The survival strategy of “freezing” when trapped by a predator
Nematode worms enter a sleep-like state when captured by predatory fungi, shedding light on ancient survival strategies.
When Caenorhabditis elegans, a model nematode worm, gets caught in the sticky traps of the predatory fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora, it rapidly stops moving and feeding, entering a sleep-like dormant state. Researchers have uncovered the neural circuits and molecular pathways behind this dramatic behavioural shift, revealing a sophisticated mechanism that could be critical f...
