Locating a new gene involved in behavioral adaptation to serotonin in the roundworm C. elegans
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
Ellensburg
Event Website
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source
Start Date
15-5-2019
End Date
15-5-2019
Abstract
Using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, a genetic screen was performed to identify genes responsible for behavioral adaptation to chronic exposure to serotonin. When exposed to serotonin, C. elegans will slow their movement, eat more, and lay more eggs, but when they are exposed chronically, they adapt to those behaviors and regain speed, eat less, and lay fewer eggs in a process known as behavioral adaptation. One of the mutants, def-1, was found to not adapt to serotonin and has an additional behavioral phenotype we are studying. This social feeding behavior that has been previously uncharacterized is called “depressed foraging”. The specific purpose of this study is to determine the genetic location of a gene altered in def-1 worms. We are in process of using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) mapping to localize the mutation. We have localized it to Chromosome I, and are continuing to interval map to a more specific region on the chromosome. Once narrowed to several possible genes, we will sequence these genes to find the one with the mutation. Alternatively, we will use RNA interference techniques to inactivate these genes in wild-type worms in order to see if they mimic the phenotype of def-1 mutants. Another mutant from that original genetic screen, def-2 was found to have identical phenotypes and we are using complementation tests to determine if they have mutations in the same genes. Identifying genes regulating how worms develop adaptation will provide insight to this behavior is regulated at the cellular level.
Recommended Citation
Boyd, Katherine and May, Trevor, "Locating a new gene involved in behavioral adaptation to serotonin in the roundworm C. elegans" (2019). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 48.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2019/Oralpres/48
Department/Program
Biological Sciences
Slides for SOURCE 2019 presentation Boyd
Locating a new gene involved in behavioral adaptation to serotonin in the roundworm C. elegans
Ellensburg
Using the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, a genetic screen was performed to identify genes responsible for behavioral adaptation to chronic exposure to serotonin. When exposed to serotonin, C. elegans will slow their movement, eat more, and lay more eggs, but when they are exposed chronically, they adapt to those behaviors and regain speed, eat less, and lay fewer eggs in a process known as behavioral adaptation. One of the mutants, def-1, was found to not adapt to serotonin and has an additional behavioral phenotype we are studying. This social feeding behavior that has been previously uncharacterized is called “depressed foraging”. The specific purpose of this study is to determine the genetic location of a gene altered in def-1 worms. We are in process of using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) mapping to localize the mutation. We have localized it to Chromosome I, and are continuing to interval map to a more specific region on the chromosome. Once narrowed to several possible genes, we will sequence these genes to find the one with the mutation. Alternatively, we will use RNA interference techniques to inactivate these genes in wild-type worms in order to see if they mimic the phenotype of def-1 mutants. Another mutant from that original genetic screen, def-2 was found to have identical phenotypes and we are using complementation tests to determine if they have mutations in the same genes. Identifying genes regulating how worms develop adaptation will provide insight to this behavior is regulated at the cellular level.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2019/Oralpres/48
Faculty Mentor(s)
Lucinda Carnell