Molecular and neural bases of memory updating in <i>C. elegans</i>

• Project/Area Number: 26870266
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology; Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Aoki Ichiro 名古屋大学, 理学研究科, 研究員 (60725258)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: <i>C. elegans</i> / 温度走性行動 / 記憶 / カリウムチャネル / CNGチャネル / BKチャネル / 神経回路 / てんかん / 行動遺伝学 / C. elegans / 温度走性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Updating memory and changing behavior at the right time is crucial for animals to survive in constantly fluctuating environments. In order to elucidate molecular and neural mechanisms underlying memory updating, a forward genetic screen was performed on plasticity of thermotaxis behavior of <i>C. elegans</i>. SLO-2, a potassium channel involved in a pathogenesis of several types of epilepsies, was found to regulate the speed of memory updating.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Molecular biology of thermosensory transduction in C. elegans. (2015)
  • Author(s): Aoki, I. and Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Curr Opin Neurobiol. Volume: 34 Pages: 117-124
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.011
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] BK potassium channels regulate learning speed in <i>C. elegans</i> (2017)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Michihiro Tateyama, Takushi Shimomura, Kunio Ihara, Yoshihiro Kubo and Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 第40回日本神経科学大会
  • Place of Presentation: 千葉
  • Year and Date: 2017-07-20
• [Presentation] BK potassium channels regulate learning speed in <i>C. elegans</i> (2017)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Michihiro Tateyama, Takushi Shimomura, Kunio Ihara, Yoshihiro Kubo and Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 21st International <i>C. elegans</i> Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Los Angeles
  • Year and Date: 2017-06-21
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Epilepsy-related mutations in SLO-2 BK potassium channel slow down a behavior change in <i>C. elegans</i> (2016)
  • Author(s): Aoki I, Ihara K, Mori I
  • Organizer: 2016年線虫神経生物学国際集会(CeNeuro)・名古屋大学神経回路国際シンポジウム (Nagoya BNC) 合同集会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Epilepsy-related mutations in SLO-2 K+ channel slow down learning speed in <i>C. elegans</i> (2016)
  • Author(s): Aoki I, Tateyama M, Shimomura T, Ihara K, Mori I
  • Organizer: ‘Towards elucidation of memory engram’ NIPS International Workshop 2016
  • Place of Presentation: 岡崎
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Memory updating in Caenorhabditis elegans (2015)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Kunio Ihara, Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 第38回日本神経科学大会
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸
  • Year and Date: 2015-07-28
• [Presentation] Memory updating in Caenorhabditis elegans (2014)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Kunio Ihara, Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: Cutting-edge approaches towards the functioning mechanisms of membrane proteins, The 45th NIPS International Symposium Co-sponsored by The Journal of Physiology
  • Place of Presentation: 岡崎
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-25 – 2014-11-28
• [Presentation] Memory updating in Caenorhabditis elegans (2014)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Kunio Ihara, Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 第37回日本神経科学大会
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-11 – 2014-09-13
• [Presentation] Memory updating in Caenorhabditis elegans (2014)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Kunio Ihara, Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 2nd Nagoya International Symposium on Neural Circuit
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-09 – 2014-09-10
• [Presentation] Memory updating in Caenorhabditis elegans (2014)
  • Author(s): Ichiro Aoki, Kunio Ihara, Ikue Mori
  • Organizer: 11th International Congress of Neuroethology and 36th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry
  • Place of Presentation: 札幌
  • Year and Date: 2014-07-28 – 2014-08-02
• [Book] Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference 2nd Edition "Molecular Mechanisms of Learning in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>/04003" (2017)
  • Author(s): Aoki I, Nakano S and Mori I
  • Publisher: Elsevier