Figure 4

Vitellogenesis in daf-2(e1370) hermaphrodites mated with wildtype males. A) vit-2 and sod-3 mRNA levels, relative to wildtype day 1, in daf-2(e1370) hermaphrodites maintained at 25°C in the absence (unfilled bars) or presence (filled bars) of wildtype males. The levels of vit-2 mRNA declined between days 1-6 of adulthood in unmated (self-fertile) hermaphrodites (p = 0.016, ANOVA). This decline was abrogated in daf-2(e1370) hermaphrodites cocultured with wildtype males (p = 0.1, ANOVA). No significant change was detected in sod-3 mRNA levels in unmated or mated hermaphrodites (unmated, p = 0.17; mated, p = 0.88; ANOVA). Similar results were obtained for vit-5 mRNA. Unmated, 8 replicates were analyzed for day 1, 3 replicates for days 2 and 4, and 6 replicates for day 6; mated, 3 replicates were analyzed for each age. B) YP levels visualized by Coomassie after SDS-PAGE in daf-2(e1370) hermaphrodites maintained as for (A). C) Densitometric quantitation of YP170 and actin (control), relative to myosin, in (B). Although mating with wildtype males could stabilize vit-2 mRNA, there was no stimulation of YP levels.