Vowels J J, Thomas J H
Department of Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Genetics. 1994 Oct;138(2):303-16. doi: 10.1093/genetics/138.2.303.
Phenotypic analysis of the daf-11 and daf-21 mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans suggests that they have defects in components shared by processes analogous to vertebrate taste and olfaction. daf-11 and daf-21 mutations were previously shown to cause inappropriate response to the dauer-inducing pheromone. By mutational analysis and by disabling specific chemosensory sensilla with a laser, we show that neurons in the amphid sensilla are required for this pheromone response. Using behavioral assays, we find that daf-11 and daf-21 mutants are not defective in avoidance of certain non-volatile repellents, but are defective in taxis to non-volatile attractants. In addition, both mutants are defective in taxis to volatile attractants detected primarily by the amphid neuron AWC, but respond normally to volatile attractants detected primarily by AWA. We propose that daf-11 and daf-21 mediate sensory transduction for both volatile and non-volatile compounds in specific amphid neurons.
秀丽隐杆线虫daf-11和daf-21突变体的表型分析表明，它们在类似于脊椎动物味觉和嗅觉过程所共有的成分上存在缺陷。先前已表明，daf-11和daf-21突变会导致对 dauer 诱导信息素产生不适当反应。通过突变分析以及用激光使特定化学感应感觉器失活，我们表明，两性感觉器中的神经元对于这种信息素反应是必需的。使用行为测定法，我们发现daf-11和daf-21突变体在避开某些非挥发性驱避剂方面没有缺陷，但在向非挥发性引诱剂的趋化性方面存在缺陷。此外，这两种突变体在主要由两性感觉神经元AWC检测到的挥发性引诱剂的趋化性方面存在缺陷，但对主要由AWA检测到的挥发性引诱剂反应正常。我们提出，daf-11和daf-21在特定两性感觉神经元中介导挥发性和非挥发性化合物的感觉转导。
