The claudin-like molecule CLC-3 regulates cholinergic neurotransmission in Caenorhabditis elegans Abstract. Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) play important roles in neurons, contributing to nervous system development, synapse formation and plasticity. A s

So happy to share that this work is now out in Genetics at academic.oup.com/genetics/art.... Thanks to Aishwarya, Anusha, Akankshya, Harinika and Jagan. Thanks also to our wonderful collaborators Haowen and Zhitao. Funding thanks DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, IISc Bangalore, #CNSIISc

How a Single Neuron Controls Social Swarming in Worms - BioPatrika Researcher Spotlight - how serotonin and PDF-1 signaling balance drives swarm-like social behavior in C. elegans, revealing how single-neuron modulation can reshape collective behavior.

#researcherspotlight Dr. Navneet Shahi @navneetshahi.bsky.social from Prof, Kavita Babu lab @kavita-babu.bsky.social at IISc Bangalore talks about her work on "How a Single Neuron Controls Social Swarming in Worms" #CNSIISc biopatrika.com/academia/res... via @biopatrika.bsky.social

Thank you Indian IISc and Souptika Das for highlighting this work. All credit to Navneet for leading this work with Nisha, Sharveri, Dimple and collaborators' Egemen and Askin. Funding thanks: DBT/WT India Alliance, ANRF and DBT. #CNSIISc iisc.ac.in/events/wormi...

Neuromodulation of Swarming Behavior in C. elegans: Insights into the Conserved role of Calsyntenins Collective animal behaviors arise from a complex interplay between internal physiological states and external environmental cues. In Caenorhabditis elegans, favorable conditions promote dispersal, while stressors like food scarcity or overcrowding trigger aggregation. Here, we describe a distinct behavior termed as swarming, where C. elegans move and feed in aggregates despite abundant food availability. While environmental factors have been implicated in this behavior, the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We identify a novel role for the conserved calsyntenin protein CASY-1 in regulating swarming. Through genetic, behavioral, and optogenetic approaches, we show that CASY-1 functions in sensory neurons to modulate the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) signaling. Mutants in casy-1 show impaired PDF-1 signaling and reduced inhibition of the serotonin pathway, a known regulator of social behaviors. This dysregulation, along with its associated mechanosensory and foraging defects, likely contributes to the swarming phenotype. Our findings reveal a putative neuromodulatory pathway critical for swarming behavior in C. elegans. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, https://ror.org/04reqzt68, IA/S/19/2/504649 ANRF-POWER

Next, characterisation of a swarming phenotype in calsyntenin mutants of worms. Navneet spearheaded this cool work, helped by Nisha, Sharveri and Dimple. Thanks also to Egemen and Askin for help. Thanks to colleagues, funding ANRF, India Alliance and IISc #CNSIISc 7/n
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

FLP-15 modulates the amplitude of body bends during locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion is essential for executing most behaviours. In Caenorhabditis elegans. Efficient locomotion is exhibited as a result of the coordination of excitatory and inhibitory signals from the nervou...

This is a follow-up if Umer's preprint on the role of FLP-15 in foraging. Umer, Sharanya, Siju and Namra study the role of FLP-15 in maintaining normal body-bends in C. elegans. funding thanks DBT, India Alliance, ANRF and IISc Bangalore
#CNSIISc. 6/n www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Happy to see a version of this out here. Many thanks to our collaborators @monikakscholz.bsky.social, Jun and Yun. The initial idea for this work was Ashwani's. Thanks to many colleagues, funding thanks DBTIndia, India Alliance, ANRF and IISc, Bangalore #CNSIISc. 5/n

Great to see a version of this out here and many congratulations to @monmitabhar.bsky.social
for taking this forward after a bunch of results that seemed very negative at the time. Thanks to many colleagues, funding thanks India Alliance, STARS,
DBTIndia and IISc Bangalore #CNSIISc. 3/n

The Feeling of Being – Connect with IISc

Special article on consciousness featuring several #CNSIISc faculty and our neuroconsciousness initiative.
connect.iisc.ac.in/2024/12/the-...