NALCN Channels Are Not Major targets of Gα or Gα Modulation in the Egg-Laying Behavior Circuit.

Sodium leak channels (NALCN) are regulators of cell membrane potential. Previous studies in mammalian neurons and have shown that Gα and Gα signaling antagonistically modulates NALCN activity to regulate neuron excitability and neurotransmitter release for behavior. Here, we test whether NALCNs mediate the effects of Gα and/or Gα signaling in the egg-laying circuit. We find that while gain-of-function NALCN mutants exhibit hyperactive egg-laying behavior, NALCNs are not required for the effects of Gα or Gα signaling for egg laying. These results show that NALCNs are not major effectors of G-protein signaling for egg-laying behavior.