C. elegans Behavior Kit
Compare a wild-type strain of C. elegans to a neurologic mutant to understand how a loss of the AIY and ASE neurons impacts learning capacity through a chemotaxis experiment.
Overview
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is one of the world's most studied model organisms. In this lab, students observe two strains of C. elegans (a wild-type and a daf-18 mutant) as they develop from eggs, through larval stages, to adulthood. Next, students subculture the two strains to “teach” them to associate the presence of salt in the environment with the presence of food. In a final activity, students observe differences in how the strains sense and chemotax towards a salt gradient in search of food. Has the loss of the protein phosphatase DAF-18 impacted the worms’ learning capacity?
While watching their worms learn (or not learn), students explore the complexity of nematode physiology, anatomy, and genetics, and the impact of environmental variables on the learning capabilities of mutant and wild-type strains.
With this kit, students are able to:
- Get hands-on experience with a model eukaryotic organism
- Observe and study the life cycle of C. elegans
- Utilize their microscope skills
- Learn how to subculture
- Learn about genetics and its effect on behavior
- Discover the connection between learning, the daf-18 gene, and the AIY and ASE neurons
Background Information
C. elegans was the first multicellular organism to have its complete genome sequenced. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to C. elegans researchers in 2002 (genetics of organ development and apoptosis), 2006 (RNA interference), and 2008 (GFP expression), emphasizing the importance of research on this model organism. This microscopic nematode is ideal for students to learn about subculturing so that they can observe the life cycle and different stages of development of the worms.
Following life cycle observation, students will get the chance to understand how C. elegans can learn to associate salt with their food by monitoring chemotaxis. When wild-type C. elegans are fed food with salt they learn to associate their food with the salt. C. elegans are then able to sense salt in their environment and will chemotax towards the salt in search of food. A mutant affected in the daf-18 gene (and subsequently the AIY and ASE neurons) results in a worm that is not able to learn to associate the salt with the food. While the mutant C. elegans are able to chemotax, their inability to associate their food to a salty environment results in no migration towards salt in a chemotaxis assay.
Note: The wild-type and mutant worms are shipped on dry ice and must be kept on dry ice or at –70°C until ready to plate. Allow for preparation of NGM Lite agar plates (reagents ordered separately) prior to ordering the worms. Wild-type and mutant C. elegans will be shipped overnight at a date specified by the customer.
Download our interactive calculator for setting up your instructor's advance lab preparation and for scheduling shipment of the C. elegans.
Features and Benefits
- Observe and study the life cycle of C. elegans, a model eukaryotic organism
- Incorporate lessons in genetics, neurobiology, and learning pathways
- Utilize microscope skills
- Includes neurobiology, BLAST analysis, and chi square statistic supplements
- Complete student activities in two 45-minute lab sessions
C. elegans Teaching Resources
C. elegans Behavior Kit PowerPoint Presentation
Download an editable, student-facing presentation for classroom use.
Specifications
(2-4 students per workstation)
Ordering
items
Use the filters below to refine results!
