Splicing factors control C. elegans behavioural learning in a single neuron by producing DAF-2c receptor

Masahiro Tomioka (), Yasuki Naito, Hidehito Kuroyanagi and Yuichi Iino ()
Additional contact information
Masahiro Tomioka: Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Yasuki Naito: Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
Hidehito Kuroyanagi: Laboratory of Gene Expression, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
Yuichi Iino: Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Alternative splicing generates protein diversity essential for neuronal properties. However, the precise mechanisms underlying this process and its relevance to physiological and behavioural functions are poorly understood. To address these issues, we focused on a cassette exon of the Caenorhabditis elegans insulin receptor gene daf-2, whose proper variant expression in the taste receptor neuron ASER is critical for taste-avoidance learning. We show that inclusion of daf-2 exon 11.5 is restricted to specific neuron types, including ASER, and is controlled by a combinatorial action of evolutionarily conserved alternative splicing factors, RBFOX, CELF and PTB families of proteins. Mutations of these factors cause a learning defect, and this defect is relieved by DAF-2c (exon 11.5+) isoform expression only in a single neuron ASER. Our results provide evidence that alternative splicing regulation of a single critical gene in a single critical neuron is essential for learning ability in an organism.

Date: 2016
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms11645 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11645

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11645

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().