Influence of environmental temperature on mouth-form plasticity in Pristionchus pacificus acts through daf-11-dependent cGMP signaling

Mouth-form plasticity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus has become a powerful system to identify the genetic and molecular mechanisms associated with phenotypic (developmental) plasticity. In particular, the identification of developmental switch genes that can sense environmental stimuli and reprogram developmental processes has confirmed long-standing evolutionary theory. Together with the associated gene regulatory networks, these developmental switch genes have been important to show that plasticity is consistent with the Modern Synthesis of evolution. However, how these genes are involved in the direct sensing of the environment, or if the switch genes act downstream of another, primary environmental sensing mechanism, remains currently unknown. Here, we study the influence of environmental temperature on mouth-form plasticity. Using forward and reverse genetic technology including CRISPR/Cas9, we show that mutations in the guanylyl cyclase Ppa-daf-11, the Ppa-daf-25/AnkMy2 and the cyclic nucleotide-gated channel Ppa-tax-2 eliminate the response to elevated temperatures. Together, our study indicates that DAF-11, DAF-25 and TAX-2 have been co-opted for environmental sensing during mouth-form plasticity regulation in P. pacificus. This work suggests that developmental switch genes integrate environmental signals including perception by cGMP signaling.