Natural variation in protein kinase D modifies alcohol sensitivity in .

Differences in naïve alcohol sensitivity between individuals are a strong predictor of later life alcohol use disorders (AUD). However, the genetic bases for alcohol sensitivity (beyond ethanol metabolism) and pharmacological approaches to modulate alcohol sensitivity remain poorly understood. We used a high-throughput behavioral screen to measure acute behavioral sensitivity to alcohol, a model of intoxication, in a genetically diverse set of over 150 wild strains of the nematode .

Factors that influence magnetic orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Magnetoreceptive animals orient to the earth's magnetic field at angles that change depending on temporal, spatial, and environmental factors such as season, climate, and position within the geomagnetic field. How magnetic migratory preference changes in response to internal or external stimuli is not understood. We previously found that Caenorhabditis elegans orients to magnetic fields favoring migrations in one of two opposite directions.

Response to comment on "Magnetosensitive neurons mediate geomagnetic orientation in .

Many animals can orient using the earth's magnetic field. In a recent study, we performed three distinct behavioral assays providing evidence that the nematode orients to earth-strength magnetic fields (Vidal-Gadea et al., 2015).

Identifying Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for Magnetosensation.

Diverse animals ranging from worms and insects to birds and turtles perform impressive journeys using the magnetic field of the earth as a cue. Although major cellular and molecular mechanisms for sensing mechanical and chemical cues have been elucidated over the past three decades, the mechanisms that animals use to sense magnetic fields remain largely mysterious. Here we survey progress on the search for magnetosensory neurons and magnetosensitive molecules important for animal behaviors.