An intergenerational lipid memory of the social environment in C. elegans

Information about the environment can, in some cases, be transmitted to an organism's offspring by epigenetic inheritance. Here, we describe a novel form of epigenetics in C. elegans where information is transmitted between generations not by alterations in DNA, chromatin, or RNA, but by changes in the composition of lipids. Specifically, we delineate an environment-to-neuron-to-intestine-to-oocyte signalling axis that alters progeny thermotolerance by remodelling lipid provisioning to oocytes when animals detect social pheromones. Intergenerational information transmission via 'lipid memories' may represent an underappreciated form of epigenetics.