Millet, Jonathan et al. (2021) International Worm Meeting "C. elegans PEZO-1 is a Mechanosensitive Channel Involved in Food Sensation"

Lee, Jungsoo, Vasquez, Valeria, Millet, Jonathan, Romero, Luis

[International Worm Meeting, 2021]

PIEZO channels are force sensors essential for physiological processes including baroreception and proprioception. The Caenorhabditis elegans genome encodes an ortholog gene of the Piezo family, pezo-1, expressed in several tissues including the pharynx. This myogenic pump is an essential component of the alimentary canal in most animals whose contraction and relaxation depends on mechanical stimulation elicited by food content. Whether pezo-1 encodes a mechanosensitive channel and contributes to pharyngeal function remains unknown. Here, we leverage genetics, microfluidics, and electropharyngeogram recordings to establish that pezo-1 is expressed in the pharynx, including a proprioceptive-like neuron, and regulates pharyngeal function. Knockout and gain-of-function mutants reveal that pezo-1 is involved in fine-tuning pharyngeal pumping frequency, sensing osmolarity and food quality. Patch-clamp electrophysiology analyses in primary C. elegans embryo cultures demonstrate that pezo-1 encodes a mechanosensitive channel. Our findings reveal a novel role for pezo-1 in regulating food sensation in worms.