What can a worm learn in a bacteria-rich habitat?
He Liu, Yun Zhang
Abstract
is highly adaptive to the bacteria enriched in its habitat, especially those that are pathogenic and pose a threat to survival. It uses several common forms of behavioral plasticity that last for different amounts of time, including imprinting and adult-stage associative learning, to modulate its interactions with pathogenic bacteria. Probing the molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms underlying these forms of experience-dependent plasticity has identified signaling pathways and regulatory insights that are conserved in more complex animals.
Topics & Concepts
Caenorhabditis elegansBiologyNeuroscienceAssociative learningSensory systemBacteriaNervous systemGeneticsGeneGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsGut microbiota and healthNeuroendocrine regulation and behavior