The mRNAs for
lin-42,
nhr-23, and
nhr-41a exhibit a low-high (peak)-low profile during the L1 intermolt that is precisely reiterated at later stages. The mRNAs for
nhr-25a,
nhr-25b, and
nhr-41b have a high-low-high (peak) expression profile during the L1 stage (and into early L2) that is also reiterated.
nhr-25a and
nhr-41b also show a downward trend in baseline expression as development proceeds. For all six mRNAs, there are peaks of expression that occur at precise intervals relative to the molt at all larval stages:
nhr-25b and
nhr-41b peak at the beginning of the intermolt;
nhr-23 peaks at mid-intermolt, slightly preceding the intermolt peak in
lin-42 expression; and
nhr-25a and
nhr-41a peak at the time the larval molts occur. Two mRNAs,
nhr-6 and
nhr-85a, show a more irregular expression pattern with respect to the molt; however, it should be noted that
nhr-6 mRNA has consistent relatively lower expression values at the times the molt takes place.
nhr-67 also does not display a reiterated, oscillating expression pattern, although two early peaks are observed at the end of the L1 stage and at the beginning of L2.