Smith, Heidi K. et al. (2012) Worm Breeder's Gazette "Cloning of che-6 and che-7"

Smith, Heidi K., Hobert, Oliver

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 2012]

Harold E Smith et al. (2002) Worm Breeder's Gazette "Using spe-26 as an alternative marker for rescue by biolistic transformation"

Harold E Smith, Sam Ward

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 2002]

One of the limitations of C. elegans transgene studies has been the difficulty in obtaining stable (i.e., integrated), low copy number lines. Praitis et al. ( Genetics 2001, 157:1217-26) have adapted biolistic transformation (bombardment with DNA-coated gold microparticles) to worms for this purpose by selecting for rescue of unc-119(ed3) lethality on starved plates. The identification of selectable markers in addition to unc-119(ed3) would facilitate the construction of lines with multiple integrated transgenes. In a pilot experiment, we attempted to rescue the temperature-sensitive, sperm-specific sterility (Spe) of the spe-26(hc138ts) mutation via biolistic transformation. We used the spe-26 plasmid pJV145, which, by microinjection, complements the Spe phenotype. Synchronized populations of spe-26(hc138ts) were grown at 15 degrees until young adulthood, subjected to bombardment, allowed to recover for two hours, transferred to new plates, then shifted to 25 degrees. Otherwise, conditions for bombardment were identical to the published protocol. The large number of worms quickly depleted the available OP50, so we added an OP50 "soup" (1ml of a centrifuged culture containing ~50% bacteria by volume) every day or two as needed to prevent dauer arrest. F1 progeny of the bombarded worms should be sterile unless rescued. We obtained four independent fertile lines from 20 bombardments. PCR screening of single fertile worms with plasmid-specific primers confirmed its presence in all four lines. In three of the lines, the high frequency of sterility in subsequent generations suggested extrachromosomal maintenance; those lines were not characterized further. The fourth line exhibited stable maintenance of fertility, and Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration of a single copy of the transgene. Current efforts include testing of a different spe-26 allele ( it112ts ) and different bombardment parameters to increase the efficiency of integrated rescue.

Rosenberg R (1978) Worm Breeder's Gazette

Rosenberg R

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1978]

All eyes are on the newest fashion trend, the Dumpy Look . Pace setting designer I.M. Worm s androgynous wardrobe is all the rage in Paris. Bianca Jagger quips, Tres, tres - Women s Wear Daily writes, Elegans personified - Patti Smith thinks, The punks won t buy it and Craig Russell says, It fits right in with my act . A product of Mutant Isolation, Inc.

Cassada RC et al. (1980) Worm Breeder's Gazette "initial characterization of ts embryonic defective (emb) mutants (Goettingen set)."

Culotti MR, Cassada RC, Von Ehrenstein G, Isnenghi E

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1980]

[See Figure 1] Already published allelism: Wood et al., 1980: b117=b189; b246 = let- 2.Miwa et al., 1980: hc57 = hc62; hc61 = hc67. Our global complementation results: g1 = g4; g16 = g65 = hc61 = hc67; g36 = hc65; g23 = g34 = hc70 = b117 = b189; g37 = b246 = let-2; b84 = hc66; g14 = g43; g57 = b1O. From frequency of multiple alleles we estimate 200-400 genes essential for embryogenesis. Mapping is in progress. We are also doing tsp's, R + H Tests, and cellular defects ( Isnenghi, Cassada, Radnia, Schierenberg, K. Smith, v. Ehrenstein).

Croll NA et al. (1977) Worm Breeder's Gazette "behaviour of Caenorhabditis elegans (wild type)."

