Mechanosensory signalling in C. elegans mediated by the GLR-1 glutamate receptor
- 1 November 1995
- journal article
- letter
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature
- Vol. 378 (6552), 78-81
- https://doi.org/10.1038/378078a0
Abstract
NEURONAL signalling across synapses involves activation of many neurotransmitter receptors on postsynaptic cells. glr-1 encodes a potential glutamate receptor in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans which is most similar to vertebrae AMPA-type ionotropic glutamate receptors. glr-1 is expressed in motor neurons and interneurons, including interneurons implicated in the control of locomotion. Here we investigate the contribution of glr-1 to the normal signalling of these neurons, by generating a deletion mutation in glr-1. We find that mutant worms are deficient in their ability to withdraw backwards when mechanically stimulated, but they withdraw normally in response to chemical repellents. The ASH sensory neurons mediate withdrawal responses both to mechanical stimuli and to repellents, and ASH makes chemical synapses with glr-1-expressing interneurons. Our results suggest that postsynaptic interneurons use different neurotransmitter receptors to process two sensory stimuli detected by one sensory neuron.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Agonist selectivity of glutamate receptors is specified by two domains structurally related to bacterial amino acid-binding proteinsNeuron, 1994
- Cloned Glutamate ReceptorsAnnual Review of Neuroscience, 1994
- Green Fluorescent Protein as a Marker for Gene ExpressionScience, 1994
- A dual mechanosensory and chemosensory neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1993
- Molluscan ligand-gated ion-channel receptorsPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1993
- Glutamate receptors of Drosophila melanogaster: cloning of a kainate-selective subunit expressed in the central nervous system.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1992
- Molecular Cloning and Functional Expression of Glutamate Receptor Subunit GenesScience, 1990
- A Family of AMPA-Selective Glutamate ReceptorsScience, 1990
- Chemosensory Cell Function in the Behavior and Development of Caenorhabditis elegansCold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, 1990
- The neural circuit for touch sensitivity in Caenorhabditis elegansJournal of Neuroscience, 1985