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C. elegans discriminate colors without eyes or opsins

D. Dipon Ghosh, Xin Jin, Michael Nitabach
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/092072
D. Dipon Ghosh
Yale University;
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Xin Jin
Yale University;
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Michael Nitabach
Yale School of Medicine
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  • For correspondence: michael.nitabach@yale.edu
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Abstract

Here we establish that, contrary to expectations, Caenorhabditis elegans nematode worms possess a color discrimination system despite lacking any opsin or other known visible light photoreceptor genes. We found that white light guides C. elegans foraging decisions away from harmful bacteria that secrete a blue pigment toxin. Absorption of amber light by this blue pigment toxin alters the color of light sensed by the worm, and thereby triggers an increase in avoidance. By combining narrow-band blue and amber light sources, we demonstrated that detection of the specific blue:amber ratio by the worm guides its foraging decision. These behavioral and psychophysical studies thus establish the existence of a color detection system that is distinct from those of other animals.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.
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Posted November 17, 2017.
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C. elegans discriminate colors without eyes or opsins
D. Dipon Ghosh, Xin Jin, Michael Nitabach
bioRxiv 092072; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/092072
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C. elegans discriminate colors without eyes or opsins
D. Dipon Ghosh, Xin Jin, Michael Nitabach
bioRxiv 092072; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/092072

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