A neurotransmitter produced by gut bacteria modulates host sensory behaviour

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 583; no. 7816; pp. 415 - 420
• Main Authors: O’Donnell, Michael P., Fox, Bennett W., Chao, Pin-Hao, Schroeder, Frank C., Sengupta, Piali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.07.2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/208/1515; 631/378/340; 64/11; Animals; Avoidance Learning - drug effects; Bacteria; Behavior; Biosynthesis; Caenorhabditis elegans - drug effects; Caenorhabditis elegans - microbiology; Caenorhabditis elegans - physiology; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - metabolism; Decision making; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Food; Food selection; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - physiology; Genes; Host-bacteria relationships; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hydroxylase; Intestines - microbiology; Metabolites; Metabolomics; Microbiological research; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Microorganisms; multidisciplinary; Mutation; Nematodes; Nervous system; Neuromodulation; Neurotransmitter Agents - metabolism; Neurotransmitters; Octanols - pharmacology; Octopamine; Octopamine - biosynthesis; Octopamine - metabolism; Pain perception; Physiological aspects; Providencia - enzymology; Providencia - metabolism; Providencia - physiology; Receptors, Biogenic Amine - metabolism; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Senses and sensation; Sensory Receptor Cells - metabolism; Signaling; Smell - drug effects; Smell - physiology; Tyramine; Tyramine - biosynthesis; Tyramine - metabolism; Tyrosine Decarboxylase - deficiency; Tyrosine Decarboxylase - genetics; Worms; United States

Animals coexist in commensal, pathogenic or mutualistic relationships with complex communities of diverse organisms, including microorganisms 1 . Some bacteria produce bioactive neurotransmitters that have previously been proposed to modulate nervous system activity and behaviours of their hosts 2 ,...