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Nanoscale Mechanical Stimulation Method for Quantifying C. elegans Mechanosensory Behavior and Memory

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Abstract

Withdrawal escape response of C. elegans to nonlocalized vibration is a useful behavioral paradigm to examine mechanisms underlying mechanosensory behavior and its memory-dependent change. However, there are very few methods for investigating the degree of vibration frequency, amplitude and duration needed to induce behavior and memory. Here, we establish a new system to quantify C. elegans mechanosensory behavior ami memory using a piezoelectric sheet speaker. In the system, we can flexibly change the vibration properties at a nanoscale displacement level and quantify behavioral responses under each vibration property. This system is an economic setup and easily replicated in other laboratories. By using the system, we clearly detected withdrawal escape responses and confirmed habituation memory. This system will facilitate the understanding of physiological aspects of C. elegans mechanosensory behavior in the future.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Caenorhabditis Genetic Center for sharing strains. T. S. and R. I. were supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Japan Science and Technology Agency under Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO). T. S. was supported by the Mochida Memorial Foundation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PRESTO, Japanese Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saifania, 332-0012, Japan

    Takuma Sugi & Ryuji Igarashi

  2. Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan

    Takuma Sugi

  3. Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Takuma Sugi, Etsuko Okumura & Kaori Kiso

  4. Laboratory of Terrestrial Microbial Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Etsuko Okumura

  5. Department of Molecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Nishikyo, Kyoto, 615-8510, Japan

    Ryuji Igarashi

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  1. Takuma Sugi
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  2. Etsuko Okumura
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  4. Ryuji Igarashi
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Correspondence to Takuma Sugi.

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Sugi, T., Okumura, E., Kiso, K. et al. Nanoscale Mechanical Stimulation Method for Quantifying C. elegans Mechanosensory Behavior and Memory. ANAL. SCI. 32, 1159–1164 (2016). https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.32.1159

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.32.1159

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