Table 1.

Results and implications of Fig. 2

Strain	Sperm status	Oocyte status	Volatile pheromone	Implications
glp-1	Very few, normal	None	Yes	Pheromone is produced by the soma and suppressed by the germ line.
fem-2	None	Normal	Yes	Sperm depletion eliminates suppression without aging.
fog-2	None	Normal	Yes	Same as fem-2.
Aged N2	None	Normal	Yes	Aging of WT worms eliminates suppression.
oma-1,2	Normal	Cannot be ovulated	Yes	Sperm presence is insufficient.
spe-8	Immobile	Normal, ovulated	Yes	Oocyte activation/ovulation is insufficient.
spe-42	Cannot fuse	Normal, ovulated	No	Sperm–oocyte fusion is unnecessary.
egg-3	Normal	Oocyte cannot react to sperm	Yes	EGG-3 is necessary.
egg-4,5	Normal	Oocyte cannot react to sperm	No	Known EGG-3–binding partners are unnecessary.
mbk-2	Normal	No eggshell, meiosis incomplete	No	Known downstream effectors of EGG-3 are unnecessary.
chs-1	Normal	No eggshell	No	Eggshell deposition is unnecessary.
mei-1	Normal	Meiosis incomplete	No	Completion of meiosis is unnecessary.
pos-1	Normal	Resulting embryo dies	No	Embryonic viability is unnecessary.
Young N2	Normal	Normal	No	Young WT worms suppress pheromone output.

The terms “insufficient”, “necessary,” and “unnecessary” are always in reference to the suppression of pheromone production. Overall, we conclude that the pheromone is produced in the soma and suppressed by a signal originating in the germ line. EGG-3 and sperm–oocyte contact are necessary for suppression. Eggshell deposition, complete meiosis, known EGG-3 effectors, known EGG-3–binding partners, and embryonic viability are unnecessary for suppression. Sperm presence, oocyte activation, ovulation, and egg/oocyte-laying are insufficient for suppression.