William R Schafer

K2P Channels Regulate Presynaptic Organisation through a Membrane Potential-Independent Mechanism

This study identifies a membrane potential-independent role for the K2P channel TWK-40 in regulating presynaptic organisation through intracellular potassium levels and interactions with PYK-1 and transcription factors.

DeorphaNN: Virtual screening of GPCR peptide agonists using AlphaFold-predicted active-state complexes and deep learning embeddings

DeorphaNN identifies peptide agonists for GPCRs using AlphaFold structural predictions and deep learning embeddings, successfully uncovering agonists for two orphan receptors across species.

Protocol for calcium imaging of acute brain slices from Octopus vulgaris hatchlings during application of neurotransmitters

This paper describes a protocol for calcium imaging in Octopus vulgaris brain slices to study single-cell responses to neurotransmitters.

An entropic measure of diverse specialisation highlights multifunctional neurons in annotated connectomes

The paper introduces an entropic measure to identify multifunctional neurons by combining topological analysis with node metadata in connectomes of C. elegans and Drosophila.

Neurons, Muscles, and Venom: Elucidating a Neural-to-Secretory Pathway in Cephalopod Predation

The paper characterizes the structural and neuronal organization of venom glands in cephalopods and identifies molecular mechanisms regulating venom release.

Molecular patterns of evolutionary changes throughout the whole nervous system of multiple nematode species

The paper analyzes whole-animal single-cell transcriptomes of nematodes to reveal stable neuronal identities but divergent signaling pathways across species.

Novel dopaminergic neurotransmission in the Octopus visual system

The paper identifies novel dopamine and acetylcholine ionotropic receptors in the octopus visual system, revealing distinct neurochemical mechanisms compared to mammals.

A Novel and Functionally Diverse Class of Acetylcholine-gated Ion Channels

The paper identifies new inhibitory acetylcholine-gated ion channels in C. elegans with diverse ligand binding properties and reveals neurons expressing both excitatory and inhibitory channels.

System-wide mapping of neuropeptide-GPCR interactions in C. elegans

The paper reports a genome-wide map of neuropeptide-GPCR interactions in C. elegans, identifying 461 cognate peptide-GPCR pairs and uncovering their evolutionary conservation.

The neuropeptidergic connectome of C. elegans

The paper generates a draft connectome of neuropeptide signaling in C. elegans by integrating single-cell data with biochemical analysis.

Opposing steroid signals modulate protein homeostasis through deep changes in fat metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans

The paper shows that UNC-1 in C. elegans neurons modulates protein homeostasis by altering fat metabolism through neurohormonal signaling involving NHR-1 and DAF-12.

Neuropeptide signalling shapes feeding and reproductive behaviours in male C. elegans

This study identifies a sex-specific role of the lury-1 neuropeptide in feeding and mating behaviors of male C. elegans.

Neuronally Produced Betaine Acts via a Novel Ligand Gated Ion Channel to Control Behavioural States

The paper identifies betaine's role in C. elegans behavior through a newly characterized ligand-gated ion channel, LGC-41, produced by specific neurons.

Deorphanisation of novel biogenic amine-gated ion channels identifies a new serotonin receptor for learning

The paper identifies a novel serotonin-gated ion channel, LGC-50, essential for aversive olfactory learning in C. elegans.

Distinct roles for innexin gap junctions and hemichannels in mechanosensation

This study identifies UNC-7 hemichannels and MEC-4 channels as distinct components in mechanosensation in C. elegans, showing their separate roles in touch response.

Automated analysis of sleep in adult C. elegans with closed-loop assessment of state-dependent neural activity

The paper develops methods to analyze sleep and neural activity in adult C. elegans, finding that sleep increases arousal threshold without altering sensory neuron responses.

Deep behavioural phenotyping reveals divergent trajectories of ageing and quantifies health state in C. elegans

This study uses multi-parametric phenotyping to analyze ageing trajectories in C. elegans, revealing divergent ageing patterns in disease models and quantifying health states through phenotypic flexibility.