Hi all,
I am looking for any evolutionary connection between the C. elegans pharynx and the vertebrate olfactory system. Although I could find one topic in WormBook discussing a possible evolutionary relationship between the C. elegans pharynx and the vertebrate heart, information about a connection to the olfactory system seems difficult to find… which might be a bad sign :-\
If anyone knows an article discussing this topic, or if anyone has any idea, please let me know!
Best regards,
Alex
There’s nothing on the c.elegans pharynx in regards to it’s ability to sence food but it is almost certain that it would. It should be noted though that its stucture appears to have some zp domain protiens which are those used for receptors of sperm on the egg as well as zp being a receptor to many other molecules on many organisms. These receptors don’t require a mucose membrane like ours and are very primitive. It is also unlikely that there is going to be a large array of different types of zp domain receptors. The pharynx also exsheathes during the moult between larvae stages probably taking the zp domain matrix with it.
If this is how C. elegans taste then you may be looking for the evolutionary link between zp as receptors and whatever we use for tast buds.
Robert