Divergence in neuronal signaling pathways despite conserved neuronal identity among Caenorhabditis species.

ABSTRACT: One avenue to better understand brain evolution is to map molecular patterns of evolutionary changes in neuronal cell types across entire nervous systems of distantly related species. Generating whole-animal single-cell transcriptomes of three nematode species from the Caenorhabditis genus, we observed a remarkable stability of neuronal-cell-type identities over more than 45 million years of evolution. Conserved patterns of combinatorial expression of homeodomain transcription factors are among the best classifiers of homologous neuron classes. Unexpectedly, we discover an extensive divergence in neuronal signaling pathways. Although identities of neurotransmitter-producing neurons (glutamate, acetylcholine, γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA], and several monoamines) remain stable, expression of i

SUBMITTER: Toker IA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7617994 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature