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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.01.14.575365

Intricate response dynamics enhances stimulus discrimination in the resource-limited C. elegans chemosensory system

Bokman, E.·Pritz, C.·Ruach, R.·Itskovits, E.·Sharvit, H.·Zaslaver, A.
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Abstract

Sensory systems evolved intricate designs to accurately encode perplexing environments. However, this encoding task may become particularly challenging for animals harboring a small number of sensory neurons. Here, we studied how the compact resource-limited chemosensory system of C. elegans uniquely encodes a range of chemical stimuli. We find that each stimulus is encoded using a small and unique subset of neurons, where only a portion of the encoding neurons sense the stimulus directly, and the rest are recruited via inter-neuronal communication. Furthermore, while most neurons show stereotypical response dynamics, some neurons exhibit versatile dynamics that are either stimulus specific or network-activity dependent. Notably, it is the collective dynamics of all responding neurons which provides valuable information that ultimately enhances stimulus identification, particularly when required to discriminate between closely-related stimuli. Together, these findings demonstrate how a compact and resource-limited chemosensory system can efficiently encode and discriminate a diverse range of chemical stimuli.

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Bokman, E., Pritz, C., Ruach, R., Itskovits, E., Sharvit, H., Zaslaver, A.. 2024-01-15. Intricate response dynamics enhances stimulus discrimination in the resource-limited C. elegans chemosensory system. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.01.14.575365

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