Analysis of Molecular Circuitry Integrated to Lethargus State of Caenorhabditis elegans: A Review

Sleep is a quintessential phenomenon of our nervous system. In spite of enduring research, the complexity of brain makes it more challenging to understand the mechanism underlying the sleep phase with numinous nature. Across the animal kingdom, most of the features related to sleep are evolutionary conserved. Therefore, for the holistic overview, model organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans signify the complicated events in a simplistic way that could be helpful to envisage the specificities governing sleep in higher organisms. The main objective of the review was to study the molecular signalling developmentally time sleep pathways leading to the lethargus state of Caenorhabditis elegans. The present article brings forth the characteristic features pertinent to the lethargus state of C. elegans. In addition, the review also highlighted different molecular components like neurons, neurotransmitters (neuropeptides), signalling molecules, transcription factors involved in the lethargus phase. Taken together, the gathered information would be helpful to understand the phenomenal changes associated with sleep. Though the knowledge gaps presented here would serve as an endeavour to be explored for future research.