The C. elegans gustatory receptor homolog LITE-1 is a chemoreceptor required for diacetyl avoidance
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The nematode C. elegans does not have eyes but can respond to aversive UV and blue light stimulation and even distinguish colours. The gustatory receptor homolog LITE-1 was identified in forward genetic screens for worms that failed to respond to blue light stimulation. When LITE-1 is expressed in body-wall muscles, it causes contraction in response to blue light suggesting that LITE-1 is both necessary and sufficient for blue light response. Here we show that in addition to light avoidance, LITE-1 is also required for worms’ avoidance of high concentrations of diacetyl, an odorant that is attractive at low concentrations. Like blue light, diacetyl causes muscle contraction in transgenic worms engineered to express LITE-1 in body-wall muscles. These data are consistent with a direct chemoreceptor function for LITE-1 which would make it a multimodal sensor of aversive stimuli.
Date Acceptance
2025-06-08
Citation
eLife, 2025, 14, pp.1-18
ISSN
2050-084X
Publisher
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
Start Page
1
End Page
18
Journal / Book Title
eLife
Volume
14
Copyright Statement
© 2025, Koh et al. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
License URL
Identifier
10.7554/eLife.107442.1
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN RP107442
Date Publish Online
2025-06-09