Hedgehog-related gene wrt-10 mediates intergenerational effects of fasting on larval size in Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Low food availability can cause delays in reproductive aging to allow for eventual improvements in conditions, or might promote investment in offspring to increase their survival. Here, we tested whether Caenorhabditis elegans Hedgehog-related wrt-10 mediates these responses. We found that reproductively aged wild-type worms and wrt-10 ( aus36 ) null mutants both had a greater likelihood of progeny production after 24-h or 48-h fasting periods in early adulthood, indicating that wrt-10 is not required for this response. However, unlike wild-type, wrt-10 ( aus36 ) mutants did not produce longer larvae after fasting. Therefore, wrt-10 may enable diet-restricted C. elegans adults to channel resources towards their progeny.