Light sensing enhances thermotolerance and competitive fitness via serotonergic signaling in an eyeless organism - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #serotonin
- #photoperception
- #thermotolerance
- Caenorhabditis elegans uses light sensing to enhance survival under thermal stress despite being eyeless.
- Low-intensity light activates a heat-shock response via the photoreceptor LITE-1.
- Serotonin signaling, triggered by light, promotes thermotolerance through the serotonin receptor SER-5 in the intestine and muscle.
- Light perception delays egg laying under unfavorable conditions and induces intergenerational thermotolerance.
- Photoperception improves population competitiveness, providing an advantage in dynamic environments.
- This study reveals a new role for photoperception in a non-photosynthetic animal for thermal adaptation and fitness.