Fusogen-mediated neuron-neuron fusion disrupts neural circuit connectivity and alters animal behavior.

ABSTRACT: The 100-y-old neuron doctrine from Ramón y Cajal states that neurons are individual cells, rejecting the process of cell-cell fusion in the normal development and function of the nervous system. However, fusogens-specialized molecules essential and sufficient for the fusion of cells-are expressed in the nervous system of different species under conditions of viral infection, stress, or disease. Despite these findings, whether the expression of fusogens in neurons leads to cell-cell fusion, and, if so, whether this affects neuronal fate, function, and animal behavior, has not been explored. Here, using Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensory neurons as a model system, we provide proof-of-principle that aberrant expression of fusogens in neurons results in neuron-neuron fusion and behavio

SUBMITTER: Giordano-Santini R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7502713 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature