Small molecule signals mediate social behaviors in C. elegans

Abstract

The last few decades have seen the structural and functional elucidation of small-molecule chemical signals called ascarosides in C. elegans. Ascarosides mediate several biological processes in worms, ranging from development, to behavior. These signals are modular in their design architecture, with their building blocks derived from metabolic pathways. Behavioral responses are not only concentration dependent, but also are influenced by the current physiological state of the animal. Cellular and circuit-level analyses suggest that these signals constitute a complex communication system, employing both synergistic molecular elements and sex-specific neuronal circuits governing the response. In this review, we discuss research from multiple laboratories, including our own, that detail how these chemical signals govern several different social behaviors in C. elegans. We propose that the ascaroside repertoire represents a link between diverse metabolic and neurobiological life-history traits and governs the survival of C. elegans in its natural environment.

Keywords:

• Ascarosides
• C. elegans
• neural network
• behavior
• sociobiology

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the anonymous reviewers and members of the worm community. Additionally, the authors thank all (current and alumni) members of the Srinivasan Laboratory for their dedication and sincere efforts to uncover diverse aspects of neurobiology of ascaroside signaling using the C. elegans model system.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no other competing interests.