Cilia structure and intraflagellar transport differentially regulate sensory response dynamics within and between C. elegans chemosensory neurons.

ABSTRACT: Sensory neurons contain morphologically diverse primary cilia that are built by intraflagellar transport (IFT) and house sensory signaling molecules. Since both ciliary structural and signaling proteins are trafficked via IFT, it has been challenging to decouple the contributions of IFT and cilia structure to neuronal responses. By acutely inhibiting IFT without altering cilia structure and vice versa, here we describe the differential roles of ciliary trafficking and sensory ending morphology in shaping chemosensory responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that a minimum cilium length but not continuous IFT is necessary for a subset of responses in the ASH nociceptive neurons. In contrast, neither cilia nor continuous IFT are necessary for odorant responses in the AWA olfactory neuron

SUBMITTER: Philbrook A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11593760 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature