Journal Article

Oxytocin/Vasopressin-Related Peptides Have an Ancient Role in Reproductive Behavior

Pokala, Navin, Bernstein, Samantha, Garrison, Jennifer L., Albrecht, Dirk R., Macosko, Evan Z., Bargmann, Cornelia I.

2012

Overview

Many biological functions are conserved, but the extent to which conservation applies to integrative behaviors is unknown. Vasopressin and oxytocin neuropeptides are strongly implicated in mammalian reproductive and social behaviors, yet rodent loss-of-function mutants have relatively subtle behavioral defects. Here we identify an oxytocin/vasopressin-like signaling system in Caenorhabditis elegans, consisting of a peptide and two receptors that are expressed in sexually dimorphic patterns. Males lacking the peptide or its receptors perform poorly in reproductive behaviors, including mate search, mate recognition, and mating, but other sensorimotor behaviors are intact. Quantitative analysis indicates that mating motor patterns are fragmented and inefficient in mutants, suggesting that oxytocin/vasopressin peptides increase the coherence of mating behaviors. These results indicate that conserved molecules coordinate diverse behavioral motifs in reproductive behavior.

• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science,The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subject: Amino Acid Sequence / Animal reproduction / Animals / Associative / Associative Learning / beets / Behavioral neuroscience / Biological and medical sciences / Biological Evolution / Bonding / Caenorhabditis elegans / Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics / Caenorhabditis elegans - physiology / Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - agonists / Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - chemistry / Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - genetics / Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - pharmacology / Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - physiology / CHO Cells / Cricetinae / Evolutionary / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / HEK293 cells / Hormones / Humans / Invertebrates / Learning / Male / Male animals / Mammals / Mating behavior / Nematoda / Neurons / Neuropeptides / Neuropeptides - chemistry / Neuropeptides - genetics / Neuropeptides - pharmacology / Neuropeptides - physiology / Neurosciences / oxytocin / Oxytocin - chemistry / Oxytocin - genetics / Oxytocin - pharmacology / Oxytocin - physiology / Peptides / Receptors / Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - agonists / Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - genetics / Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - physiology / Reporter genes / Reproduction / reproductive behavior / Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology / Sheep / Social behavior / Spermatozoa / vasopressin / Vasopressins - chemistry / Vasopressins - genetics / Vasopressins - pharmacology / Vasopressins - physiology / Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs / voles / Vulva / Worms