biostudies-literatureTran ANIDCD NIH HHSNIH MARC FellowshipNINDS NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIGMS NIH HHSNational Science Foundatione23770https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5584987biostudies-literatureUnknown6Predators and prey co-evolve, each maximizing their own fitness, but the effects of predator-prey interactions on cellular and molecular machinery are poorly understood. Here, we study this process using the predator <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> and the bacterial prey <i>Streptomyces,</i> which have evolved a powerful defense: the production of nematicides. We demonstrate that upon exposure to <i>Streptomyces</i> at their head or tail, nematodes display an escape response that is mediated by bacterially produced cues. Avoidance requires a predicted G-protein-coupled receptor, SRB-6, which is expressed in five types of amphid and phasmid chemosensory neurons. We establish that species of <i>Streptomyces</i> secrete dodecanoic acid, which is sensed by SRB-6. This behavioral adaptation repreeLife<i>C. elegans</i> avoids toxin-producing <i>Streptomyces</i> using a seven transmembrane domain chemosensory receptor.PMC5584987T32 GM064337HRD-1302873NS087544T34 GM008253R01 DC005991R01 NS0875445SC3GM1181995T34GM008253SC3 GM118199SC3 GM089595GM0895951355202Balistreri AJimenez VLi JVarshney ATang ADuong ATran ALevinson SEggers DKL'Etoile NAli NWoldemariam SBremer MCoto Villa DO'Loughlin CTMatthews SYPyle JKhuri SMiller Conrad LCVargas CTsujimoto BChang EWellbrook CVanHoven MKfalse<i>C. elegans</i> avoids toxin-producing <i>Streptomyces</i> using a seven transmembrane domain chemosensory receptor.Predators and prey co-evolve, each maximizing their own fitness, but the effects of predator-prey interactions on cellular and molecular machinery are poorly understood. Here, we study this process using the predator <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> and the bacterial prey <i>Streptomyces,</i> which have evolved a powerful defense: the production of nematicides. We demonstrate that upon exposure to <i>Streptomyces</i> at their head or tail, nematodes display an escape response that is mediated by bacterially produced cues. Avoidance requires a predicted G-protein-coupled receptor, SRB-6, which is expressed in five types of amphid and phasmid chemosensory neurons. We establish that species of <i>Streptomyces</i> secrete dodecanoic acid, which is sensed by SRB-6. This behavioral adaptation repre2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Sep2026-04-13T21:48:57.485Z2025-05-18T12:53:06.432ZS-EPMC55849872887305310.7554/eLife.23770