HOA mediates ABA inhibition of ARE-induced protraction and requires avr-14 and unc-7. A, Percentages of wild-type and mutant males that protract their spicules in the corresponding avermectin baths. B, Loss-of-function mutants for avr-14, avr-15, and glc-1; mock versus HOA-ablated males response to ABA+ARE. C, Expression pattern of Pavr-14:YFP in several head, ventral chord, dorsal chord, and tail neurons (top). Overlaid DIC and confocal YFP image of avr-14 expression in HOA (bottom). D, DA + ARE response for avr-14, HOA ablated males, UNC-7(A59T) tissue-specific overexpression, and respective controls. A–D, Top and bottom numbers indicate the percentage and number of animals tested, respectively. All p values were calculated using Fisher's exact t test. The exact p values are indicated above the connector lines.