Rutherford TA, Sukul NC, Smith JM, Croll NA

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1977]

It remains the feeling of this laboratory that very little is known of the behavior of wild type C. elegans and that detailed analysis of the behavior of individuals still provides the best method of study. We are currently analyzing the behavior of adults, 4 1/2 days + 1/2 day at 20 C as our recent study (Croll, Smith & Zuckerman, 1977, Experimental Aging Research) has shown that age is critical in determining the rates of different behavioral actions. The wave patterns of individuals is significantly altered by L-tryptophan and D- tryptophan (5mM), an approach derived from Dusenbery (J. Exp. Biol. 1975, 193; 413). The patterns are further significantly affected by small temperature changes from the eccritic response. As well as any directional component attributed to chemical or thermal gradients, we are now considering them to be important 'behavior modifiers' in non- directional environments. A full description of defecation has been completed which supports our earlier contention that defecation is a feature of the 'feeding phase' and that its rate is dependent upon an endogenous signal(s) and not upon the rate of ingestion. When not ingesting rapidly there is a spontaneous 'pseudocrap' in which faeces are not voided! Further details (J. Zool. Lon.) can be provided of this study now in press upon request. C. elegans adults respond very strongly to electric currents and potentials between .01-.06 mA and 1.0 to 3.3 V/cm. This is now being investigated with thresholds, habituation phenomena and feeding factors being included. This response could provide a new set of mutants for those in the business of making them. Worms can go either towards the cathode or anode depending upon the current strength. We would like to develop this investigation to see if certain amphid-defective, chemoreceptive-defective mutants had also lost their galvanotaxes - any offers?

Danielle Thierry-Mieg et al. (2003) Worm Breeder's Gazette "www.wormgenes.org , a new gene centered database"

Vahan Simonyan, Michel Potdevin, Mark Sienkiewicz, Yuji KOHARA, Jean Thierry-Mieg, Danielle Thierry-Mieg, Tadasu SHIN-I

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 2003]

Wormgenes is a new resource for C.elegans offering a detailed summary about each gene and a powerful query system.

Edgar RS (1975) Worm Breeder's Gazette "the shipping and handling of nematodes."

Edgar RS

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1975]

Many of us have totally abandoned wooden sticks for transferring worms. Instead a short (1 - 1 1/2') piece of platinum wire (32 gauge) is sealed in a pasteur pipette holder. Platinum is soft and a sharp hook or spatular end can be shaped with a razor blade and forceps. Various 'tools' of varied shape can be manufactured. Such implements are readily sterilized in a micro-burner. I have had some success shipping worms in letters. Three or four small pieces of filter paper are placed on a piece of aluminum foil. The filter papers are saturated with a buffer washate from a starved plate. The foil is folded several times to create a seal. The recipient places the filter papers on a plate or washes them in buffer.

Gruidl ME et al. (1995) Worm Breeder's Gazette "The Adult Sterile Mutant, let-545, Is Likely To Be a Mutation in glh-1, a Putative P-Granule Component."

Gruidl ME, McKay S, Bennett KL, Rose AM

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1995]

The adult sterile mutant, let-545, is likely to be a mutation in glh-1, a putative P-granule component.

Lewis JA (1988) Worm Breeder's Gazette "referencing, crossreferencing, and creating reference lists with Microsoft Word."

Lewis JA

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1988]

I've written a little primer on how to use Word (version 3.0 or higher) to automatically generate references (reference number or author-year citation) and cross-references (to page number) within a document using a combination of Word's merge function and table of contents generation facility. Also included in the article are directions for using reference information stored in a database to automatically generate a reference list according to a given style using Word's merge function. The utility of all this is likely to be superseded by future versions of Word and commercially available add- on programs. However, if you are interested, drop me a line and I'll send you a copy of my article.

Way JC et al. (1986) Worm Breeder's Gazette "a simple method for decontaminating worm stocks."

Way JC, Chalfie M

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1986]

In the past, we have used the standard method for decontaminating stocks, which involves washing worms off a plate, spinning them in a centrifuge, etc The following procedure is much quicker and requires fewer worms. Also, it can be used to directly decontaminate the progeny of a mating and thus accelerate strain constructions. Using a platinum wire with a glob of bacteria on the bottom, pick up several gravid adults and/or eggs from the contaminated plate and transfer them to a seeded plate. Then put a drop of the usual sodium hypochlorite solution (2-4% NaOCl, .4M NaOH) onto the eggs. About half of the eggs will hatch. Occasionally, a very tough bacterial contaminant will survive to form a few colonies, so it is wise to transfer the survivors on the following day.