RNAseq of dauer-forming C. elegans L2d in daf-2 and daf-2;daf-42

Under adverse environmental conditions, nematodes arrest into dauer, an alternative developmental stage for diapause. Dauers endure unfavorable environment and interact with host animals to access favorable environments, thus playing a critical role in the survival of both free-living and parasitic nematodes. Here, we discovered that in Caenorhabditis elegans, daf-42 is essential for development into dauer stage, as the null mutant shows lethal phenotype during dauer entry. To examine the transcriptional changes accompanied by the absence of DAF-42 during dauer entry, we performed RNA-sequencing on daf-2 and daf-2; daf-42 worms at 52 hours after egg laying (HAE) and 60 HAE, the time at which 0% and about 40% of daf-2; daf-42 mutants form dead dauer at 25 degrees Celcius, respectively. daf-2 control worms develop into dauer stage after 60 HAE, and half of its population develop into dauer by 72 HAE, when raised at 25 degrees Celcius.