Differential mRNA decay occurs across germline and somatic cells in the C. elegans embryo. (A) Box plots showing the cell type–specific mRNA half-life distributions of genes across the germline and soma. (B) Scatter plot comparing soma- and germline-specific mRNA half-lives to one another. Each point represents a gene. Pink points correspond to the top 10% of genes with longer mRNA decay in the germline compared with in the soma. Blue points correspond to the top 10% of genes with faster mRNA decay in the germline compared with in the soma. Dashed line is the x = y line. (C) A cartoon of box plots representing the expected mRNA half-life distribution of genes with less, constant, or greater expression over time if mRNA decay primarily contributes to gene expression. (D) A cartoon of box plots representing the expected mRNA half-life distribution of genes with less, constant, or greater expression over time if transcription primarily contributes to gene expression. (E) Box plots showing the germline-specific mRNA half-life distributions for genes that decrease or increase in expression over time in the germline from a fold-change of one to two or greater than two. (F) Box plots showing the soma-specific mRNA half-life distributions for genes that decrease or increase in expression over time in the soma from a fold-change of one to two or greater than two. (G) Box plots showing the germline-specific mRNA half-life distributions of mRNA 3′ UTR-binding genes, other mRNA-binding genes, and genes not annotated as RNA binding. (H) Box plots showing the soma-specific mRNA half-life distributions of mRNA 3′ UTR-binding genes, other mRNA-binding genes, and genes not annotated as RNA binding. (I) Plot displaying the soma- and germline-specific mRNA half-lives for mRNA-binding genes whose decay is more rapid in the germline than in the soma. Numbers to the left of the box plots are median half-lives within each group. Numbers above the box plots are the number of genes with half-lives >150 min (A,G,H) or 325 min (E,F) within each group. The P-value comparing median half-lives was calculated using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
