Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Curr Biol. 2019 Dec 2;29(23):4116-4123.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.011. Epub 2019 Nov 7.
Unlike juveniles, adult animals engage in suites of behaviors related to the search for and selection of potential mates and mating, including appropriate responses to sex pheromones. As in other species [1], male sex pheromones modulate several behaviors and physiological processes in C. elegans hermaphrodites [2-5]. In particular, one of these small-molecule signals, an ascaroside ascr#10, causes reduced exploration, more avid mating, and improved reproductive performance (see the accompanying paper by Aprison and Ruvinsky in this issue of Current Biology) [6]. Here, we investigated the mechanism that restricts pheromone response to adult hermaphrodites. Unexpectedly, we found that attainment of developmental adulthood was not alone sufficient for the behavioral response to the pheromone. To modify exploratory behavior in response to male pheromone, adult hermaphrodites also require functional germline and egg-laying apparatus. We show that this dependence of behavior on the reproductive system is due to feedback from the vulva muscles that reports ongoing reproduction to the nervous system. Our results reveal an activity-dependent conduit by which the reproductive system continuously licenses adult behaviors, including appropriate responses to the pheromones of the opposite sex. More broadly, our results suggest that signals from peripheral organs may serve as an important component of assuring age-appropriate functions of the nervous system.
与幼年动物不同，成年动物会进行一系列与寻找和选择潜在配偶以及交配相关的行为，包括对性信息素的适当反应。与其他物种一样[1]，雄性性信息素调节秀丽隐杆线虫雌雄同体中的几种行为和生理过程[2-5]。特别是，这些小分子信号之一，一种叫做 asc#10 的 asc 糖苷，会导致探索减少、交配更热衷以及生殖性能提高（见本期《当代生物学》中 Aprison 和 Ruvinsky 的相关论文）[6]。在这里，我们研究了限制信息素对成年雌雄同体反应的机制。出乎意料的是，我们发现达到发育成熟本身不足以引起对信息素的行为反应。为了响应雄性信息素来改变探索行为，成年雌雄同体还需要功能正常的生殖系和产卵器官。我们表明，这种生殖系统对行为的依赖性是由于来自阴道肌肉的反馈，它向神经系统报告正在进行的生殖活动。我们的研究结果揭示了一种活性依赖的途径，通过该途径，生殖系统不断许可成年行为，包括对异性信息素的适当反应。更广泛地说，我们的研究结果表明，来自外围器官的信号可能是确保神经系统适当发挥年龄相关功能的一个重要组成部分。
