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

ABSTRACT: 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 feature

SUBMITTER: Luo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10104232 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature