QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, August 25, 2004, 24(34):7427-7434; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1746-04.2004

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (26) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lipton, J. Articles by Emmons, S. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lipton, J. Articles by Emmons, S. W.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Cellular/Molecular
Mate Searching in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Genetic Model for Sex Drive in a Simple Invertebrate

Jonathan Lipton, Gunnar Kleemann, Rajarshi Ghosh, Robyn Lints, and Scott W. Emmons

Department of Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461

Much of animal behavior is regulated to accomplish goals necessary for survival and reproduction. Little is known about the underlying motivational or drive states that are postulated to mediate such goal-directed behaviors. Here, we describe a mate-searching behavior of the Caenorhabditis elegans male that resembles the motivated behaviors of vertebrates. Adult C. elegans males, if isolated from mating partners, will leave the area of a food source and wander about their environment in an apparent search for a mate. When mating partners are present on the food source, males do not wander but remain with them. This behavior is sexually dimorphic for C. elegans and two additional male/hermaphrodite species studied; for these species, hermaphrodites leave food significantly slower than males. In contrast, for three male-female species examined, both males and females left food, in two cases with similar frequency, suggesting coordinate evolution of behavioral dimorphism with hermaphroditism. We use a quantitative behavioral assay to show that C. elegans male mate searching is regulated by signals from hermaphrodites and by physiological signals indicating nutritional and reproductive status. We identify genes in the serotonin, insulin, and sex determination pathways that affect the rate of mate searching. These genes may contribute to physiological and reproductive regulatory mechanisms. Our results establish C. elegans as a model genetic animal with a simple nervous system in which neural pathways leading to a motivated behavior may be genetically dissected.

Key words: sexual behavior; motivation; sex drive; serotonin; insulin; behavioral mutant

---

Received May 6, 2004; revised July 12, 2004; accepted July 14, 2004.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. D. Cutter, J. D. Wasmuth, and N. L. Washington Patterns of Molecular Evolution in Caenorhabditis Preclude Ancient Origins of Selfing Genetics, April 1, 2008; 178(4): 2093 - 2104. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Liu, K. Kim, C. Li, and M. M. Barr FMRFamide-Like Neuropeptides and Mechanosensory Touch Receptor Neurons Regulate Male Sexual Turning Behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans J. Neurosci., July 4, 2007; 27(27): 7174 - 7182. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Chasnov, W. K. So, C. M. Chan, and K. L. Chow The species, sex, and stage specificity of a Caenorhabditis sex pheromone PNAS, April 17, 2007; 104(16): 6730 - 6735. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. R. Garcia, B. LeBoeuf, and P. Koo Diversity in Mating Behavior of Hermaphroditic and Male-Female Caenorhabditis Nematodes Genetics, April 1, 2007; 175(4): 1761 - 1771. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Pradel, Y. Zhang, N. Pujol, T. Matsuyama, C. I. Bargmann, and J. J. Ewbank Detection and avoidance of a natural product from the pathogenic bacterium Serratia marcescens by Caenorhabditis elegans PNAS, February 13, 2007; 104(7): 2295 - 2300. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Vellai, D. McCulloch, D. Gems, and A. L. Kovacs Effects of Sex and Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Signaling on Performance in an Associative Learning Paradigm in Caenorhabditis elegans Genetics, September 1, 2006; 174(1): 309 - 316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. C. Weeks, C. Benvenuto, and S. K. Reed When males and hermaphrodites coexist: a review of androdioecy in animals Integr. Comp. Biol., August 1, 2006; 46(4): 449 - 464. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hu, Y.-K. Bae, K. M. Knobel, and M. M. Barr Casein Kinase II and Calcineurin Modulate TRPP Function and Ciliary Localization Mol. Biol. Cell, May 1, 2006; 17(5): 2200 - 2211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. R. Gruninger, D. G. Gualberto, B. LeBoeuf, and L. R. Garcia Integration of Male Mating and Feeding Behaviors in Caenorhabditis elegans J. Neurosci., January 4, 2006; 26(1): 169 - 179. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. B. Shtonda and L. Avery Dietary choice behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans J. Exp. Biol., January 1, 2006; 209(1): 89 - 102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help