Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

nhr-41 encodes a nuclear receptor of the NR2D1 subfamily that is orthologous to the Drosophila DHR78 nuclear receptor essential for the onset of metamorphosis, and the mammalian TR2 and TR4 receptors which are expressed in androgen-sensitive organs and brain tissue, respectively; by homology, NHR-41 likely functions as a transcription factor that, based upon RNAi experiments, plays a role in the formation of SDS-resistant dauer larvae; using two different reporter fusions, nhr-41 expression is detected in seam cells, excretory cells, and rectal epithelia, or in chemosensory neurons, gut, and head and tail hypodermis; nhr-41 mRNAs are expressed at all larval stages at precise intervals relative to molting: mRNA produced by upstream promoter sequence is detected at the time larval molts occur, while mRNA produced by promoter sequence in the fourth intron is detected at variable levels during larval development with distinct peaks of expression seen at the beginning of the intermolt.