# Expression of the siss-1 gene in C. elegans

## TL;DR

This study explores how the siss-1 gene is expressed in different tissues of C. elegans, revealing specific patterns that may relate to sleep signaling.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the tissue-specific expression of the siss-1 gene in C. elegans.

## Key findings

- siss-1 is expressed in the pharynx, gut, rectal gland, vulval muscles, and a subset of neurons.
- Transgenic reporters show siss-1 expression in the distal tip cell of the migrating gonad and vulF cells.
- Expression is tissue-specific, indicating not all tissues can signal to sleep-promoting neurons.

## Abstract

C. elegans

SISS-1
is an Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) family ligand that signals from damaged cells to sleep-promoting neurons during
s
tress-
i
nduced
s
leep (SIS). Damage to a range of tissues can trigger SIS, and we reasoned that

siss-1

should be widely expressed. Here we investigate

siss-1

expression using both endogenous and transgenic fluorescent reporters. Our endogenous reporter reveals

siss-1

expression in the pharynx, gut, rectal gland, vulval muscles, and a subset of neurons. Our transgenic reporters reveal expression in additional cell types including the distal tip cell of the migrating gonad and vulF cells of the developing vulva. This expression is specific relative to our expectation and suggests that not all tissues are capable of signaling to sleep neurons.