Molecular bases of chemotaxisis behavior in C. elegans

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 17570144
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Molecular biology
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: KOGA Makoto Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences, Associate Professor (60243888)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ISHIHARA Takeshi Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences, professor (10249948) ; FUJIWARA Manabi Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences, Research Associate (70359933) ; HIROTSU Takaaki Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences, Research Associate (70404035)
• Project Period (FY): 2005 – 2006
• Keywords: nematode / neuron / MAPK / chemotaxis / adaptation / eating

Research Abstract

The nematode C.elegans is attracted to Na ion, when it is cultivated with abundant food. But, when it is starved with Na ion, it becomes to hate Na ion. We found mpk-1 mutant does not attracted to Na ion in NGM plate with abundant food on NGM plate containing Na ion. However, the mpk-1 mutant become attracted to Na ion, when it is starved in distilled water. This results suggests that food suppress adaptation to Na ion with mpk-1 activation by food signal. We tried to identify the cell in which this pathway works by neuron specific expression of a mpk-1 cDNA. We found kin-8 promoter : : mpk-1 cDNA constract suppress the chemotaxis defect of mpk-1 mutant. This result shows mpk-1 works in neurons to be expressed kin-8.