Control of Locomotory Behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans by the Immunoglobulin Superfamily Protein RIG-3. Issue 1 (1st January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bhardwaj, Ashwani; Pandey, Pratima; Babu, Kavita
• Is Part Of: Genetics. Volume 214:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 135
• Page End: 145
• Publication Date: 2020-01-01
• Subjects: RIG-3 -- AVA -- GLR-1 -- neuropeptide -- Caenorhabditis elegans; Genetics -- Periodicals; 576.5
• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302872
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-6731

Abstract

Abstract: Cell surface immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) proteins play important roles in the development and function of the nervous system . Here we define the role of a Caenorhabditis elegans IgSF protein, RIG-3, in the function of the AVA command interneuron. This study reveals that RIG-3 regulates the abundance of the glutamate receptor subunit, GLR-1, in the AVA command interneuron and also regulates reversal behavior in C. elegans . The mutant strain lacking rig-3 ( rig-3 ( ok2156 )) shows increased reversal frequency during local search behaviors. Genetic and behavioral experiments suggest that RIG-3 functions through GLR-1 to regulate reversal behavior. We also show that the increased reversal frequency seen in rig-3 mutants is dependent on the increase in GLR-1 abundance at synaptic inputs to AVA, suggesting that RIG-3 alters the synaptic strength of incoming synapses through GLR-1 . Consistent with the imaging experiments, altered synaptic strength was also reflected in increased calcium transients in rig-3 mutants when compared to wild-type control animals. Our results further suggest that animals lacking rig-3 show increased AVA activity, allowing the release of FLP-18 neuropeptide from AVA, which is an activity-dependent signaling molecule. Finally, we show that FLP-18 functions through the neuropeptide receptor, NPR-5, to modulate reversal behavior in C. elegans .