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. 2024 Mar 28;15:2715. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47016-x

Fig. 7. Neuropeptides FLP-8 released by URX neurons and FLP-21 released by AQR, PQR, and/or URX neurons inhibit exophergenesis.

Fig. 7

a flp-8(pk360) and flp-21(ok889) single and double mutants have increased exophergenesis levels. n = 180 worms, N = 6 independent experiments for WT; n = 90 worms, N = 3 indepentent experiment for mutants. b Mutations in flp-8(pk360) and flp-21(ok889) genes do not influence embryo retention in utero. n = 140 worms, N = 5 independent experiments for WT; n = 80, 80, and 60 mutant worms (for respective columns), N = 3 independent experiments. c–e Optogenetic activation of AQR, PQR, and URX, which do not produce FLP-8 and FLP-21 neuropeptides, does not lead to a decrease in exopher production. (c) n = 68 (- light stimulus), and 69 worms ( + light stimulus), N = 6 independent experiments. (d) 71 worms, N = 6 independent experiments; (e) n = 69 (- light stimulus), and 71 worms ( + light stimulus), N = 6 independent experiments. f Decreased exopher production in hermaphrodites grown in the presence of other hermaphrodites depends on FLP-8 and FLP-21 neuropeptides. n = 119, 120, 86, 90, 90, 90, 88, and 90, N = 3 independent experiments. g Increased exopher production in hermaphrodites grown on wild-type male-conditioned plates does not depend on FLP-8 and FLP-21 neuropeptides. n = 85, 90, 90, 84, 90, 70, 90, and 81 worms (for respective columns), N = 3 independent experiments. Data information: +ATR means “with all-trans-retinal”. Data are presented as median with interquartile range (a - b, f - g) or mean with SEM (c - e); not significant p values (p > 0.05) are in orange color, significant p values (p < 0.05) are in blue color; (c - g) two-tailed Mann-Whitney test, (a - b) Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.