Figure 4. Nutritional state regulates daf-7 expression in the ASJ neurons of males.

(A) Schematic of experiment design indicating timing and duration of starvation periods (left). FISH images of endogenous daf-7 mRNA in the ASJ neurons for each experimental condition (right). White dotted lines indicate outline of ASJ cell body as localized by ptrx-1::gfp. Scale bar represents 5 µm. (B) Maximum fluorescence values of pdaf-7::gfp in the ASJ neurons during re-feeding experiment. Re-fed animals were starved for a period of 24 hr before being reintroduced to E. coli for the indicated amount of time. ***p<0.001 as determined by ordinary one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test. Error bars indicate SD. n.s., not significant. (C) Representative curves of mate-searching data in fed and post-starvation WT males. Animals were starved for a period of 24 hr as in previous experiments before being assayed for mate-searching behavior.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21166.010

Figure 4—figure supplement 1. daf-7 expression is down-regulated by starvation specifically in the ASJ neurons.

(A) Representative FISH image of endogenous daf-7 mRNA in a starved adult male. White dotted line indicates outline of an ASJ neuron. Closed triangle indicates an ASI neuron. Other neurons visible anterior to the ASI neuron are likely the OLQ neurons, and posterior to the ASJ neuron are likely the ADE neurons. Scale bar represents 25 µm. (B) Fluorescence quantification for daf-7-Cy5 probe in the ASJ neurons (as localized by ptrx-1::gfp) of males fed and starved at various different points in their lives. ***p<0.001 as determined by ordinary one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test. Error bars represent SD. n.s., not significant. (C) Fluorescence quantification for daf-7-Cy5 probe in the ASI neurons of starved and fed males. Significance determined by unpaired t-test with Welch’s correction. Error bars represent SD. n.s., not significant.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21166.011