Genetic Control of Temperature Preference in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Genetic Control of TemperaturePreference in the Nematode

Caenorhabditis elegans

Akiko Mohri, Elji Kodama, Koutarou Kimura, Mizuho Koike, Takafumi Mizuno and Ikue Mori

Background

• Worms will migrate to cultivation temperature when on a temperature gradient (H&R, 1975)

• Worm will avoid temperatures paired with starvation

• If E. coli paired with new temperature, take 2-4 hours before worms will migrate to the new temperature

Neural circuit

Mori 1995

25˚C

15˚C

Thermotaxis PhenotypesIsothermic

ThemophilicCryophilic

Athermotactic

N2aho-2hen-1

No ablation

ttx-3nsc-1

AFD/AIY ablation

lin-11

AIZ ablation

tax-2tax-4sel-12

RIA ablation

25˚C

15˚C

25˚C

15˚C

25˚C

15˚C

Figure 1

Table 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Conclusions

• Respond differently to changes in temperature vs. feeding state

• aho-2 defective thermotactic avoidance