"Mating-induced death, which affects both sexes and many other Caenorhabditis species, may be an unavoidable consequence of reproduction, the researchers reported. Murphy and first author Cheng Shi, a Princeton postdoctoral research associate, reported in the journal Science in 2014 that female C. elegans perish after mating, a form of competition between males.
Male pheromone-dependent killing, however, is specific to males of hermaphroditic Caenorhabditisspecies. "We think it's a mechanism to get rid of males after they've been useful," Murphy said. The hermaphrodites have basically figured out a way to produce males when they need them for genetic diversity, and get rid of them again by making the males poison themselves...
Mating-induced death results from the activation of genes — known as germline upregulation — the males normally never use that ultimately kill them, Murphy said. At the same time, germline upregulation and neurons seem to influence the production and reception of the male's deadly pheromone."
This delights me.
Partially because of the science and the fact that I took a seminar from the PI and I really enjoy learning about this kind of research.
But also because HaHa.
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