Comparative connectomics reveals stage-specific gap junction rewiring that reshapes avoidance behavior
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: provides a unique model to address this question. Here, we investigated how dauer-specific circuit remodeling alters nociceptive behavior. We found that dauers exhibit markedly shorter avoidance durations than adults. Comparative connectomics revealed substantial expansion of gap junctions within the dauer nociceptive circuit. Calcium imaging further showed that dauer neurons exhibit faster and more transient activity dynamics throughout the circuit. Introducing synthetic dauer-specific gap junctions into adults was sufficient to recapitulate dauer-like neuronal activity patterns and significantly shorten avoidance duration. Despite extensive circuit rewiring, however, avoidance initiation remained preserved across developmental stages. Together, our findings demonstrate that the dauer connectome is selectively rewired through gap junction remodeling to tune behavioral persistence while robustly preserving behavioral initiation, revealing how developmental circuit reorganization balances flexibility and stability for survival under stress.
Authors: Daniel T. Choe, David H. Hall, Ken C.Q. Nguyen, Myunghwan Choi, J. Alexander Bae, Junho Lee
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7162779308