A molecular filter for the cnidarian stinging response.
Elife
; 92020 05 26.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32452384
ABSTRACT
All animals detect and integrate diverse environmental signals to mediate behavior. Cnidarians, including jellyfish and sea anemones, both detect and capture prey using stinging cells called nematocytes which fire a venom-covered barb via an unknown triggering mechanism. Here, we show that nematocytes from Nematostella vectensis use a specialized voltage-gated calcium channel (nCaV) to distinguish salient sensory cues and control the explosive discharge response. Adaptations in nCaV confer unusually sensitive, voltage-dependent inactivation to inhibit responses to non-prey signals, such as mechanical water turbulence. Prey-derived chemosensory signals are synaptically transmitted to acutely relieve nCaV inactivation, enabling mechanosensitive-triggered predatory attack. These findings reveal a molecular basis for the cnidarian stinging response and highlight general principles by which single proteins integrate diverse signals to elicit discrete animal behaviors.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Anémonas de Mar
/
Canales de Calcio Tipo N
/
Mecanotransducción Celular
/
Nematocisto
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Elife
Año:
2020
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos