The neuropeptide NLP-22 regulates a sleep-like state in Caenorhabditis elegans

M.D. Nelson, N.F. Trojanowski, J.B. George-Raizen, C.J. Smith, C.-C. Yu, C. Fang-Yen and D.M. Raizen ()
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M.D. Nelson: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
N.F. Trojanowski: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
J.B. George-Raizen: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
C.J. Smith: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
C.-C. Yu: University of Pennsylvania
C. Fang-Yen: University of Pennsylvania
D.M. Raizen: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Neuropeptides have central roles in the regulation of homoeostatic behaviours such as sleep and feeding. Caenorhabditis elegans displays sleep-like quiescence of locomotion and feeding during a larval transition stage called lethargus and feeds during active larval and adult stages. Here we show that the neuropeptide NLP-22 is a regulator of Caenorhabditis elegans sleep-like quiescence observed during lethargus. nlp-22 shows cyclical mRNA expression in synchrony with lethargus; it is regulated by LIN-42, an orthologue of the core circadian protein PERIOD; and it is expressed solely in the two RIA interneurons. nlp-22 and the RIA interneurons are required for normal lethargus quiescence, and forced expression of nlp-22 during active stages causes anachronistic locomotion and feeding quiescence. Optogenetic stimulation of the RIA interneurons has a movement-promoting effect, demonstrating functional complexity in a single-neuron type. Our work defines a quiescence-regulating role for NLP-22 and expands our knowledge of the neural circuitry controlling Caenorhabditis elegans behavioural quiescence.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3846

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