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Resources » Paper

Remy JJ et al. (2000) European Worm Meeting "Does olfactory imprinting exist in nematodes?"

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    Publication type:
    Meeting_abstract
    WormBase ID:
    WBPaper00011562

    Remy JJ, & Felix M-A (2000). Does olfactory imprinting exist in nematodes? presented in European Worm Meeting. Unpublished information; cite only with author permission.

    Environmental sensory signals present during critical developmental periods can influence and partially fix patterns of sensitivities at the adult stage. Imprinting of early olfactive environment is well documented in a number of animal species. Nematodes have complex olfactory systems, and highly rely on their chemical sense for survival. In C. elegans, it involves 11 pairs of morphologically different amphid neurons, and each pair is thought to express a limited number of chemoreceptors out of several hundred members. As demonstrated for the AWA and AWB neurons, which respectively control attraction or repulsion to volatil odorants, identity of the neuron in which a given receptor is expressed direct worms chemotactic behaviour toward the ligand of this receptor. Genetic analysis on the chemoreceptor transducing pathways demonstrated activity dependence of sensory neurons morphofunctionality during development, and a growing number of evidences support the idea of a relatively high degree of plasticity in the nematode chemosensory system. For example, in adults, reversible adaptative desensitization after prolonged exposure to some odorants as well as odorant discrimination vary with environment signals and previous experience. It seems however that adult nematodes cannot be sensitized to odorants even through associative learning protocols. We want to adress the question of a possible influence of environmental olfactory stimuli on chemoreceptor genes expression in functionally distinct sensory neurons. Receptors are thought to be expressed very early during development, as transcripts are present even before hatching. By exposing worms to odorants at different stages of development, and measuring modifications of chemotactic responses in the adults, we hope to be able to define a critical period during which chemosensitivity could be experimentally manipulated. This olfactive "learning" process by early imprinting could then be further pharmacologically and genetically analysed.


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