Early sensory-experience modulates pheromone-mediated behaviors of adult C. elegans

Abstract

Experiences during early development can influence neuronal functions and modu-late adult behaviors. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term be-havioral effects of these early experiences are not fully understood. The C. elegans ascr#3 pheromone triggers avoidance behavior in adult hermaphrodites.

Here, I show that hermaphrodites that are briefly exposed to ascr#3 immediately af-ter birth exhibit increased ascr#3-specific avoidance as adults indicating that ascr#3-experienced animals form a long lasting memory or imprint of this early ascr#3 exposure. ascr#3 imprinting is mediated by increased synaptic activity between the ascr#3-sensing ADL neurons and their post-synaptic SMB motor neuron partners via increased expression of the odr-2 GPI-linked signaling and avr-14 glutamate-gated chloride channel genes in the SMB neurons.

My study suggests that the memory for early ascr#3 experience is imprinted via al-teration of a single synaptic connection, that in turn shapes experience-dependent plastici-ty in adult ascr#3 responses. ⓒ 2017 DGIST