Abstract:Sex pheromones improve reproductive success, but also impose costs. Here we show that even brief exposure to physiological amounts of the dominantC. elegansmale pheromone, ascr#10, alters the expression of thousands of genes in hermaphrodites. The most dramatic effect on the transcriptome was the upregulation of genes expressed during oogenesis and downregulation of genes associated with male gametogenesis. Among the detrimental effects of ascr#10 on hermaphrodites is the increased risk of persistent infection… Show more
“…This organization of the circuit limits ascr#10 responses -germline proliferation and behavioral -to actively reproducing animals. ascr#10 promotes egg laying and mating receptivity (Aprison et al, 2022b;Aprison and Ruvinsky, 2019a) as well as reduces exploration (Aprison and Ruvinsky, 2019a) and increases pharyngeal pumping (Angeles-Albores et al, 2023). The coupling between reproductive and food seeking behaviors likely assures that sufficient resources are consumed to match the increased reproductive output.…”
Section: Egg Laying Licenses Daf-7 and Lag-2 Responses To Ascr#10mentioning