A Single-Nucleus Atlas of Adult C. elegans Neurons Reveals GPCR and Insulin-signaling Profiles

The invariant lineage of each of C. elegans 302 neurons is known, and most adult neurons have specific functions. Previously, we determined the transcriptome of C. elegans major tissues, including neurons. However, the transcripts that allow specific functions for each individual adult neuron, including each neurons complement of chemoreceptors, are unknown. The insulin-insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) pathway regulates many aspects of an organisms biological functions, including lifespan and memory ability. While whole-worm and tissue-specific transcriptomic analyses have identified IIS targets, a higher resolution single-cell approach is required to answer questions about individual neuronal changes that confer neuron-specific improvements. We used the deep neuronal resolution of single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to identify and characterize GPCRs that have specific functions in wild-type and daf-2 mutants in specific neurons.