{"paper_id":"022a1bb4-a15b-41c0-a504-dfda8921cd8d","body_text":"The FMRFamide-like peptide FLP-11 regulates the production and secretion of the 1 TGF-β-like protein DAF-7 during Caenorhabditis elegans larval development | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article The FMRFamide-like peptide FLP-11 regulates the production and secretion of the 1 TGF-β-like protein DAF-7 during Caenorhabditis elegans larval development Riko Uegaki, Sho Maega, Masahiro Ono, Tomohiro Bito, Takashi Iwasaki, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7478256/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 07 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) are widely conserved in nematodes. Here, we conducted a molecular genetic study to confirm that the flp-11 gene regulates larval development in the free-living soil nematode model species Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrated that: 1) FLP-11 suppresses larval development, resulting in dauer diapause; 2) the production and secretion of FLP-11 by specific neurons is modulated by the availability of food (e.g., Escherichia coli) and by population density, both of which determine larval development/dauer diapause via transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-like and insulin-like signaling; 3) the FLP-11 peptide reduces the production and secretion of DAF-7, the sole TGF-β-like protein involved in larval development; 4) FLP-11 is not involved in insulin-like signaling; 5) FLP-11 modulates dauer diapause via neuropeptide receptor-22 (NPR-22), which regulates DAF-7 production and secretion. This study is the first to describe an important short neuropeptide that directly regulates a TGF-β-like protein via its receptor candidate, thereby influencing larval development. Biological sciences/Biotechnology Biological sciences/Molecular biology Biological sciences/Physiology Caenorhabditis elegans FMRFamide-like peptides G protein-coupled receptor larval development transforming growth factor-β Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files submissiontoSciRepSupplementaryDafaRikoUegaki.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 07 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 15 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 14 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 10 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 07 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 02 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 02 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 30 Sep, 2025 Editor invited by journal 25 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 04 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Here, we conducted a molecular genetic study to confirm that the flp-11 gene regulates larval development in the free-living soil nematode model species Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrated that: 1) FLP-11 suppresses larval development, resulting in dauer diapause; 2) the production and secretion of FLP-11 by specific neurons is modulated by the availability of food (e.g., Escherichia coli) and by population density, both of which determine larval development/dauer diapause via transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-like and insulin-like signaling; 3) the FLP-11 peptide reduces the production and secretion of DAF-7, the sole TGF-β-like protein involved in larval development; 4) FLP-11 is not involved in insulin-like signaling; 5) FLP-11 modulates dauer diapause via neuropeptide receptor-22 (NPR-22), which regulates DAF-7 production and secretion. 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