The genetic basis of natural variation in a phoretic behavior

Daehan Lee, Heeseung Yang, Jun Kim, Shannon Brady, Stefan Zdraljevic, Mostafa Zamanian, Heekyeong Kim, Young-ki Paik, Leonid Kruglyak, Erik C. Andersen () and Junho Lee ()
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Daehan Lee: Seoul National University
Heeseung Yang: Seoul National University
Jun Kim: Seoul National University
Shannon Brady: Northwestern University
Stefan Zdraljevic: Northwestern University
Mostafa Zamanian: Northwestern University
Heekyeong Kim: Yonsei University
Young-ki Paik: Yonsei University
Leonid Kruglyak: University of California
Erik C. Andersen: Northwestern University
Junho Lee: Seoul National University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Phoresy is a widespread form of commensalism that facilitates dispersal of one species through an association with a more mobile second species. Dauer larvae of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibit a phoretic behavior called nictation, which could enable interactions with animals such as isopods or snails. Here, we show that natural C. elegans isolates differ in nictation. We use quantitative behavioral assays and linkage mapping to identify a genetic locus (nict-1) that mediates the phoretic interaction with terrestrial isopods. The nict-1 locus contains a Piwi-interacting small RNA (piRNA) cluster; we observe that the Piwi Argonaute PRG-1 is involved in the regulation of nictation. Additionally, this locus underlies a trade-off between offspring production and dispersal. Variation in the nict-1 locus contributes directly to differences in association between nematodes and terrestrial isopods in a laboratory assay. In summary, the piRNA-rich nict-1 locus could define a novel mechanism underlying phoretic interactions.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00386-x

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