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Kim, Gun-Ho
SoftHeat Lab.
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Sensing of sound pressure gradients by C. elegans drives phonotaxis behavior

Author(s)
Wang, CanRonan, Elizabeth A.Kim, Shin-KwanKitsopoulos, PanagiotaIliff, Adam J.Grosh, KarlKim, Gun-HoLiu, JianfengXu, X. Z. Shawn
Issued Date
2023-09
DOI
10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.005
URI
https://scholarworks.unist.ac.kr/handle/201301/66238
Citation
CURRENT BIOLOGY, v.33, no.18, pp.3985 - 3991
Abstract
Despite lacking ears, the nematode C. elegans senses airborne sound and engages in phonotaxis behavior, enabling it to locate and avoid sound sources.1 How worms sense sound, however, is not well understood. Here, we report an interesting observation that worms respond only to sounds emitted by small but not large speakers, indicating that they preferentially respond to localized sound sources. Notably, sounds emitted by small speakers form a sharp sound pressure gradient across the worm body, while sounds from large speakers do not, suggesting that worms sense sound pressure gradients rather than absolute sound pressure. Analysis of phonotaxis behavior, sound-evoked skin vibration, and sound-sensitive neuron activities further support this model. We suggest that the ability to sense sound pressure gradients provides a potential mechanism for worms to distinguish sounds generated by their predators, which are typically small animals, from those produced by large animals or background noise. As vertebrate cochlea and some insect ears can also detect sound pressure gradients, our results reveal that sensing of sound pressure gradients may represent a common mechanism in auditory sensation across animal phyla.
Publisher
CELL PRESS
ISSN
0960-9822
Keyword
AIRBORNE

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