Distinct genetic requirements underlie LITE-1-dependent photosensation and avoidance of high concentration of diacetyl in C. elegans

The eyeless nematode C. elegans can detect and respond to aversive blue and ultraviolet light using the gustatory receptor homolog LITE-1. In addition to its role in phototransduction, LITE-1 also functions as a chemoreceptor for the odorants diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. However, whether these different sensory modalities rely on the same downstream signalling components is unknown. In this study, we provide behavioural evidence that unlike its LITE-1-dependent photosensory function which relies on cGMP signalling components, its chemosensory function remains intact in mutants with disrupted cGMP signalling.