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C. elegans interprets bacterial non-coding RNAs to learn pathogenic avoidance

Author

Listed:
  • Rachel Kaletsky

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University)

  • Rebecca S. Moore

    (Princeton University)

  • Geoffrey D. Vrla

    (Princeton University)

  • Lance R. Parsons

    (Princeton University)

  • Zemer Gitai

    (Princeton University)

  • Coleen T. Murphy

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University)

Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans must distinguish pathogens from nutritious food sources among the many bacteria to which it is exposed in its environment1. Here we show that a single exposure to purified small RNAs isolated from pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14) is sufficient to induce pathogen avoidance in the treated worms and in four subsequent generations of progeny. The RNA interference (RNAi) and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathways, the germline and the ASI neuron are all required for avoidance behaviour induced by bacterial small RNAs, and for the transgenerational inheritance of this behaviour. A single P. aeruginosa non-coding RNA, P11, is both necessary and sufficient to convey learned avoidance of PA14, and its C. elegans target, maco-1, is required for avoidance. Our results suggest that this non-coding-RNA-dependent mechanism evolved to survey the microbial environment of the worm, use this information to make appropriate behavioural decisions and pass this information on to its progeny.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Kaletsky & Rebecca S. Moore & Geoffrey D. Vrla & Lance R. Parsons & Zemer Gitai & Coleen T. Murphy, 2020. "C. elegans interprets bacterial non-coding RNAs to learn pathogenic avoidance," Nature, Nature, vol. 586(7829), pages 445-451, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:586:y:2020:i:7829:d:10.1038_s41586-020-2699-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2699-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaobing Huang & Changliang Wang & Tianjiao Zhang & Rongzhen Li & Liang Chen & Ka Lai Leung & Merja Lakso & Qinghua Zhou & Hongjie Zhang & Garry Wong, 2023. "PIWI-interacting RNA expression regulates pathogenesis in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of Lewy body disease," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Noa Deshe & Yifat Eliezer & Lihi Hoch & Eyal Itskovits & Eduard Bokman & Shachaf Ben-Ezra & Alon Zaslaver, 2023. "Inheritance of associative memories and acquired cellular changes in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

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