Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are thought to be partially responsible for aging and senescence, but the mechanisms by which ROS participate in aging are not entirely clear. Antioxidants may neutralize harmful ROS, and they have been promoted as a means of therapy. In order to explore the relationship between ROS and antioxidants, we assessed protein damage, antioxidant linked ROS suppression and native antioxidant expression under various treatment conditions. We had earlier shown that worms harboring the uaDf5 mitochondrial DNA deletion produced elevated hydrogen peroxide and experienced shorter lifespans. The lifespan deficit was reversed by treatment with the antioxidant EUK-134 but not by coenzyme Q10. Here, we tested both antioxidants on uaDf5 worms and worms treated with the ROS-inducing mitochondrial toxin paraquat. We detected no effect of the treatment on protein damage measured as the quenching of fluorescence of a Pmyo-3::GFP transcriptional fusion. We did find changes in hydrogen peroxide production, assayed using the fluorescent dye DCF. The expression of a Psod-3::GFP transcriptional fusion did not change with treatment, although changes in transcript abundance of a host of sod genes were detected by RT-PCR. Our combined results show that sod gene transcription responds to variation in ROS and treatment with EUK-134.
Characterization of the let-502 gene Andreas Wissmann, James D. McGhee and Paul E. Mains, Dept. of Medical Biochemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1
Evolution of vulva-formation: Part II: Species with a central vulva Ralf J. Sommer & Paul W. Sternberg, California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology 156-29, Pasadena, CA 91125
Characterization of the axonal guidance and outgrowth gene unc-33 W. Li, R. K. Herman and J. E. Shaw Department of Genetics and Cell biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108
Evolution of vulva formation: Part IV: Variation in AC position can cause a shift of vulva formation towards p(4- 6).p Ralf J. Sommer & Paul W. Sternberg, HHMI & California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology 156-29, Pasadena, CA
WormBase (www.wormbase.org) is an international consortium of biologists and computer scientists dedicated to providing the research community with accurate, current, accessible information concerning the genetics, genomics and biology of C. elegans and some related nematodes. WormBase builds upon the existing ACeDB database of the C. elegans genome by providing curation from the literature, an expanded range of content and a user friendly web interface. The team that developed and maintained ACeDB (Richard Durbin, Jean Thierry-Mieg) remains an important part of WormBase. Lincoln Stein and colleagues at Cold Spring Harbor are leading the effort to develop the user interface, including visualization tools for the genome and genetic map. Teams at Sanger Centre (led by Richard Durbin) and the Genome Sequencing Center at Washington University, St. Louis (led by John Spieth) continue to curate the genomic sequence. Jean and Danielle Thierry-Mieg at NCBI spearhead importation of large-scale data sets from other projects. Paul Sternberg and colleagues at Caltech will curate new data including cell function in development, behavior and physiology, gene expression at a cellular level; and gene interactions. Paul Sternberg assumes overall responsibility for WormBase, and is delighted to hear feedback of any sort. WormBase has recently received major funding from the National Human Genome Research Institute at the US National Institutes of Health, and also receives support from the National Library of Medicine/NCBI and the British Medical Research Council. WormBase is an expansion of existing efforts, and as such continues to need you help and feedback. Even with the increased scope and funding, all past contributors to ACeDB remain involved. The Caenorhabditis Genetics Center (Jonathan Hodgkin and Sylvia Martinelli) collaborate with WormBase to curate the genetic map and related topics. Ian Hope and colleagues continue to supply expression data to WormBase. Leon Avery will continue his superb website and serves as one advisor to WormBase. While the major means of access to WormBase is via the world wide web, downloadable versions of WormBase as well as the acedb software engine will continue to be available.
CURATOR. Will annotate gene functions in C. elegans , using Gene Ontology (Nature Genetics [2000], vol. 25, pp. 25-29). Duties include: analysing gene functions in the primary literature; judging the optimal description of these functions in Gene Ontology, inventing new terms for Gene Ontology where necessary; and incorporating these descriptions into Wormbase. A Ph.D. in some area of biology and substantial C. elegans experience are required. The successful job candidate will have broad scientific erudition, verbal articulacy, and creative intelligence as well as patience and a willingness to work hard. Computer literacy in UNIX or Linux is a plus, but is not required. Direct inquiries to Paul Sternberg (pws@its.caltech.edu).
On July 19, 1992 Mark Edgley arrived on the University of Minnesota campus in a rented truck containing frozen worms, computer and files. Mark stayed in St. Paul for two weeks to help us get organized and operational. We are extremely grateful to Mark and Don Riddle for the splendid way they have prepared for this transition. We shall try to continue the excellent tradition of CGC service they have established (pause for prolonged applause for Mark and Don). Jonathan has taken over responsibility for the genetic map. Genetic map data for new genes, improved locations for known genes, and new data on rearrangements (duplications, deficiencies, balancers, and so on) should all be sent Cambridge UK (or St. Paul, MN for forwarding to Cambridge), using standard formats. Forms are available on request. In order to improve the correlation between the genetic and physical maps, the CGC also wishes to collect published and unpublished genetic map data for genes, sequences and RFLP's with defined positions on the physical map. Data should be sent to Cambridge UK or St. Paul, MN, using (as far as possible) the standard genetic map data formats, as above. We also encourage submission of genetic map data by e-mail. Investigators who wish to use this option should send a message to jah@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk. What follows are reminders of additional ways in which you can help us: 1. Please try to remember to acknowledge in papers the use of any strains received from the CGC. 2. Please send us reprints of au of your papers; if a paper acknowledges the CGC, we would be happy to receive two reprints, because we must send one to NIH. 3. Please let us know if you find a bibliographic reference we have missed (particularly if it is one of your own). 4. Our first priority in acquiring strains is to acquire a reference allele of every identified gene and all available chromosome rearrangements. If you can help us fill gaps in our collection without our asking, all the better. 5. We need your strain requests in writing (e-mail is fine), with a brief statement of research or training activity for which the strains are intended.
Focused studies on model organisms with favorable features have been important for advancing many areas of biology. Nematodes have been a successful model for analyzing development. Can they also be used to study evolution? Paul Sternberg and his present and former colleagues are attempting to answer this question by studying variation of that well-described little structure, the nematode vulva. Their efforts have been well rewarded. Two recent publications extend a series of papers showing a surprising degree of evolutionary variability in vulval development among species. Could it be that comparison of nematode species will prove to be as powerful for penetrating the intimate mechanisms of evolutionary change as analysis of mutant nematodes has been to understanding mechanisms of development?