Abstract
Background Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensation has been successfully studied using behavioral assays that treat detection of volatile and water soluble chemicals as separate senses, analogous to smell and taste. However, considerable ambiguity has been associated with the attractive properties of the compound ammonium-acetate (NH4Ac). NH4Ac has been used in behavioral assays both as a chemosensory neutral compound and as an attractant.Methodology/Main FindingsHere we show that over a range of concentrations NH4Ac can be detected both as a water soluble attractant and as an odorant, and that ammonia and acetic acid individually act as olfactory attractants. We use genetic analysis to show that NaCl and NH4Ac sensation are mediated by separate pathways and that ammonium sensation depends on the cyclic nucleotide gated ion channel TAX-2/TAX-4, but acetate sensation does not. Furthermore we show that sodium-acetate (NaAc) and ammonium-chloride (NH4Cl) are not detected as Na+ and Cl− specific stimuli, respectively.Conclusions/SignificanceThese findings clarify the behavioral response of C. elegans to NH4Ac. The results should have an impact on the design and interpretation of chemosensory experiments studying detection and adaptation to soluble compounds in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
Highlights
Animals rely on sensory information to respond appropriately to a variety of beneficial and harmful environmental conditions
We use genetic analysis to show that NaCl and NH4Ac sensation are mediated by separate pathways and that ammonium sensation depends on the cyclic nucleotide gated ion channel TAX-2/TAX-4, but acetate sensation does not
Ammonium-acetate is an attractive odorant C. elegans chemosensation has been successfully studied with behavioral assays that treat volatile and water soluble chemotaxis as separate senses, analogous to smell and taste
Summary
Animals rely on sensory information to respond appropriately to a variety of beneficial and harmful environmental conditions. Similar results were seen in an alternative assay in which worms choose between two streams of liquid containing different attractants In this assay, weak attraction to ammonium and acetate ions could be detected [4]. By ablating ciliated amphid sensory neurons with a laser beam, these studies identified the sensory neurons necessary for detecting attractants They found that water soluble chemotaxis is mediated primarily by the pair of ASE neurons with a minor contribution from ADF, ASG, ASI and ASK [1]. Caenorhabditis elegans chemosensation has been successfully studied using behavioral assays that treat detection of volatile and water soluble chemicals as separate senses, analogous to smell and taste. NH4Ac has been used in behavioral assays both as a chemosensory neutral compound and as an attractant
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