Plasticity of pheromone-mediated avoidance behavior in C. elegans

Yong Jin Cheon, Hyeonjeong Hwang, Kyuhyung Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans secretes a complex cocktail of small chemicals collectively called ascaroside pheromones which serves as a chemical language for intra-species communication. Subsets of ascarosides have been shown to mediate a broad spectrum of C. elegans behavior and development, such as gender-specific attraction, repulsion, aggregation, olfactory plasticity, and dauer formation. Recent studies show that specific components of ascarosides elicit a rapid avoidance response that allows animals to avoid predators and escape from unfavorable conditions. Moreover, this avoidance behavior is modulated by external conditions, internal states, and previous experience, indicating that pheromone avoidance behavior is highly plastic. In this review, we describe molecular and circuit mechanisms underlying plasticity in pheromone avoidance behavior which pave a way to better understanding circuit mechanisms underlying behavioral plasticity in higher animals, including humans.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)420-426
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Neurogenetics
Volume34
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

  • C. elegans
  • Pheromone
  • avoidance behavior
  • plasticity

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