The RFamide receptor DMSR-1 regulates stress-induced sleep in <i>C. elegans</i>.

Iannacone, Michael J; Beets, Isabel; Lopes, Lindsey E; Churgin, Matthew A; Fang-Yen, Christopher; Nelson, Matthew D; Schoofs, Liliane; Raizen, David M · Elife · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

In response to environments that cause cellular stress, animals engage in sleep behavior that facilitates recovery from the stress. In <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, stress-induced sleep(SIS) is regulated by cytokine activation of the ALA neuron, which releases FLP-13 neuropeptides characterized by an amidated arginine-phenylalanine (RFamide) C-terminus motif. By performing an unbiased genetic screen for mutants that impair the somnogenic effects of FLP-13 neuropeptides, we identified the gene <i>dmsr-1</i>, which encodes a G-protein coupled receptor similar to an insect RFamide receptor. DMSR-1 is activated by FLP-13 peptides in cell culture, is required for SIS <i>in vivo</i>, is expressed non-synaptically in several wake-promoting neurons, and likely couples to a Gi/o heterotrimeric G-protein. Our data expand our understanding of how a single neuroendocrine cell coordinates an organism-wide behavioral response, and suggest that similar signaling principles may function in other organisms to regulate sleep during sickness.

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