Article abstract
Nature Neuroscience 10, 568 - 577 (2007)
Published online: 22 April 2007 | doi:10.1038/nn1886
Caenorhabditis elegans TRPA-1 functions in mechanosensation
Katie S Kindt1,2,6, Veena Viswanath3,5,6, Lindsey Macpherson4, Kathleen Quast2, Hongzhen Hu3, Ardem Patapoutian3,4 & William R Schafer1,2
Abstract
Members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel family mediate diverse sensory transduction processes in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In particular, members of the TRPA subfamily have distinct thermosensory roles in Drosophila, and mammalian TRPA1 is postulated to have a function in noxious cold sensation and mechanosensation. Here we show that mutations in trpa-1, the C. elegans ortholog of mouse Trpa1, confer specific defects in mechanosensory behaviors related to nose-touch responses and foraging. trpa-1 is expressed and functions in sensory neurons required for these mechanosensory behaviors, and contributes to neural responses of these cells to touch, particularly after repeated mechanical stimulation. Furthermore, mechanical pressure can activate C. elegansTRPA-1 heterologously expressed in mammalian cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate that trpa-1 encodes an ion channel that can be activated in response to mechanical pressure and is required for mechanosensory neuron function, suggesting a possible role in mechanosensory transduction or modulation.
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK.
- Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, 10675 John Hopkins Road, San Diego, California 92121, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, ICND202, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
- Present address: Allergan, Inc., 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, California 92623, USA.
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Ardem Patapoutian3,4 e-mail: apatapou@gnf.org
Correspondence to: William R Schafer1,2 e-mail: wschafer@mrc-lmb. cam.ac.uk
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