The behavioral genetic studies of thermotaxis in C.elegans

• Project/Area Number: 16370002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Genetics/Genome dynamics
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: MORI Ikue Nagoya University, Graduate School of Science, Professor, 大学院・理学研究科, 教授 (90219999)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2005
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2005)
• Budget Amount: ¥15,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥15,100,000); Fiscal Year 2005: ¥5,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,800,000); Fiscal Year 2004: ¥9,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,300,000)
• Keywords: sensory neurons / thermo sensation / thermotaxis / C.elegans / neural circuit / C.エレガンス / 感覚繊毛 / 学習と記憶

Research Abstract

How learning and memory are controlled at neural circuit level is a fundamental question in neuroscience. Neural circuit for learning and memory is however enormously complicated in higher animals for molecular and cellular dissection. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is well suited to behavioral genetic approach to dissect molecular mechanism of learning and memory because of its accessibility to genetics, its stereotyped behavioral responses and the ease to control experimental conditions in the laboratory. C.elegans is also ideal to study cellular base of learning and memory because of its complete anatomical knowledge of the nervous system consisting of 302 identifiable neurons with all neuronal connections known. C.elegans can respond to various environmental cues, such as taste, smell, touch and temperature to ensure its own survival and reproduction in the natural environment. In addition to these primary behavioral responses, neural plasticity, learning and memory can be observed in C.elegans despite of its simple nervous system. Recently, various studies aiming to understand these complex mechanisms have been carried out on olfactory adaptation, non-associative learning in mechanical tap response, and locomotory rate modulated by feeding state. In the Project performed in Institute for Advanced Research, thermotaxis behavior was utilized to molecular, cellular and physiological dissection of learning and memory.
1. Genetic control of temperature preference in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
2. Molecular physiology of the neural circuit for calcineurin and octopamine dependent associative learning in C.elegans
3. Insulin-like signaling and the neural circuit for associative learning in C.elegans
4. Inositol Monophosphatase maintains synapses and behavior in the mature nervous system of C.elegans

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Identification of guanylyl cyclases that function in thermosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans (2006)
  • Author(s): Inada, H., Ito, H., Satterlee, J., Sengupta, P., Matsumoto, K., Mori,I.
  • Journal Title: Genetics 172 Pages: 2239-2252
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Quantitative analysis of thermotaxis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (2006)
  • Author(s): Ito, H., Inada, H., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neuroscience Methods (in press)
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Identification of guanylyl cyclases that function in thermosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans (2006)
  • Author(s): Inada, H., Ito, H., Satterlee, J., Sengupta, P., Matsumoto, K., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Genetics 172 Pages: 2239-2252
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Identification of guanylyl cyclases that function in thermosensory neurons of Caenorhabditis elegans (2006)
  • Author(s): Inada, I., Ito, H., Satterlee, J., Sengupta, P., Matsumoto, K., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Genetics in press
• [Journal Article] Quantitative analysis of thermotaxis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. (2006)
  • Author(s): Ito, H., Inada, H., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neuroscience Methods in press
• [Journal Article] Diverse regulation of sensory signaling by nPKC-epsilon/eta TTX-4 in the nematode C. elegans. (2005)
  • Author(s): Okochi, Y., Kimura, K.D., Ohta, A., Mori,I.
  • Journal Title: EMBO Jounal 24 Pages: 2127-2137
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Maintenance of neuronal positions in organized ganglia by SAX-7, a Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of L1 (2005)
  • Author(s): Sasakura, H., Inada, H., Kuhara, A., Fusaoka, E., Takemoto, D., Takeuchi, K., Mori,I.
  • Journal Title: EMBO Journal 24 Pages: 1477-1488
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Genetic Control of Temperature Preference in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. (2005)
  • Author(s): Mohri, A., Kodama, E., Kimura, K.D., Koike, M., Mizuno, T., Mori,I.
  • Journal Title: Genetics 169 Pages: 1437-1450
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Diverse regulation of sensory signaling by nPKC-epsilon/eta TTX-4 in the nematode C.elegans. (2005)
  • Author(s): Okochi, Y., Kimura, K.D., Ohta, A., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: EMBO Journal 24 Pages: 2127-2137
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Maintenance of neuronal positions in organized ganglia by SAX-7, a Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of L1 (2005)
  • Author(s): Sasakura, H., Inada, H., Kuhara, A., Fusaoka, E., Takemoto, D., Takeuchi, K., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: EMBO Journal 24 Pages: 1477-1488
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Genetic Control of Temperature Preference in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. (2005)
  • Author(s): Mohri, A., Kodama, E., Kimura, K.D., Koike, M., Mizuno, T., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Genetics 169 Pages: 1437-1450
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Genetic Control of Temperature Preference in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. (2005)
  • Author(s): Mohri, A., Kodama, E., Kimura, K.D., Koike, M., Mizuno, T., Mori, I
  • Journal Title: Genetics 169 Pages: 1437-1450
• [Journal Article] Genetic Control of Temperature Preference in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (2005)
  • Author(s): Mohri, Kodama, Kimura et al.
  • Journal Title: Genetics (印刷中)
• [Journal Article] Maintenance of neuronal positions in organized ganglia by SAX-7, a Caenorhabditis elegans homologue of L1 (2005)
  • Author(s): Sasakura, Inada, Kuhara et al.
  • Journal Title: The EMBO Journal (印刷中)
• [Journal Article] The C. elegans Thermosensory Neuron AFD Responds to Warming (2004)
  • Author(s): Kimura, K.D., Miyawaki, A., Matsumoto, K., Mori,I.
  • Journal Title: Currennt Biology 14 Pages: 1291-1295
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] 線虫学習行動の分子遺伝学 : 温度走性機構 (2004)
  • Author(s): 奥村将年, 大河内善史, 森郁恵
  • Journal Title: 蛋白質核酸酵素 49・3
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] The C.elegans Thermosensory Neuron AFD Responds to Warming (2004)
  • Author(s): Kimura, K.D,.Miyawaki, A., Matsumoto, K., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Current Biology 14 Pages: 1291-1295
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Molecular genetics of learning in C.elegans : thermotaxis behavior (2004)
  • Author(s): Okumura, M., Okochi, Y., Mori, I.
  • Journal Title: Protein, Nucleic Acid, and Enzyme 49 Pages: 3-3
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Slow Ca^<2+> dynamics in pharyngeal muscles in Caenorhabditis elegans during fast pumping (2004)
  • Author(s): Shimozono, Fukano, Kimura, Mori, Kirino, Miyawaki
  • Journal Title: EMBO reports 5 Pages: 521-526
• [Journal Article] A C.elegans thermosensory neuron responds to warming (2004)
  • Author(s): Kimura, Miyawaki, Matsumoto, Mori
  • Journal Title: Current Biology 14 Pages: 1291-1295