A<i>C. elegans</i>male pheromone feminizes germline gene expression in hermaphrodites and imposes life-history costs

Angeles-Albores, David; Aprison, Erin Z.; Dzitoyeva, Svetlana; Ruvinsky, Ilya

doi:10.1101/2023.02.17.528976

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…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

confidence: 99%

The roles of TGFβ and serotonin signaling in regulating proliferation of oocyte precursors and germline aging

Aprison,

Dzitoyeva,

Ruvinsky

2024

Preprint

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The decline of oocyte quality in aging but otherwise relatively healthy individuals compels a search for underlying mechanisms. Building upon a finding that exposure to male pheromone ascr#10 improves oocyte quality in C. elegans, we uncovered a regulatory cascade that promotes proliferation of oocyte precursors in adults and regulates oocyte quality. We found that the male pheromone promotes proliferation of oocyte precursors by upregulating LAG-2, a ligand of the Notch-like pathway in the germline stem cell niche. LAG-2 is upregulated by a TGFβ-like ligand DAF-7 revealing similarity of regulatory mechanisms that promote germline proliferation in adults and larvae. A serotonin circuit that also regulates food search and consumption upregulates DAF-7 specifically in adults. The serotonin/DAF-7 signaling promotes germline expansion to compensate for oocyte expenditure which is increased by the male pheromone. Finally, we show that the earliest events in reproductive aging may be due to declining expression of LAG-2 and DAF-7. Our findings highlight neuronal signals that promote germline proliferation in response to the environment and argue that deteriorating oocyte quality may be due to reduced neuronal expression of key germline regulators.

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Section: Egg Laying Licenses Daf-7 and Lag-2 Responses To Ascr#10mentioning

confidence: 99%

The roles of TGFβ and serotonin signaling in regulating proliferation of oocyte precursors and germline aging

Aprison,

Dzitoyeva,

Ruvinsky

2024

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…27 To ask whether mating status is incorporated into mate-choice decisions, we let males choose between young adult hermaphrodites that had been co-cultured for 16 hours with young adult him-5 males or instead with sterile unc-54; him-5 males, allowing us to control for exposure to male pheromones, which can dramatically alter hermaphrodite physiology. 65,66 Males displayed a clear preference for virgin over mated hermaphrodites, indicating that they can robustly detect this quality and integrate it into their behavior (Figure 5C). Because previous work has suggested or indicated that fertility status can alter VSP production, 27,30,34 we asked whether the VSP receptor srd-1 29 was necessary for this preference.…”

Section: Multiple Cues Allow Males To Detect the Mating History Of Po...mentioning

confidence: 99%

C. elegansmales optimize mate-choice decisions via sex-specific responses to multimodal sensory cues

Luo

Barrios

Portman

2023

Preprint

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For sexually reproducing animals, selecting optimal mates is essential for maximizing reproductive fitness. Because the nematode C. elegans reproduces mostly by self-fertilization, little is known about its mate-choice behaviors. While several sensory cues have been implicated in males' ability to recognize hermaphrodites, achieving an integrated understanding of the ways males use these cues to assess relevant characteristics of potential mates has proven challenging. Here, we use a choice-based social-interaction assay to explore the ability of C. elegans males to make and optimize mate choices. We find that males use a combination of volatile sex pheromones (VSPs), ascaroside pheromones, surface-bound chemical cues, and other signals to robustly assess a variety of features of potential mates. Specific aspects of mate choice are communicated by distinct signals: the presence of a sperm-depleted, receptive hermaphrodite is likely signaled by VSPs, while developmental stage and sex are redundantly specified by ascaroside pheromones and surface-associated cues. Ascarosides also signal nutritional information, allowing males to choose well-fed over starved mates, while both ascarosides and surface-associated cues cause males to prefer virgin over previously mated hermaphrodites. The male-specificity of these behavioral responses is determined by both male-specific neurons and the male state of sex-shared circuits, and we reveal an unexpected role for the sex-shared ASH sensory neurons in male attraction to endogenously produced hermaphrodite ascarosides. Together, our findings lead to an integrated view of the signaling and behavioral mechanisms by which males use diverse sensory cues to assess multiple features of potential mates and optimize mate choice.

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AC. elegansmale pheromone feminizes germline gene expression in hermaphrodites and imposes life-history costs

Cited by 2 publications

References 49 publications

The roles of TGFβ and serotonin signaling in regulating proliferation of oocyte precursors and germline aging

The roles of TGFβ and serotonin signaling in regulating proliferation of oocyte precursors and germline aging

C. elegansmales optimize mate-choice decisions via sex-specific responses to multimodal sensory cues

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