Daf-12

The DAF-12 gene encodes the nuclear receptor of dafachronic acid in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, with the NRNC Symbol NR1J1 as the homolog of nuclear hormone receptor HR96 in Drosophila melanogaster. DAF-12 has been implicated by Cynthia Kenyon and colleagues in the formation of Dauer larva.
In favorable environments, a cytochrome p450 Daf-9 produce dafachronic acid to binding Daf-12 to initiating downstream gene expression. When in unfavorable environments, like starvation, dafachronic acid decreases, Daf-12 will form a complex with co-repressor DIN-1.