In principle it is possible that infection of C. elegans with M. nematophilum alters the connectivity of ADF such that the rectal epithelium become a postsynaptic target however we did not observe any gross changes in the expression pattern of a tph-1p::DSRED reporter, that is expressed in ADF neurons, following M. nematophilum infection (data not shown) and it seems unlikely that infection would cause such dramatic reorganization of the nervous system. This evidence concerns the gene TPH1 and infection.