Temperature alters gene expression in AFD in part via the CRH-1 cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), and we demonstrate that deletion of a single cAMP response element (CRE) motif in the endogenous pyt-1 promoter is sufficient to abolish temperature-dependent expression changes and neuronal plasticity. This evidence concerns the gene CREB1 and Nager acrofacial dysostosis.