mTORC2 disruption reprograms nutrient-driven behavioral adaptations in C. elegans.

Abstract

Animals adapt their foraging behavior based on the quality and availability of food in the environment. Here, we examine how the disruption of mTORC2 affects such adaptations in Caenorhabditis elegans . Specifically, we characterize the food preference and dwelling behavior of the mutant of the rict-1 gene, which codes for the core component of mTORC2, across two diets of differing nutritional value. Our findings show that rict-1 mutants display altered behavioral responses shaped by prior dietary experience, indicating impaired dietary memory. This study reveals a critical role for mTORC2 signaling in integrating past nutritional states with current foraging decisions, providing insight into how metabolic pathways regulate context-dependent feeding behavior in C. elegans .