RRC ID 51483
著者 Rodríguez-Ramos Á, Gámez-Del-Estal MM, Porta-de-la-Riva M, Cerón J, Ruiz-Rubio M.
タイトル Impaired Dopamine-Dependent Locomotory Behavior of C. elegans Neuroligin Mutants Depends on the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase COMT-4.
ジャーナル Behav Genet
Abstract Neurexins and neuroligins are neuronal membrane adhesion molecules that have been involved in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The nrx-1 and nlg-1 genes of Caenorhabditis elegans encode NRX-1 and NLG-1, orthologue proteins of human neurexins and neuroligins, respectively. Dopaminergic and serotoninergic signalling control the locomotory rate of the nematode. When well-fed animals are transferred to a plate with food (bacterial lawn), they reduce the locomotory rate. This behavior, which depends on dopamine, is known as basal slowing response (BSR). Alternatively, when food-deprived animals are moved to a plate with a bacterial lawn, further decrease their locomotory rate. This behavior, known as enhanced slowing response (ESR), is serotonin dependent. C. elegans nlg-1-deficient mutants are impaired in BSR and ESR. Here we report that nrx-1-deficient mutants were defective in ESR, but not in BSR. The nrx-1;nlg-1 double mutant was impaired in both behaviors. Interestingly, the nlg-1 mutants upregulate the expression of comt-4 which encodes an enzyme with putative catechol-O-methyltransferase activity involved in dopamine degradation. Our study also shows that comt-4(RNAi) in nlg-1-deficient mutants rescues the wild type phenotypes of BSR and ESR. On the other hand, comt-4(RNAi) in nlg-1-deficient mutants also recovers, at least partially, the gentle touch response and the pharyngeal pumping rate that were impaired in these mutants. These latter behaviors are dopamine and serotonin dependent, respectively. Based on these results we propose a model for the neuroligin function in modulating the dopamine-dependent locomotory behavior in the nematode.
巻・号 47(6)
ページ 596-608
公開日 2017-11-1
DOI 10.1007/s10519-017-9868-9
PII 10.1007/s10519-017-9868-9
PMID 28879499
MeSH Animals Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism* Catechol O-Methyltransferase / genetics Catechol O-Methyltransferase / metabolism Catechol O-Methyltransferase / physiology Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / genetics* Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / metabolism* Dopamine / metabolism Locomotion / genetics Locomotion / physiology RNA Interference Serotonin / metabolism
IF 2.231
引用数 1
リソース情報
線虫 tm1961