OSM-9 and OCR-2 TRPV channels are accessorial warm receptors in Caenorhabditis elegans temperature acclimatisation
Kohei Ohnishi, Shigeru Saito, Toru Miura, Akane Ohta, Makoto Tominaga, Takaaki Sokabe, Atsushi Kuhara
Abstract
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) exhibits cold tolerance and temperature acclimatisation regulated by a small number of head sensory neurons, such as the ADL temperature-sensing neurons that express three transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channel subunits, OSM-9, OCR-2, and OCR-1. Here, we show that an OSM-9/OCR-2 regulates temperature acclimatisation and acts as an accessorial warmth-sensing receptor in ADL neurons. Caenorhabditis elegans TRPV channel mutants showed abnormal temperature acclimatisation. Ectopic expression of OSM-9 and OCR-2 in non-warming-responsive gustatory neurons in C. elegans and Xenopus oocytes revealed that OSM-9 and OCR-2 cooperatively responded to warming; however, neither TRPV subunit alone was responsive to warming. A warming-induced OSM-9/OCR-2-mediated current was detectable in Xenopus oocytes, yet ADL in osm-9 ocr-2 double mutant responds to warming; therefore, an OSM-9/OCR-2 TRPV channel and as yet unidentified temperature receptor might coordinate transmission of temperature signalling in ADL temperature-sensing neurons. This study demonstrates direct sensation of warming by TRPV channels in C. elegans.