Open AccessModulation of sensory perception by hydrogen peroxide enables Caenorhabditis elegans to find a niche that provides both food and protection from hydrogen peroxide
Author(s) -
Jodie A. Schiffer,
Stephanie V. Stumbur,
Maedeh Seyedolmohadesin,
Yuyan Xu,
William T. Serkin,
Natalie G McGowan,
Oluwatosin Banjo,
Mahdi Torkashvand,
Albert Lin,
Ciara N. Hosea,
Adrien Assié,
Buck S. Samuel,
Michael P. O’Donnell,
Vivek Venkatachalam,
Javier Apfeld,
ed. Weaver
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos pathogens
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.719
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1553-7374
pISSN - 1553-7366
DOI - 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010112
Subject(s) - hydrogen peroxide , caenorhabditis elegans , bacteria , nematode , biology , chemistry , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , genetics , gene
Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is the most common chemical threat that organisms face. Here, we show that H 2 O 2 alters the bacterial food preference of Caenorhabditis elegans , enabling the nematodes to find a safe environment with food. H 2 O 2 induces the nematodes to leave food patches of laboratory and microbiome bacteria when those bacterial communities have insufficient H 2 O 2 -degrading capacity. The nematode’s behavior is directed by H 2 O 2 -sensing neurons that promote escape from H 2 O 2 and by bacteria-sensing neurons that promote attraction to bacteria. However, the input for H 2 O 2 -sensing neurons is removed by bacterial H 2 O 2 -degrading enzymes and the bacteria-sensing neurons’ perception of bacteria is prevented by H 2 O 2 . The resulting cross-attenuation provides a general mechanism that ensures the nematode’s behavior is faithful to the lethal threat of hydrogen peroxide, increasing the nematode’s chances of finding a niche that provides both food and protection from hydrogen peroxide.