanol concentration following exposure to 500 mM ethanol. The estimate we obtained was 1770.5 mM (n ¼ 3) and close to the published values (e.g., 29 mM 13 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many biological phenomena contribute to ethanolinduced responses. These include the involvement of neuropeptide-Y related pathways, [1][2][3][4] glutamate receptors, 5,6 GABA receptors, 7,8 the cAMP signalling pathway, 9,10 the BK potassium channel, SLO-1 [11][12][13] , and membrane perturbation. 14 Many genes and proteins are conserved between Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, including many of those that have been identified as playing a possible role in the effects of ethanol.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…14 Many genes and proteins are conserved between Caenorhabditis elegans and humans, including many of those that have been identified as playing a possible role in the effects of ethanol. 1,13,15 This genetic model therefore potentially provides a powerful new insight into the molecular actions of ethanol through the use of forward genetic screens. A number of previous studies have investigated the behavioural response to ethanol in intact animals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The concentration-dependent effects of ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans behaviour

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The effects of ethanol on the brain are concentration dependent. Low concentrations (mM) intoxicate, while greater than 100 mM anaesthetize. Of most relevance to human alcohol addiction are mechanisms of intoxication. Previously, Caenorhabditis elegans has been employed in genetic screens to define effectors of intoxication. Here, we inform interpretation of these studies by providing evidence that ethanol rapidly equilibriates across C. elegans cuticle. Importantly, the effect of ethanol on muscle activity rapidly reaches steady-state, and the concentration-dependence of the effect is very similar in intact animals and exposed muscle. Thus the cuticle does not present an absorption barrier for ethanol, and furthermore the internal concentration is likely to approach that applied externally. Thus, modelling intoxication in C. elegans requires exposure to external ethanol less than 100 mM. Furthermore, the permeability of the cuticle to ethanol enables analysis of precisely controlled concentration-dependent effects of acute, chronic, and episodic ethanol exposure on behaviour.

show abstract

“…Aggregating strains also tend to show higher rates of locomotion on food, preference for thicker portions of the bacterial lawn, and more rapid habituation to ethanol [66,67]. These differences in behaviour are not found in the absence of food.…”

Section: Conservation Of Pkg Function Across Multiple Foraging Behavimentioning

confidence: 92%

The neurogenetics and evolution of food-related behaviour

Douglas

Dawson‐Scully

Sokolowski

2005

Trends in Neurosciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

All organisms must acquire nutrients from the ambient environment to survive. In animals, the need to eat has driven the evolution of a rich array of complex foodrelated behaviours that ensure appropriate nutrient intake in diverse niches. Here, we review some of the neural and genetic components that contribute to the regulation of food-related behaviour in invertebrates, with emphasis on mechanisms that are conserved throughout various taxa and activities. We focus on synthesizing neurobiological and genetic approaches into a neurogenetic framework that explains foodrelated behaviour as the product of interactions between neural substrates, genes and internal and external environments.Introduction to food-related behaviours All life must acquire organic and inorganic substrates as fuel and raw material for energetic, metabolic and physiological processes. Whereas many plants synthesize their constituent organic compounds from carbon dioxide, water and sunlight, animals enact a heterotrophic strategy to gain necessary nutrients. In turn, they have evolved an impressive array of behaviours to detect, capture and ingest food. Broadly, food-related behaviour can be defined as actions elicited in response to hunger or the perception of food, therefore including food-searching activities, intake and post-ingestive behaviours. Multiple internal and external cues influence whether an animal is searching for food or eating at any given time. A major internal parameter is the level of hunger, which is governed by a milieu of regulatory factors interacting within an elaborate homeostatic system [1,2]. External factors include abundance and distribution of food, competitors, risk of predation, season and time of day. In humans, the decision to eat is complicated further by psychological and cultural factors. Owing to the breadth of contributing factors, food-related behaviour represents a rich interface that has been characterized from several different perspectives, including the ecological [3,4] A comprehensive description of any behaviour requires insight into the pattern and functioning of the neural circuits that underlie expression of the behaviour. Circuit output, which is often modifiable through experience, depends on parameters such as neuronal membrane

show abstract

Natural Variation in the npr-1 Gene Modifies Ethanol Responses of Wild Strains of C. elegans

Cited by 135 publications

References 57 publications

The locust foraging gene

The locust foraging gene

The concentration-dependent effects of ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans behaviour

The neurogenetics and evolution of food-related behaviour

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About