Signaling by AWC Olfactory Neurons Is Necessary for Caenorhabditis elegans' Response to Prenol, an Odor Associated with Nematode-Infected Insects.

ABSTRACT: Chemosensation plays a role in the behaviors and life cycles of numerous organisms, including nematodes. Many guilds of nematodes exist, ranging from the free-living Caenorhabditis elegans to various parasitic species such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), which are parasites of insects. Despite ecological differences, previous research has shown that both EPNs and C. elegans respond to prenol (3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol), an odor associated with EPN infections. However, it is unclear how C. elegans responds to prenol. By utilizing natural variation and genetic neuron ablation to investigate the response of C. elegans to prenol, we found that the AWC neurons are involved in the detection of prenol and that several genes (including dcap-1, dcap-2<

SUBMITTER: Baiocchi T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7463287 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature