Required for normal thermosensation and chemosensation sensory behavior (PubMed:8893027). Required, downstream of receptor-type guanylate cyclase gcy-9, for CO2-mediated responses in BAG neurons (PubMed:21173231). Required, downstream of receptor-type guanylate cyclase gcy-14, for alkaline pH-mediated responses in ASE-left (ASEL) neurons (PubMed:23664973). Involved in the development of ASJ sensory neuron axon during late larval stages and in the maintenance of normal axon morphology in the adult. Regulates dauer formation (PubMed:9486798). Required for the calcium flux to the cytoplasm in the ASJ sensory neurons upon the onset and removal of a nitric oxide (NO) stimulus, thereby promoting the ASJ-mediated behavioral avoidance response to NO-producing organisms like P.aeruginosa (PubMed:30014846). In ASI and ASJ sensory neurons, controls behavioral response to P.aeruginosa by up-regulating the transcription of daf-7, a member of the TGF-beta family (PubMed:25303524). In AWB and AWC sensory neurons, mediates the recognition of food odors which subsequently allows for the detection of preferred food sources (PubMed:25009271). In AWC neurons, acts to promote expression of srsx-3, a member of the GPCR family. Expressed at the sensory endings of thermosensory, gustatory, and olfactory neurons. Belongs to the cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel (TC 1.A.1.5) family.