lov-1 and
pkd-2, which encode the C. elegans orthologs of human polycystin-1 and -2, are necessary for three particular aspects of male mating behavior. In a screen for male mating defective mutants with similar spectrum of mating defects, we identified a mutation that apparently defines a new locus,
lov-3. We isolated the
sy682 mutation in an ethyl-methane sulphonate (EMS)-screen of Caenorhabditis elegans strain PS1395 [genotype:
plg-1(
e2001d);
him-5(
e1490)] for mutant males that do not mate efficiently and hence do not form plugs on hermaphrodites (Liu et al, 2017).
sy682 is defective in the males' response to contact with hermaphrodite and in vulval location (Table 1). The vulval location defect is failing to stop at the vulva. These two phenotypes are associated with
lov-1 (Barr, 1999) and
pkd-2 loss-of-function mutations (Barr et al. 2001; Whittaker et al., 2017).
sy682 maps to the X chromosome and thus is distinct from
lov-1 and
pkd-2, so it defines a likely new locus,
lov-3.