Abstract
In Caenorhabditis elegans three pairs of neurons, AFD, AIY, and AIZ, play a key role in thermosensation. The LIM homeobox gene ceh-14 is expressed in the AFD thermosensory neurons. ceh-14 mutant animals display athermotactic behaviors, although the neurons are still present and differentiated. Two other LIM homeobox genes, ttx-3 and lin-11, function in the two interneurons AIY and AIZ, respectively. Thus, the three key thermosensory neurons are specified by three different LIM homeobox genes. ceh-14 ttx-3 lin-11 triple mutant animals have a basic cryophilic thermotaxis behavior indicative of a second thermotaxis pathway. Misexpression of ceh-14 in chemosensory neurons can restore thermotactic behavior without impairing the chemosensory function. Thus, ceh-14 confers thermosensory function to neurons.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Behavior, Animal / physiology
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Body Temperature Regulation / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
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Gene Deletion
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Gene Expression / physiology
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
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Hot Temperature
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Interneurons / physiology
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LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Motor Neurons / physiology
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Movement / physiology
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Mutagenesis / physiology
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Neurons, Afferent / chemistry
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Neurons, Afferent / physiology*
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Neuropeptides / genetics
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Transcription Factors
Substances
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CEH-14 protein, C elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins
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LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
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Lin-11 protein, C elegans
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Neuropeptides
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TTX-3 protein, C elegans
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Transcription Factors