Fig. 8.

Control of transcription in spermatogenesis is facilitated by multiple factors with divergent targets. (A) Fluorescent images of NHR-23::GFP::AID*::3xFLAG and spe-44::mScarlet::3xMyc. Worms containing both translational fusions as well as the mex-5p::TIR1 driver were grown from L1 onwards on control or 4 mM auxin media. The asterisks indicate gut autofluorescence. (B) Representative DIC and fluorescent images of spe-11p::mCherry::H2B in adult males expressing mex-5p::TIR1 in the germline. Worms individually expressed NHR-23::AID*::3xFLAG or SPE-44::AID*::3xFLAG, or both, were grown from L1 until the young adult stage on control or 4 mM auxin media. (C) Model depicting the coordinated control of gene expression prior to and during the stages of spermatogenesis. NHR-23 and SPE-44 control distinct sets of genes to promote the events of meiosis I and II, respectively. They redundantly promote MSP loading and FB-MO biogenesis. A third pathway controlled by yet unidentified factors promotes the expression of genes involved in the sperm-oocyte interaction, such as spe-11.