LIN-35 is necessary in both the soma and germline for preserving fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans under moderate temperature stress

Maintenance of germline function under stress conditions is crucial for species survival. The germline across many species is especially sensitive to elevated temperature stress. We have investigated the role that the pocket protein LIN-35 plays in preserving fertility in C. elegans under moderate high temperature stress. Here we show that lin-35 mutants have a number of temperature sensitive germline defects. The decreased brood size seen at elevated temperatures is more severe in lin-35 mutants than wild type. This loss of fertility under temperature stress is primarily due to loss of zygotic but not maternal LIN-35. Additionally, we have found that expression of LIN-35 is necessary in both the germline and soma for the preserving fertility at elevated temperature. Specifically, germline expressed LIN-35 is primarily what is important for maintaining fertility in hermaphrodites, but broad somatic expression of LIN-35 is also necessary for oocyte formation and/or function at elevated temperatures. Additionally, we found that overexpression of LIN-35 in the germline only can stabilize the formation of P granules in primordial germ cells. Our data adds to the emerging critical role that LIN-35 plays in buffering tissues against stress.