A male pheromone that improves the quality of the oogenic germline.

ABSTRACT: Pheromones exchanged by conspecifics are a major class of chemical signals that can alter behavior, physiology, and development. In particular, males and females communicate with potential mating partners via sex pheromones to promote reproductive success. Physiological and developmental mechanisms by which pheromones facilitate progeny production remain largely enigmatic. Here, we describe how a Caenorhabditis elegans male pheromone, ascr#10, improves the oogenic germline. Before most signs of aging become evident, C. elegans hermaphrodites start producing lower-quality gametes characterized by abnormal morphology, increased rates of chromosomal nondisjunction, and higher penetrance of deleterious alleles. We show that exposure to the male pheromone substantially ameliorates these defects

SUBMITTER: Aprison EZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9173808 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature