普林斯顿大学Coleen T. Murphy团队的一项最新研究发现，AGO蛋白（Argonaute）Piwi/PRG-1 和TGF-β介导的跨代规避性学习行为，有助于提高后代在复杂环境中的生存能力。 该研究于2019年6月6日发表于国际一流学术期刊《细胞》杂志上。

研究组发现，秀丽隐杆线虫在学会避开致病菌铜绿假单胞菌(PA14)之后，会将这种学会的行为通过雄性或雌性生殖系传递给后代，并持续到第四代。在ASI感觉神经元表达TGF-β的配体DAF-7显示出一致的结果，是跨代回避性行为所必须的。此外，Piwi Argonaute同源物PRG-1及其下游分子组分是回避行为和ASI daf-7表达的跨代遗传所必需的。父母已经学会避免PA14的动物表现出基于PA14回避的生存优势，这也依赖于prg-1，表明它们有适应性反应。致病性学习的跨代表观遗传可能优化后代的决策，以增加在波动的环境条件下的生存。

据介绍，从进化的角度来说，从父母那里继承所学信息的能力是有益的，可以让后代更好地在危险的环境中生存。

附：英文原文

Title: Piwi/PRG-1 Argonaute and TGF-β Mediate Transgenerational Learned Pathogenic Avoidance

Author: Rebecca S. Moore, Rachel Kaletsky, Coleen T. Murphy

Issue&Volume: Jun 13, 2019 Volume 177Issue 7 

Abstract: The ability to inherit learned information from parents could be evolutionarily beneficial, enabling progeny to better survive dangerous conditions. We discovered that, after C. elegans have learned to avoid the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA14), they pass this learned behavior on to their progeny, through either the male or female germline, persisting through the fourth generation. Expression of the TGF-β ligand DAF-7 in the ASI sensory neurons correlates with and is required for this transgenerational avoidance behavior. Additionally, the Piwi Argonaute homolog PRG-1 and its downstream molecular components are required for transgenerational inheritance of both avoidance behavior and ASI daf-7 expression. Animals whose parents have learned to avoid PA14 display a PA14 avoidance-based survival advantage that is also prg-1 dependent, suggesting an adaptive response. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of pathogenic learning may optimize progeny decisions to increase survival in fluctuating environmental conditions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.05.024

Source: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(19)30552-5