Stress-associated High Production of Large Extracellular Vesicles in the Parent Generation is Not Inherited by C. elegans F1 Progeny

Parental stress can influence stress responses in offspring. In C. elegans neurons, proteostress can induce the extrusion of aggregates and organelles in large extracellular vesicles called exophers. Under mild proteostress, ~20% of ALMR neurons produce exophers. We tested if the high exopher production trait is heritable. Offspring of parents that produced exophers (both under standard growth conditions and after 6-hour food withdrawal) displayed similar exopher production levels compared to offspring of parents that didn't produce ALMR exophers and the exopher level changes in response to fasting remained the same. Our data suggest that the high exopher production trait is not heritable.