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PLoS Genet

Title:		Sex Pheromones of C. elegans Males Prime the Female Reproductive System and Ameliorate the Effects of Heat Stress
Author(s):		Aprison EZ; Ruvinsky I;
Address:		"Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America"
Journal Title:		PLoS Genet
Year:		2015
Volume:		20151208
Issue:		12
Page Number:		e1005729 -
DOI:		10.1371/journal.pgen.1005729
ISSN/ISBN:		1553-7404 (Electronic) 1553-7390 (Print) 1553-7390 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Pheromones are secreted molecules that mediate animal communications. These olfactory signals can have substantial effects on physiology and likely play important roles in organismal survival in natural habitats. Here we show that a blend of two ascaroside pheromones produced by C. elegans males primes the female reproductive system in part by improving sperm guidance toward oocytes. Worms have different physiological responses to different ratios of the same two molecules, revealing an efficient mechanism for increasing coding potential of a limited repertoire of molecular signals. The endogenous function of the male sex pheromones has an important side benefit. It substantially ameliorates the detrimental effects of prolonged heat stress on hermaphrodite reproduction because it increases the effectiveness with which surviving gametes are used following stress. Hermaphroditic species are expected to lose female-specific traits in the course of evolution. Our results suggest that some of these traits could have serendipitous utility due to their ability to counter the effects of stress. We propose that this is a general mechanism by which some mating-related functions could be retained in hermaphroditic species, despite their expected decay"
Keywords:		"Animals Caenorhabditis elegans/genetics/growth & development Female Hermaphroditic Organisms/genetics/*physiology Hot Temperature Male Oocytes/metabolism Reproduction/*genetics Sex Attractants/genetics/*metabolism *Sexual Behavior, Animal Spermatozoa/meta;"
Notes:		"MedlineAprison, Erin Z Ruvinsky, Ilya eng P40 OD010440/OD/NIH HHS/ Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2015/12/10 PLoS Genet. 2015 Dec 8; 11(12):e1005729. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005729. eCollection 2015 Dec"